- Maximum Participants
- 3
- Method
- withAndWithoutReopeningCompetition
- Type
- closed
- Description
- National Grid reserves the right to award the framework to up to 3 suppliers as a result of this procurement process.
The award of the contract will be made to the highest-scoring Tenderer as the Primary Tenderer, with the next two highest-scoring Tenderers appointed as Contingency 1 and Contingency 2 respectively, based on the total combined scores achieved across all categories.
The scope of work under this tender is divided into regulated and non-regulated work. This Competitive Flexible Procedure will establish a single-lot, multi-supplier framework arrangement, under which National Grid may award Statements of Work that are utility contracts for the purposes of PA23, as well as Statements of Work that are not utility contracts for the purposes of PA23.
1. Awarding Statements of Work that are utility contracts for the purposes of PA23:
For regulated Statements of Work, the Statement of Work shall be awarded to the Primary supplier to deliver the relevant requirement, unless one of the contingency triggers applies.
A contingency supplier is considered where any of the following occur:
1. The Primary supplier confirms in writing that it cannot meet the required delivery timetable, resource profile or capability requirements
2. The Primary supplier fails to confirm acceptance of an engagement within five (5) working days; or
3. The Primary supplier fails a critical performance measure for two consecutive reporting periods pursuant to the MSA.
Where a Contingency supplier is required, National Grid will carry out a structured secondary contingency suitability assessment.
This assessment will use a short standard confirmation questionnaire together with evidence already held by National Grid, relevant to the disclosed assessment criteria, including original tender responses and, where available, objective supplier performance information generated under the framework.
The assessment will be carried out against a uniform and disclosed set of assignment criteria, as set out below. The following contingency assessment criteria derive from, and do not exceed or add to, the framework award criteria.
Assignment criterion:
Strategic fit (20%) - Demonstrated relevant experience evidenced in the tender response, including comparable assignments and operating-model fit to the assignment.
Capability (20%)- Original tender capability submissions; evaluated technical capability from the ITT; and any known evidence of delivery under the contract.
Capacity (20%)-Supplier confirmation of current resource availability; ability to start by the required date; and ability to meet the required timeframe. This criterion is applied primarily as an objective availability/start-date trigger.
Commerciality (20%)-Whether the assignment can be delivered under the agreed pricing mechanism; whether the expected resource mix is workable; and whether the budget envelope is feasible using contract rates.
Performance (20%)- Performance scored objectively against defined MSA KPIs, recorded and disclosed at establishment as a permitted call-off input. Where no MSA performance record yet exists, this criterion carries zero weight.
Refinement of framework award criteria at call-off:
Where a Statement of Work is competed between contingency suppliers, National Grid reserves the right to refine (by narrowing or re-weighting) the framework award criteria for that call-off, provided no new criteria are introduced and the framework criteria are not exceeded.
Where a Contingency supplier is required, the Statement of Work will be awarded to the highest-scoring Contingency supplier based on the comparative application of the disclosed assignment criteria and the recorded evaluation outcome.
Statements of Work will be issued in line with the original contractual terms, with no material changes to the scope or pricing mechanism.
This regulated allocation mechanism forms part of the framework and governs the award of all regulated Statements of Work.
2. Awarding Statements of Work that are not utility contracts for the purposes of PA23
For work packages classified as non-regulated, the Primary supplier will be the default service provider. Any alternative allocation to a Contingency supplier will take into account operational need, continuity, supplier suitability and stakeholder requirements.
Such allocation is made at National Grid's discretion, provided the requirement has first been documented as not being a utility contract for the purposes of PA23.