This PQQ Must Be Completed and Returned in Hard Copyto

COMPANY NAME:
Thanet District Council
Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)

This PQQ must be completed and returned in hard copyto

Thanet District Council no later than

Thanet District Council
PO Box 9
Cecil Street

Margate
Kent CT9 1XZ

For the attention of:

Procurement & Contracts Unit

Telephone: (01843) 577112

GUIDANCE NOTES TO SUPPLIERS FOR COMPLETION OF THIS PRE-QUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE (PQQ)

This questionnaire is designed to provide Thanet District Council with the information required to assess your company’s suitability to become a contractor to the Authority. The Council has a duty to ensure that those with whom it contracts comply with relevant laws and regulations particularly those concerning equalities, health and safety and the environment. It also has a duty to protect public funds and minimise risk to the ongoing delivery of its services. The likelihood of a contractor or supplier ceasing to trade is therefore one of the considerations taken into account when selecting potential suppliers andaccreditation will include a check on your financial standing by reference to a credit reference agency and/or accounts submitted with this PQQ.

Submitted questionnaires will be assessed following the closing date and the Council will produce a short-list of applicants comprising the highest 5 - 7 scoring bidders (where 5 suitable applicants can be identified). The Council reserves the right to short list more than 7 applicants where scores are sufficiently close. All applicants will subsequently be advised of their status and those short-listed will be advised of the timescales and requirements of further stages.

General Guidance

1. The Council is obliged to consider each application for tenders on its own merit and cannot take into account any information that has not been specifically provided in response to this application. You are advised that, should you have provided information previously or already be included on any select, preferred or Approved List of Contractors operated by this Council, you arestill required to provide all the information requested within this questionnaire. Failure to do so may result in your exclusion from being invited to tender.

1. Please ensure that you complete and return the questionnaire as soon as possible with supporting documents. Should you decide that you do not wish to continue with this application, please advise the Council of your decision in writing at the earliest opportunity.

1. Ensure that all supporting documentation is clearly marked with the respective question reference it relates to in the questionnaire. Please do not cross-reference with your own identification, this may lead to errors occurring during the assessment of your application.

1. Please answer the questions specifically for your Firm not for the group if you are part of a group of Firms. Where, however, group policies, statements, etc., are normally used by your Firm, please answer accordingly.

1. All parts of the questionnaire must be completed before it is returned. Otherwise, it will not be possible to process the application.

6.Distribution of PQQ Responses and Freedom of Information:

i)Thanet District Council (‘the council’) may disclose PQQ information to its officers, employees, partners, or agents for the purposes of conducting this competitive exercise and subsequent contract management.

ii)In accordance with the obligations and duties placed upon public authorities by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the ‘FOIA’), the council may (acting in accordance with the Secretary of State’s Code of Practice on the Discharge of the Functions of Public Authorities under Part 1 of the said Act, or the Environmental Information Regulations) be required to disclose information submitted by the PQQ Respondent to the council.

iii)If a Respondent considers that any of the information included in its Response to the PQQ is commercially sensitive, the Respondent should identify it and detail: (a) (in broad terms) what harm may result from disclosure if a request is received; and (b) the time period applicable to that commercial sensitivity. However, it should be noted that even where a Respondent has indicated that information is commercially sensitive, the council may still be required to disclose it under FOIA. Also, the council shall not be deemed to have accepted any duty of confidence by virtue of receipt of any material marked 'confidential' or equivalent. By submitting a PQQ the Respondent agrees to this information being securely held by the council in an electronic format and to Thanet District Council’s obligations under the above regulations.

7Ensure that the completed questionnaire, together with all supporting documents, is returned in good time to arrive by. Incomplete Questionnaires orQuestionnaires received after this date will not be considered.

8Evaluation

A combination of pass/fail and scored questions will be applied. If your response to any pass/fail section is awarded a fail, your PQQ will be eliminated.

Scoring will range from 0 to 10. The following illustrates the meaning of each score:

0 - Unacceptable

1 - Very weak - almost unacceptable

2 - Weak - well below expectations

3 - Poor - below expectations

4 - Satisfactory but below expectations

5 - Meets expectations

6 - Slightly exceeds expectations

7- Good - well above expectations

8 - Very good

9 - Outstanding

10 – Exceptional

9Weighting

Where weighting is applied this will be indicated within the section heading

The Contracting Authority reserves the right at their discretion to reject any Bidder which:

a)Fails to meet each minimum threshold requirement as indicated within the PQQ document.

b)Scores 3or below (prior to weighting)in relation to any section of the PQQ.

The Contracting Authority shall in determining the final number of Bidders, take into account:

The range of scores achieved for each question and in total

The degree of difference between Bidders’ scores; and

Significant weaknesses identified in any areas.

