Strategic Partner

Procurement

of a

Strategic Partner

Pre Qualification Questionnaire

5thNovember 2014

Table of Contents

Introduction Purpose of this Questionnaire

Section 1:Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)Information Memorandum

Section 1.1Foreword by Chief Executive

Section 1.2Project Overview and Objectives

Section 1.3 Procurement Timetable

Section 1.4Background to the Borough

Section 1.5Burnley Borough Council Politcial Environment

Section 2: Instructions for Completing Responses to the PQQ

Section 2.1General Information

Section 2.2Consortia Arrangements

Section 2.3Sub-Contracting & Consortia Arrangements

Section 2.4Verification of Information Provided

Section 2.5Confidentiality and Freedom Of Information

Section 2.6Right to Cancel, Clarify or Vary the Procurement

Section 2.7Right to Disqualify Suppliers

Section 2.8Questions About this Procurement

Section 2.9 PQQ Responses

Section 2.10Further Information

Section 2.11Cost of Responding

Section 3:Selection Methodology.

Section 3.1Objectives

Section 3.2Evaluation Panel

Section 3.3Outline Approach

Section 3.4Sub-Contractor and Consortia Evaluation

Section 3.5Evaluation Scoring Methodology

Section 3.6Financial Capacity Scoring Model

Section 3.7Evaluation Guidance

Section3.8Score Weighting

Section 4:PQQ for the Procurement of a Strategic Partner

Section 4A Part A: Organisational Details

Section 4BPart B: Professional Conduct Mandatory Grounds for Rejection

Section 4CPart C: Professional Conduct Discretionary Groundsfor Rejection

Section 4DPart D: Financial Standing and Insurance

Section 4EPart E: Resources Capibility

Section 4F Part F: Health and Safety

Section 4GPart G: Equalities

Section 4HPart H: References

Section 5:Document Checklist

Section 6:Declaration

Introduction

Purpose of this Questionnaire

The purpose of this PQQ is to identify a number of suitably qualified and experienced suppliers who will be invited to submit a tender in relation to the provision of the objectives detailed in Section 1.2.

The Council will use the information that suppliers provide in response to this PQQ to determine which are most suited, in terms of compliance with legislation, technical knowledge, experience and organisational and financial standing to tender for these requirements.

This PQQ has been prepared by the Council for the purpose of providing an application procedure for individuals or organisations interested in tendering for the Council’s requirement and to assist suppliers in making their own evaluation of the potential opportunity to enter into a contractual relationship for the provision of services as a strategic partner to the Council.

This PQQ does not purport to be all-inclusive or to contain all of the information that a supplier, any of its sub-contractors or any consortium member, may require. Any person considering making a decision to enter into a contractual relationship with the Council following receipt of this PQQ should make their own investigations and their own independent assessment of the Council and its requirements and should seek its own financial and legal advice.

Burnley Borough Council

Section 1: PQQInformation Memorandum

1.1Foreword by the Chief Executive

Thank you for your interest in Burnley’s procurement process to appoint a Strategic Partner. This opportunity will lead to a contract award, provided that we receive an acceptable tender.

The Council faces significant financial challenges and this procurement exercise must realise savings. The Council is committed to working with our successful Strategic Partner to drive down costs. We believe this procurement provides an attractive offer to the marketplace, with opportunities in new service areas.

Burnley already offers attractive opportunities for the future. We have a proven track record of innovative and collaborative working with partners and the community. This is against a backdrop of recent significant investment in local business, education and infrastructure. We are proud of our town and aim to make the most of our heritage and natural environment.

These factors are all testimony to a positive local environment that gives us and our potential Strategic Partner a competitive edge when looking to deliver quality and value.

We want to build on our reputation as a place shaper; strong partnership working is key to our approach and our startegic ambitions, as is the continuous improvement of services and a maintained commitment to the provision of high quality responsive services that meet the needs and aspirations of our customers.

We are committed to ensuring our Borough remains a cleaner, safer, and greener place to live that supports local growth and prosperity.Our focus is on transforming the Borough’s economy, working in partnership, where possible with local companies. Over the last year, the Government has recognised Burnley as the UK’s Most Enterprising Place.

If you would like to be part of Burnley’s current and future success and if you share our passion for, and can contribute to, our growing reputation for excellence in customer service delivery, we very much look forward to hearing from you.

Steve Rumbelow

Chief Executive 5thNovember 2014

1.2 Change Programme: Project Overview and Objectives

Overview

Burnley Borough Council wishes to appoint a Strategic Partner with significant experience, as well as a proven track record, to deliver and develop a range of Council services and key strategic objectives; and to act as a change partner that is integral to the Council in delivering its wider strategic objectives. The Council intends to award a single contract to its appointed strategic partner for an initial term of ten years, with the option for the Council to extend for a further 2 years.

