- Features
- Full details of the Competitive Flexible Procedure are available in the attached ITT documentation.
This Procurement will be conducted in two stages: 1) an Initial Assessment Phase in which all submitted Tender Responses will be assessed, followed by 2) a Dialogue Phase, which will only be entered into for certain high scoring Tender responses that meet specific criteria, as outlined in paragraphs 140 to 146 of the ITT. This means there is no restriction on who can submit a Tender response but following the Initial Assessment Phase, there will be a restriction on who can submit a response through the Dialogue Phase. All the information required for this Procurement has been made available to Suppliers with this ITT. Tender responses must be submitted in accordance with the timetable and instructions set out in this document, together with any additional information provided.
After the deadline for submission of the Tender and Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ), the Authority will assess the PSQ in respect of each Supplier. The Authority will consider whether the Supplier, or any connected persons within its corporate group, associated persons relied on to meet the conditions of participation, or proposed sub-contractors, are listed on the Cabinet Office debarment list. To the extent that any such entities are listed on the debarment list, the Authority will consider whether to exclude the Supplier from participating in the Procurement in accordance with its obligations under the Act.
In addition, the Authority will consider whether the Supplier, or any connected persons within its corporate group, associated persons relied on to meet the conditions of participation, or proposed sub-contractors, are excluded or excludable Suppliers. Before the Authority determines that a Supplier is an excluded or excludable Supplier, it will provide the Supplier reasonable opportunity to make representations and provide evidence as is proportionate in the circumstances.
If the Supplier is an excluded or excludable Supplier only by virtue of an associated person or proposed sub-contractor, the Authority will notify the Supplier of its intention to disregard its tender and provide the Supplier with a reasonable timeframe of 14 days to replace the associated person or sub-contractor. If as a consequence of this process, the Authority disregards a tender from an excluded or excludable Supplier, or is aware of an associated person or sub-contractor having been replaced, it will give notice of this fact within 30 days of its decision to the Procurement Review Unit (PRU).
The Authority will assess all valid tenders, in order to identify the Supplier which has submitted the most advantageous tender in accordance with the assessment methodology and award criteria set out in the Tender Notice and described in this document. In carrying out this assessment, the Authority will disregard any tender from a Supplier that does not satisfy the conditions of participation. The Authority may also disregard a tender:
a) from a Supplier that is not a United Kingdom Supplier or a treaty state Supplier, or that intends to sub-contract the performance of all or part of the Contract to a Supplier that is not a United Kingdom Supplier or a treaty state Supplier; or
b) if the tender breaches a procedural requirement set out in the Tender Notice or associated tender documents; or
c) if the tender offers a price that the Authority considers to be abnormally low for the performance of the Contract. Where the Authority considers that a price offered by a Supplier in its tender is abnormally low, the Authority will notify the Supplier and give the Supplier reasonable opportunity to demonstrate that it will be able to perform the contract for the price offered. The Authority will only disregard the tender if the Supplier cannot satisfactorily demonstrate that it will be able to perform the Contract for the price offered.
Once the initial assessment has concluded, the Authority will provide an assessment summary to all Suppliers that submitted valid tenders to:
a) inform them whether they have been successful in proceeding to the Dialogue phase, or dependent on paragraphs 140 to 146, being awarded the Contract
b) provide an explanation of the assessment of the Supplier’s tender against the relevant award criteria, in accordance with the requirements of the Act
Once the Dialogue Phase has concluded, the Authority will provide an assessment summary to all Suppliers that proceeded to the Dialogue Phase to:
a) inform them whether they have been successful in being awarded the Contract
b) provide an explanation of the final assessment of the Supplier’s tender against the relevant award criteria, in accordance with the requirements of the Act
c) where different to the Supplier concerned, provide information in respect of the most advantageous tender submitted, including details of the assessment of this tender against the relevant award criteria and the Supplier’s name.
Once the assessment summaries have been provided to the Suppliers that submitted tenders, the Authority will also publish a contract award notice on the Central Digital Platform to commence the standstill period.
The Authority is allowing a Standstill Period of eight (8) working days from the date of publication of the Contract Award Notice, before entering into the Contract. The Standstill Period ends at 23:59 on the 8th working day after the date of publication of the Contract Award Notice.
Subject to completion of the standstill period, the competitive tendering procedure will end on 6th November 2026 and the Authority will enter into the Contract with the preferred Supplier. Publication of a Contract Details Notice on the Central Digital Platform will follow within 30 days of the date on which the Contract is entered into.