FITS Hosting Services.
Contract notice
Services
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Ministry of Justice - ICT Procurement
2nd Floor 102 Petty France
Contact point(s): FITS Commercial Team
For the attention of: Russell Turner
SW1A 9AJ London
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 2033343227
E-mail:
Internet address(es):
General address of the contracting authority: http://www.justice.gov.uk/
Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: The above mentioned contact point(s)
I.2)Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions
I.3)Main activity
General public services
Public order and safety
Public order and safety
I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no
Section II: Object of the contract
II.1)Description
II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:
FITS Hosting Services.
II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
Service category No 7: Computer and related services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: Throughout the UK, to include MoJ Headquarters, HM Prisons, HM Courts & Tribunals centres, Probation Services centres and a range of other locations.
Service category No 7: Computer and related services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: Throughout the UK, to include MoJ Headquarters, HM Prisons, HM Courts & Tribunals centres, Probation Services centres and a range of other locations.
NUTS code UK
II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)
The notice involves a public contract
II.1.4)Information on framework agreement
II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
As set out in the MoJs PIN and accompanying Prospectus for the Future IT Sourcing Programme (FITS) the MoJ's current major ICT contracts were negotiated prior to the creation of the MoJ. As a result, the contracts are broadly aligned to business units within the MoJ (e.g. NOMS, HMCTS, Headquarters) rather than supporting economic, standard and integrated services across the MoJ. These legacy contracts are due to expire in the next few years. The FITS Programme has been established to implement a Service Tower operating model for the delivery of ICT Services across the MoJ and to procure replacement contracts that align with and support this model.
The Hosting Tower, as described in the PIN, has been split into two separate requirements, Hosting Services and Data Centre Services. This Contract Notice covers the procurement of Hosting Services. There will be a separate Contract Notice for Data Centre Services to be published at a later date.
Hosting Services:
The Hosting Services requirement is likely to include the provision, installation, maintenance and operation of ICT systems to deliver centralised hosting, as well as providing a Data Centre LAN for Hosting Services, an ITIL service wrap, and possibly the inter data centre WAN. The Hosting Supplier will also be responsible for managing Data Centre Services, on behalf of MoJ, so as to deliver an end-to-end Hosting Service. The MoJ will contract separately for the Data Centre Services, which are likely to include data centre space from at least two locations, fittings (structure cabling, cabinets, cages, racking), facility services (e.g. cooling, power, physical security etc.) and facilities for the Hosting Supplier (e.g. storage, office space). The Hosting Supplier may also be required to manage other hosting related services on behalf of the MoJ.
The Hosting Tower, as described in the PIN, has been split into two separate requirements, Hosting Services and Data Centre Services. This Contract Notice covers the procurement of Hosting Services. There will be a separate Contract Notice for Data Centre Services to be published at a later date.
Hosting Services:
The Hosting Services requirement is likely to include the provision, installation, maintenance and operation of ICT systems to deliver centralised hosting, as well as providing a Data Centre LAN for Hosting Services, an ITIL service wrap, and possibly the inter data centre WAN. The Hosting Supplier will also be responsible for managing Data Centre Services, on behalf of MoJ, so as to deliver an end-to-end Hosting Service. The MoJ will contract separately for the Data Centre Services, which are likely to include data centre space from at least two locations, fittings (structure cabling, cabinets, cages, racking), facility services (e.g. cooling, power, physical security etc.) and facilities for the Hosting Supplier (e.g. storage, office space). The Hosting Supplier may also be required to manage other hosting related services on behalf of the MoJ.
II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
72000000, 30000000, 32000000, 48000000, 50000000, 51000000, 79000000
II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): yes
II.1.8)Lots
This contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.9)Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: yes
II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract
II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:
Please refer to the PQQ Descriptive Document for further details of Hosting Services and the scope of the contract. Estimated value range below is for running costs for the initial 3 year contract duration, however changes agreed over the duration of the contract may result in a decrease or increase to this estimated value.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 54 000 000 and 78 000 000 GBP
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 54 000 000 and 78 000 000 GBP
II.2.2)Information about options
Options: yes
Description of these options: The MoJ plans to enter into a contract with an initial duration of 3 years with the option for the MoJ to extend by 2 further 12 month periods.
Provisional timetable for recourse to these options:
in months: 36 (from the award of the contract)
Provisional timetable for recourse to these options:
in months: 36 (from the award of the contract)
Description of these options: The MoJ plans to enter into a contract with an initial duration of 3 years with the option for the MoJ to extend by 2 further 12 month periods.