The aim of this procurement is to appoint a Strategic Partner to manage and deliver high quality technical and business services; with the primary objective of realising overall costs savings of 15% from the outset as a minimum. The secondary objectives are to maintain service performance and quality standards, provide employment protection and deliver inward investment to the borough.

It is anticipated that this procurement exercise will involve the TUPE transfer and secondment of existing Council staff.

a)Objectives

• Substantial savings over the medium term; 15% minimum
• Maintain service performance and quality standards at current levels as a minimum
• Provision of integrated business processes; ‘One Council’ approach
• Employment protection; through TUPE transfer arrangements and staff secondments
• Inward investment; employment growth in the Borough, apprenticeships etc.
• Innovative service delivery mechanisms

b)Outcomes

• That the Council is financially secure
• Service delivery standards delivered in line with service specifications
• Customer satisfaction levels delivered in line with service specifications
• The Council retains the capacity to fulfil its place shaping role

c)ServicesIntended to be the Subject of this Procurement Exercise

A Strategic Partner is required that can deliver a combination of technical and business services that are the regulatory and/ or statutory responsibility and/ or are the day to day business operations of the Council in delivering public services and maintaining the Council's organisational capacity; these services are:

• Customer Contact Services:

A single point of customer contact, follow up and response, accessed through multiple channels and intuitive self-serve technology, for all Council on demand and response services; this includes, telephony, face to face contact and second line support. To develop, review and implement customer access and services strategy and reduce avoidable contacts, whilst minimising complaints. Maintain provision of timely and accurate information to customers and residents.

• Environmental Health and Licensing:

A statutory service, covering a broad range of predominantly business regulation functions associated with environmental health and licencing. This includes the district council’s food safety and health and safety at work duties alongside the wider environmental protection responsibilities which include air quality and contaminated land regimes, together with domestic noise and light nuisance, private water supplies and clean air provisions. Licensing activities in scope will include taxi, alcohol, entertainment, gambling, scrap metal, animal welfare, street collection, street trading and sex establishment regimes. The provider will be responsible for advising and guiding service users to promote regulatory compliance and for developing the service to ensure that any new regulatory functions coming into force during the life of the contract are delivered.

• Payroll & Payments Administration:

Fulfilment of staff and councillor payroll transactions and expenses, including payroll reconciliation and statutory returns. Payments in relation to contracted services i.e. benefits and council tax payments and the maintenance of associated creditor records, including financial controls and reconciliation. The management of creditor information records and processing. Council access to purchase goods, works and services through any economies of scale available to the strategic partner as appropriate.

• Information Services (ICT):

The provision and management of all information and communications technology systems, services and software, network infrastructure design and support to end point hardware and mobile devices; including security systems, printing, including design and printing services for Revenues and Benefits. Applications development, service design and maintenance. ICT procurement, business continuity planning and testing. Services management, internal customer support and response (ITIL service desk functions). Support for the development of future strategies, development and implementation of associated policies, and the maintenance of all supporting technical documentation. The provision of change management and other related professional services.

• Revenues and Benefits Service:

The provision of a statutorily compliant Revenues and Benefits Service including the assessment, verification and payment of Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support and discretionary payments and the billing,collection and recovery of local taxes and corporate debts. A customer centric service including a Burnley based accessible, face to face service for customers and an online presence for customer contact and development of future channel shift activity. Sound performance and workflow process management to ensure protection of the public purse and maximisation of efficiency. The scope also includes all necessary requirements to meet changes associated with new legislation such as welfare reform changes and business rates retention.

• Property and Facilities Management:

The provision of full and integrated management of Council assets, including third party contractual obligations, and the commercial portfolio. The maintenance of Council owned property assets and associated records. Utility and energy management for the Council estate. Property consultancy advice. Architectural services. Caretaking, door keeping and cleaning of Council owned buildings. Fulfilling and discharging all relevant public and organisational health and safety responsibilities including asbestos, legionella and fire safety.

• Strategic Organisational Development Services:

Including human resource management, workforce planning, learning and development, employee wellbeing and employee engagement, together with associated personnel administration and information systems, including time and attendance. HR and OD policy development, review and action planning. Professional advice and support. Maintenance of external accreditations and internal support networks. Negotiation and consultation including with trade unions and employee representatives. Investigation and case management, pay and grading analysis and management of establishment data. Training delivery and e-learning. Staff recruitment and selection, apprenticeship, work experience and talent management schemes.

d) Bidder’s Event

There will be a Bidder’s Event at 10am (GMT) on the 19th November 2014 at Towneley Hall in Burnley. The Council will set out the context, objectives, outputs and timetable for this procurement; followed by a short opportunity for informal discussion and clarificaton with individual representatives.