BACKGROUND TO CONTRACT

A. COMPANY INFORMATION

A.1 / Trading Name & Address
A.2 / Address for correspondence
A.3 / Contact Name:
Position in Company:
Telephone Number:
Fax Number:
Email Address:
Mobile Phone Number:
A.4 / Company Website:
A.5 / Company Status: / Please Indicate
Sole Trader / Yes / No
Partnership / Yes / No
Limited Company / Yes / No
Public Limited Company / Yes / No
Charity / Yes / No
Other (please specify)
A.6 / Date of Formation or Registration:
A.7 / Registration Number:
Registered Address:
A.8 / VAT Number:
A.9 / Are you making this application as a lead organisation on behalf of a group of applicants through a partnership or consortium or sub-contracting approach
Yes / No
A.10 / If your response to question A.9 is ‘yes’ are you able to confirm who the sub-contractors/partners are at this stage?
Yes / No
If ‘yes’ please complete the table below:
Organisation Name & company registration no. / Address & Telephone number / Contact
Please continue on a separate sheet if required.
If ‘no’ please note these details must be made available within your tender response if you are successfully short-listed to the next stage of the process.
A.11 / If your response to question A.10 is ‘yes’ are you able to confirm the elements of the contract that each partner will deliver?
Yes/No
If ‘yes’ please complete the table below:
Organisation Name & company registration no. / Address & telephone number / Contract
Please continue on a separate sheet if required.
If ‘no’ please not these details must be made available within your tender response if you are successfully short-listed to the next stage of the process.
A.12 / If you are submitting a tender as a prime organisation or lead contractor, please provide details of your experience in delivering contracts in this lead role and managing the input of other companies to provide a cohesive and integrated service.
A.13 / Please explain the process and checks you have undertaken in confirming that for any partner organisation delivering the contract:
•They have relevant experience;
•They have the organisational capacity;
•They have the financial capacity;
•They have adequate insurance limits[1]; and
•They have appropriate health and safety policies which cover Health and Safety management system; risk assessments; manual handling; lone working; violence and aggression; accident/incident reporting; training etc
•They have appropriate environmental policies in place.
•They have appropriate quality assurance policies/procedures in place.
[1] Partner organisations/subcontractors are required to hold the same levels of insurance as required from the prime contractor/lead organisation. The insurance limits are detailed in this Pre Qualification Questionnaire in Section B3.
A.14 / Does your company (or any members of the partnership/consortium if applicable) have any association (either directly or indirectly) with any member or employee of Thanet District Council?
Yes/No
If ‘yes’, please provide details:
A.15 / Is your company a subsidiary of another company as defined by section 736 (1) of the Companies Act 1985?
Yes/No
If yes, please provide the following details in respect of the Holding Parent Company:
Name:
Registered Office Address:
Registration Number:

Note: The Authority may require the Holding Parent Company to enter into a Deed of Guarantee, where a contract is proposed with a subsidiary, to indemnify the Authority against all losses, damages or costs which may be incurred by the Authority by reason of default on the part of the applicant.

B.GROUNDS FOR EXCLUSION– Essential Information – (Pass/Fail)

Please confirm the following statements or give details if you cannot confirm them.

B1.MANDATORY GROUNDS

CRIMINAL MATTERS

Has the applicant any convictions under the circumstances set out in regulation 23(1) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006. / Yes/No
If yes provide details

B2.DISCRETIONARY GROUNDS

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Please give details of any relatives of any relevant person associated with the applicant who are in a senior position or are a councillor within the Council and confirm that there are no conflicts of interest in that respect. If none, please state “none”.

INSOLVENCY INFORMATION

Individuals, sole traders or partnerships:

Please confirm for the business and each individual as a partner in the business that:

Have any of the Directors/Partners been involved in any firm that has been liquidated or gone into receivership? / Yes/No
If yes provide details
Has a bankruptcy order been made or is one being applied for? / Yes/No
If yes provide details
Is a court administering the business affairs or is one being requested to do so? / Yes/No
If yes provide details
Has a composition or arrangement been entered into for the benefit of creditors or has one been requested? / Yes/No
If yes provide details
Are business activities continuing and have not been suspended? / Yes/No
If noprovide details

Companies or similar trading entities (e.g. Limited Liability Partnership):

Please confirm that:

Have the affairs of the business been wound up or are they subject to winding up proceedings? / Yes/No
If yes provide details
Has any composition or arrangement been entered into for the benefit of creditors or has any such arrangement been requested? / Yes/No
If yes provide details
Are business activities continuing and have not been suspended? / Yes/No
If noprovide details
Have any offences been committed in relation to the business? When answering this query please ensure that you consider any prosecutions under The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and any equality related legislation. / Yes/No
If yes provide details

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT INFORMATION

Please confirm:

Are there any current actions &/or industrial tribunal hearings against your organisation? / Yes/No
If yes provide details.
Has your organisation been involved in any court or industrial tribunals over the last 3 years? / Yes/No
If yes provide details
Has any offence concerning professional conduct been committed in relation to the business? / Yes/No
If yes provide details

SOCIAL SECURITY AND TAXATION INFORMATION

Have all social security contributions been met? / Yes/No
If no provide details
Have all necessary taxation payments been made in any member state in which the business is or was liable to make social security or taxation payments? / Yes/No
If no provide details

MISREPRESENTATIONS

Have any misrepresentations been made in supplying information on any of the matters covered by or in this questionnaire to other contracting authorities? / Yes/No
If yes provide details