Provisional timetable for recourse to these options:
in months: 36 (from the award of the contract)
Provisional timetable for recourse to these options:
in months: 36 (from the award of the contract)
II.2.3)Information about renewals
II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Duration in months: 36 (from the award of the contract)
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
No Deposits are required. The MoJ's particular Guarantee requirements will be set out in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ).
III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
Details of financing conditions and payment arrangements will be outlined in the Invitation To Negotiate (ITN).
III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
The Authority intends to enter into a contract with either a single contractor or prime contractor (which may be an existing company or special purpose vehicle). The prime contractor would be expected to be a single legal entity.
III.1.4)Other particular conditions
The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: yes
Description of particular conditions: See Descriptive Document.
Description of particular conditions: See Descriptive Document.
III.2)Conditions for participation
III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Potential Providers will be assessed in accordance with Part 4 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended) on the basis of information provided in response to the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ).
III.2.2)Economic and financial ability
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: The minimum level(s) of standards required are as set out in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ). Note that a number of criteria will be assessed on a pass/fail basis.
III.2.3)Technical capacity
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
See III.2.1 and III.2.2.
See III.2.1 and III.2.2.
III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts
III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts
III.3.1)Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: no
III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service
Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: no
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1)Type of procedure
IV.1.1)Type of procedure
Negotiated
Some candidates have already been selected (if appropriate under certain types of negotiated procedures) no
Some candidates have already been selected (if appropriate under certain types of negotiated procedures) no
IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
Envisaged minimum number 5: and maximum number 8
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Selected Potential Providers will be issued an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) following evaluation of responses to the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ). The MoJ will rank Potential Providers relative to one another and it will then select a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 8 Potential Providers who will be issued an ITN:
1) Subject to bullet 2 below Potential Providers must pass the minimum threshold (as set in the PQQ);
2)In the event that less than 5 Potential Providers pass the minimum threshold then the MoJ reserves the right to select those that did pass the minimum threshold, select the 5 top scoring Potential Providers or cancel the procurement;
3) In the event that more than 8 Potential Providers exceed the minimum threshold then the MoJ will only select the 8 highest scoring Potential Providers.
The MoJ intends to reduce the number of Potential Providers to a maximum of 3 Potential Providers following the evaluation of proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria and methodology published in the ITN.
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Selected Potential Providers will be issued an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) following evaluation of responses to the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ). The MoJ will rank Potential Providers relative to one another and it will then select a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 8 Potential Providers who will be issued an ITN:
1) Subject to bullet 2 below Potential Providers must pass the minimum threshold (as set in the PQQ);
2)In the event that less than 5 Potential Providers pass the minimum threshold then the MoJ reserves the right to select those that did pass the minimum threshold, select the 5 top scoring Potential Providers or cancel the procurement;
3) In the event that more than 8 Potential Providers exceed the minimum threshold then the MoJ will only select the 8 highest scoring Potential Providers.
The MoJ intends to reduce the number of Potential Providers to a maximum of 3 Potential Providers following the evaluation of proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria and methodology published in the ITN.
IV.1.3)Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated yes
IV.2)Award criteria
IV.2.1)Award criteria
The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document
IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction will be used: no
IV.3)Administrative information
IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:
3182-1-ICT-ICT-FITS Hosting Services PQQ
IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
Prior information notice
of 16.12.2011IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document
Payable documents: no
IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
1.7.2013 - 12:00
IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
English.
IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: 2-4 years.
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: 2-4 years.
VI.2)Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
VI.3)Additional information
Market Engagement:
The Authority held market engagement activities in April 2013 prior to issuing this notice, the details of which are available to download from its eSourcing portal.
The Ministry of Justice will be performing events through its eSourcing Portal. The eSourcing Portal is an online application that allows all potential suppliers to create and submit their responses to any Requests for Information, Requests for Quotes, or Requests for Proposals via the internet rather than in paper form (although there will be some instances where paper responses will be required).
If you are not already registered on the eSourcing Portal, or if you are already registered on the eSourcing Portal and wish to access the FITS Hosting Services PQQ event, please send an email to the relevant contact as stated in the notice/advert:
Stating:
Company Name.
Your Name.
Contact email.
Sourcing Reference Number: 3182-1-ICT-ICT FITS Hosting Services PQQ
The MoJ will then contact you with the registration process and/or instructions for registered suppliers interested in participating in this procurement.