Please contact for further information and to register your attendance at this event.

1.3 Procurement Timetable

Please note: Dates set out in the table above are indicative only and may be subject to change. The appropriate 10 day standsill period will be applied prior to contract award.

1.4Background to the Borough

Burnley Borough is situated in the eastern part of Lancashire adjoining other former textile areas in the County and Yorkshire.Burnley Borough comprises of 41,021 properties. The current estimate of the Borough’s resident population is 87,059.

1.5Burnley Borough Council Political Environment

The Borough is split into 15 wards with a total of 45 Elected Council Members. The Council,as part of its constitution,is controlled currently by a majority Labour Administration that hold all 6 seats on the Executive, the Council’s decision-making body.

The Council is managed by the Chief Executive with 2 Strategic Directors. There are 12 Service Units. The Council employs approximately 326 (full time equivalent) staff.

Strategic Partner PQQPage 1

Burnley Borough Council

Section 2: Instructions for Completingthis PQQ

2.1General Information

Responses to the PQQ must be submitted in accordance with the following instructions. Questions should be answered in English. In the event that none of the responses received by the Council to the PQQ are deemed satisfactory, the Council reserves the right to terminate this procurement and where appropriate readvertise the procurement. Applications not complying with these instructions will be rejected by the Council.

Please read the questions carefully and answer all questions, unless otherwise directed. Failure to provide all the requested information or particulars for the relevant question(s) may result in a submission being eliminated.

The Council reserves the right to seek evidence in confirmation of your answers and also reserves the right to engage in a process of due diligence at any or all phases of the procurement process.

Responses to questions should be presented in the same order as the questions appear below. Any supporting documentation should be referenced to the question and answer to which it relates. Applications should avoid enclosing marketing literature as part of your response unless requested to do so as part of the question.

Only information provided as a direct response to the PQQ will be evaluated.

The Council welcomes professional, detailed responses to this PQQ and acknowledges in advance the time and resources that supplierswill expend in responding to our procurement process.

Please note some questions may be answered with a generic response whilst others require specific information for the particular service.

2.2Consortia Arrangements

If the supplier bidding for a requirement is doing so on behalf of a consortium, the following information must be provided:

• full details of the consortium; and
• details of the proposed role of each member of the consortium
• the information sought in this PQQ in respect of each of the consortium’s constituent members as part of a single composite response

Where suppliers are proposing to create a separate corporate entity, they should provide details of the actual or proposed percentage shareholding of the constituent members within the consortium in a separate annex. If a consortium is not proposing to form a corporate entity, full details of alternative proposed arrangements should be provided in the annex.

However, please note the Council reserves the right to require a successful consortium to form a single legal entity in accordance with regulation 28(3) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006.

The Council recognises that arrangements in relation to consortia may (within limits) be subject to future change. Suppliers should therefore respond in the light of the arrangements as currently envisaged. Suppliers are reminded that any future proposed change in relation to consortia must be notified to the Council so that it can make a further assessment by applying the selection criteria to the new information provided.

2.3Sub Contracting and Consortia Arrangements

All contractors or consortia members should provide details in question E11 of the composition of the supply chain setting out the percentage of the contract value being provided or for consortia members the percentage stakehold of the consortium.

Sub-contractors providing less than 10% of the estimated contract value are not required to complete a separate PQQ.

Only those sub-contractors that will provide 10% and above of the estimated contract value should complete and submit a separate PQQ as directed below.

• Each sub-contractor, as identified above, and all consortia membersare required to complete separately and submit the following PQQ sections:

• Section 4A
• Section 4B
• Section 4C
• Section 4D
• Question 4E11 ONLY
• Section 4F
• Section 4G

Note:Sub-contractors with 10% or above of contract valueand all consortia members should complete and submit a separate PQQ document; however neither is required to complete questions E1 to E10 or Questions E12 and E13 in section E (Resources) OR Section 4H (References).

Details of how an evaluation will be undertaken for sub-contracting or consortia arrangements is provided in Section 3.

It is recognised that arrangements in relation to sub-contracting or consortia may be subject to future change. However, suppliers should be aware that where sub-contractors and consortia are to play a significant role, any changes to those arrangements may constitute a material change and therefore may affect the ability of the supplier to proceed with the procurement process or to provide the goods and/or services.

Therefore, if any of these circumstances changes in a material way up to the point of contract award the supplier is required to inform the Council without delay. The Council reserves the right to deselect the supplier prior to any award of contract, based on an assessment of the updated circumstances.

2.4Verification of Information Provided

The higher the value and complexity of the procurement, the higher the level of verification is likely to be required. Not all questions require supporting documents to be provided at this stage (for example certificates, statements with this questionnaire) where these are required it will be made clear in the relevant question/ section.