B3.Insurance

Essential Information -(Pass/Fail)

Please provide copies of current insurances AND confirmation that you have or, if successful, will buy the following minimum levels of insurance:
Public liability £5 million
Employers liability £10 million
N.B. Insurance certification will be validated as part of any contract award where expiry dates at PQQ necessitate. / If satisfactory confirmation cannot be given the PQQ will not be considered further.
Yes/No
Yes/No

C.FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Essential Information - (Pass/Fail)

Financial Information
What was your turnover in the last two years (if this applies)? / £ ……..……… for year ended __ /__ /__
£ ……..……… for year ended __ /__ /__
Has your organisation met the terms of its banking facilities and loan agreements (if any) during the past year? / Yes / No
If “No” what were the reasons, and what has been done to put things right?
Has your organisation met all its obligations to pay its creditors and staff during the past year? / Yes / No
If “No” please explain why not:
Please provide copies of audited accounts and annual report for your Organisation for the last two years of trading as submitted to the Inland Revenue. Please ensure you include all documents indicated.
If your organisation is part of a group then please supply the above data for both the ultimate parent and the subsidiary / Balance Sheet: Yes/No
Profit and Loss accounts or income and expenditure: Yes/No
Full notes to the accounts: Yes/No
Managing Partner’s or Director’s report, and audit report Yes/No

D.HEALTH & SAFETY

Essential Information – (Pass/Fail)

The Council has a duty to ensure the health and safety of any Contract Employees undertaking work on its behalf, and also has a responsibility to ensure that their activities do not harm other people, such as members of the public, visitors or other contract workers. In order to enable the Council to carry out these duties correctly, the following information is required from Contractors wishing to Contract with the Council.
Does your Company have a Health and Safety Policy / Yes/No
If yes please provide a copy.
Has your Organisation been prosecuted for contravention of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 or any other related Health and Safety Legislation during the last five years or are you subject to a current prosecution? / Yes/No
If yes, please provide details.
Does your Company have arrangements in place to record and investigate accidents at work? / Yes/No

E. EQUALITY & DIVERSITY

Essential Information – (Pass/Fail)

UK Public bodies have a statutory duty to ensure that protected groups are treated fairly in delivery of council services. Thanet District Council considers it necessary for all organisations wishing to provide services on behalf of the Council to demonstrate that all relevant and proportionate steps have been taken to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and promote good relations between different groups in employment and service delivery in respect of:

• Race (including colour, nationaility and ethnic or national origins),
• Sex
• Gender Reassignment
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Disability
• Sexual orientation (gay, lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual)
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Religion or belief (including atheist beliefs and no religion or belief)
• Age

Does your organisation have a policy and other supporting documentation that demonstrates compliance with the above requirement?
If yes, is the policy available to the Council on request?
Is the policy available on your website / Yes/No
Yes/No
Yes/No

Please note, an answer of “No” to any of the above questions and/or failure to provide satisfactory explanation and access to satisfactory supporting documentation may disqualify your company from the process.

F.QUALITY SYSTEMS:

Essential Information – (Scored)

Does your company have a quality assurance policy or statement? / Yes/No
Do you hold a current quality system certificate awarded by an accredited third party certification body?
If Yes please provide copies of supporting certification (e.g. ISO 9001, Investors in People etc) / Yes/No
or if not formally certified please
explain why, detailing what internal
quality systems are in place.

G.SUSTAINABILITY/ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Essential Information –(Scored)

Thanet District Council recognises it has a vital role in furthering sustainable development, through its procurement of goods, works and services. Procurement decisions have a major socio-economic and environmental implication, both locally and globally, now and for future generations. Therefore we strive to continue to raise awareness of issues with our stakeholders and actively encourage our suppliers to support our commitment. / Please ✔ if enclosed with application
Is your organisation’s commitment to the protection and improvement of the environment set out, in a document, which can be provided if requested?
Please state which if any of the following documents you have/systems you operate: / Yes/No
An internal environmental policy statement or strategy document? / Yes/No
An environmental Management System with a documented process and procedure for implementation? / Yes/No
Who in responsible for your organisation’s environmental policy, or who is responsible for environmental issues in your organisation?

H.Contract Specific (Scored & weighted as indicated)

Contract specific questions or method requirements to be included here
When providing responses or statementsthese should be concise and cross referenced according to the separate questions/elements indicated above. Font should be in 11 point and statement submission preferably no more than 2x A4 pages.

I.REFERENCES– (Scored& weighted as indicated )

Please list below a selection of appropriate persons to contact for reference purposes relating to work of similar nature andvalues undertaken over the last 3 years.

Be aware that it is your responsibility to notify and ensure that referees respond in a timely fashion as the responses to references questions will form a material element in the evaluation of PQQ’s.

.

Reference 1 / Reference 2 / Reference 3
Customer Name
Customer Address
Contact Name
Telephone number
e-mail address
Brief description of services supplied to this company
Contract Value
Contract duration

Please note: The closing date for submission of this pre-qualification questionnaireis. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered and will be excluded from the process.