Transparency requirements:
(a) national security;
(b) personal data;
(c) information protected by intellectual property law;
(d) information which it is not in the public interest to disclose (following the tests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
(e) third party confidential information;
(f) IT security; or
(g) prevention of fraud.
Conflicts of interest:
MoJ does not propose to place any specific constraints on the number or combination of contracts for which any supplier may bid in this and later competitions within the FITS programme. However, in order to minimise any conflict of interest if the successful bidder for Hosting Services is also successfully awarded a contract(s) for other Service Towers or for Data Centre Services, the successful bidder will be asked to demonstrate appropriate ethical walls are in place between the parts of its organisation responsible for the delivery of Hosting Services and those parts that may be responsible for the delivery of services in other Service Towers or of Data Centre Services. Suppliers who are considering bidding for Hosting Services and any other Service Tower or for Data Centre Services should consider the implications this will have for them, the MoJ, other Service Tower Suppliers and/or the Data Centre Services Supplier. MoJ will need to be satisfied that the proposed measures to be put in place to avoid any conflict are suitable and effective.
SMEs:
Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to express an interest in participating in the competition. This is consistent with the Government's intention to increase the role of SMEs in its supply chains in order to encourage efficiency and innovation. Accordingly, SMEs are invited to complete PQQs and in the event that SMEs are not successful in their own right, SMEs will be given the option of their details being forwarded to qualifying suppliers.
The Authority held market engagement activities in April 2013 prior to issuing this notice, the details of which are available to download from its eSourcing portal.
The Ministry of Justice will be performing events through its eSourcing Portal. The eSourcing Portal is an online application that allows all potential suppliers to create and submit their responses to any Requests for Information, Requests for Quotes, or Requests for Proposals via the internet rather than in paper form (although there will be some instances where paper responses will be required).
If you are not already registered on the eSourcing Portal, or if you are already registered on the eSourcing Portal and wish to access the FITS Hosting Services PQQ event, please send an email to the relevant contact as stated in the notice/advert:
Stating:
Company Name.
Your Name.
Contact email.
Sourcing Reference Number: 3182-1-ICT-ICT FITS Hosting Services PQQ
The MoJ will then contact you with the registration process and/or instructions for registered suppliers interested in participating in this procurement.
Transparency requirements:
HM Government requires that tender documentation issued by government departments for contracts with a value exceeding 10 000 GBP over the life of the contract are published online (www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk) for the general public. The resulting contract shall also be published. The Ministry of Justice may use its discretion to redact information to protect key commercial interests or on prescribed grounds. Therefore, bidders who wish information not to be published if successful should secure agreement with the Ministry of Justice prior to submission. Only documentation relating to awarded contracts will be published.
Key commercial interests would be trade secrets and commercial interests which would be prejudiced by publication, following the tests in section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. http://www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/docs/foi-exemption-s43.pdf.
The prescribed grounds for redaction are:(a) national security;
(b) personal data;
(c) information protected by intellectual property law;
(d) information which it is not in the public interest to disclose (following the tests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
(e) third party confidential information;
(f) IT security; or
(g) prevention of fraud.
Conflicts of interest:
MoJ does not propose to place any specific constraints on the number or combination of contracts for which any supplier may bid in this and later competitions within the FITS programme. However, in order to minimise any conflict of interest if the successful bidder for Hosting Services is also successfully awarded a contract(s) for other Service Towers or for Data Centre Services, the successful bidder will be asked to demonstrate appropriate ethical walls are in place between the parts of its organisation responsible for the delivery of Hosting Services and those parts that may be responsible for the delivery of services in other Service Towers or of Data Centre Services. Suppliers who are considering bidding for Hosting Services and any other Service Tower or for Data Centre Services should consider the implications this will have for them, the MoJ, other Service Tower Suppliers and/or the Data Centre Services Supplier. MoJ will need to be satisfied that the proposed measures to be put in place to avoid any conflict are suitable and effective.
SMEs:
Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to express an interest in participating in the competition. This is consistent with the Government's intention to increase the role of SMEs in its supply chains in order to encourage efficiency and innovation. Accordingly, SMEs are invited to complete PQQs and in the event that SMEs are not successful in their own right, SMEs will be given the option of their details being forwarded to qualifying suppliers.
VI.4)Procedures for appeal
VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures
VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals
Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: The MoJ will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the contracting authority before the contract is entered into. If an appeal regarding the award of the contract has not been successfully resolved, The Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).
VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:
28.5.2013