CONTRACT NOTICE – OFFICIAL JOURNAL

Section I: Contracting Authority

I.1)

Name, Address and Contact Point(s)

I.2)

Type of contracting Authority and Main Activity or Activities

Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions National or federal agency/Office Regional or local Authority Regional or local Agency/Office Body governed by public law European Institution/Agency or International Organisation

General public services Defence Public order and safety Environment Economic and financial affairs Health Housing and community amenities Social protection Recreation, culture and religion Education

Section II: Object of the Contract

II.1)

Description

II.1.1)

Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority

II.1.2(a))

Type of works contract

II.1.2(b))

Type of supplies contract

II.1.2(c))

Type of service contract

II.1.2)

Main site or location of works, place of delivery or performance

Primarily the East of England plus call-off use by other public sector users within the UK (United Kingdom).

II.1.3)

This notice involves

A public contract
The setting up of a Dynamic Purchasing System
The establishment of a framework agreement

II.1.4)

Information on framework agreement (if applicable)

Framework agreement with a single operators
Framework agreement with several operators

Number of participants to the framework agreement envisaged

Duration of the framework agreement

Justification for a framework agreement the duration of which exceeds four years

Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement

Frequency and value of the contracts to be awarded

II.1.5)

Short description of the contract or purchase(s)

The East of England Broadband Network (E2BN) is seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced suppliers who wish to be considered for inclusion in a Framework Agreement(s) for the provision of Network associated equipment and services with the focus on last mile connectivity.

E2BN was formed as part of the National Grid for Learning initiative and currently represents the local government authorities of Cambridgeshire County Council, , Norfolk County Council, Suffolk County Council, and the unitary authorities of Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire, Luton, Milton Keynes, Peterborough, Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea. Other public authority members may properly be admitted from time to time. E2BN aims are to: (a) provide high quality learning content to schools, other learners, learning institutions and the general public; and (b) provide links with public institutions, such as Local Authorities, libraries; and (c) secure best value high bandwidth connectivity and other associated services for schools and other relevant bodies.

E2BN are currently connecting many schools directly throughout the UK.

Much of E2BNs existing provision is through existing contracted provision which expires in autumn 2014. E2BN are now seeking to refresh that contracted position with the award of a new framework contract which is expected to be for a period of up to 3 years with the option to extend by a further 1 year.

The replacement of Framework Agreement arrangements for the following:

1. Network routing and switching equipment (including wireless transmission equipment and antenna);

2. Software for operating and managing network equipment;

3. Other network associated equipment and services such as servers, firewall, cabling, caching equipment, content delivery mechanisms, telephony equipment, video communication, etc;

4. Carrier services providing data, voice, video and other multi media services;

5. Hosting, co-location and other services such as offsite backup;

6. Installation, maintenance and support services for such equipment and services;

7. Associated consultancy services such as network design, analysis, security, and project management.

The framework is expected to enable not only E2BN but its members and their associated public partners and other educational users within the UK having a character similar to E2BN's members or their associated partners to benefit from competed best value call off of relevant services. It is also expected the framework will enable service users to expand, upgrade and replace network based services.

E2BN will seek from suppliers the most appropriate, economically advantageous solution to the services and supplies referred to in the Descriptive Document and above. Contracts may be let for one or more of the requirements above or any part or parts thereof.

Any company bidding should be adequately experienced in managing and administering contracts and services of this size. Financial and other information need not be supplied initially as a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire and a Descriptive Document will be issued to all companies expressing an interest.

Note: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit http://www.mytenders.org/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA1747 or tender@e2bn.org

Note: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the myTenders Web Site at http://www.myTenders.org/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=139016.

II.1.6)

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

II.1.7)

Contract covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

II.1.8)

Division into lots

one lot only

one or more lots

all lots

II.1.9)

Will variants be accepted

II.2)

Quantity or Scope of the Contract

II.2.1)

Total quantity or scope

II.2.2)

Options

Provisional timetable for recourse to these options

Number of possible renewals

In the case of renewable supplies or service contracts, estimated time frame for subsequent contracts

Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial and Technical Information

III.1)

Conditions Relating to the Contract

III.1.1)

Deposits and guarantees required

III.1.2)

Main Terms of financing and payment and/or reference to the relevant provisions

III.1.3)

Legal form to be taken by the grouping of suppliers, contractors or service providers to whom the contract is to be awarded

III.1.4)

Other particular conditions to which the performance of the contract is subject

III.2)

Conditions for Participation

III.2.1)

Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers

III.2.2)

Economic and financial capacity

III.2.3)

Technical capacity

III.2.4)

Reserved contracts

The contract is restricted to sheltered workshops
The execution of the contract is restricted to the framework of sheltered employment programmes

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)

Type of Procedure

Open		Restricted
Accelerated restricted		Negotiated
Accelerated negotiated		Competitive dialogue

Justification for the choice of accelerated procedure

IV.1.1)

Have candidates already been selected?

IV.1.2)

Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate

Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates

Most economical advantageous tender.

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

IV.2)

Award Criteria

IV.2.2)

An electronic auction will be used

IV.3 Administrative Information

IV.3.1)

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

IV.3.2)

Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract

Prior Information Notice
Notice on a Buyer Profile

Other previous publications

IV.3.3)

Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents

IV.3.4)

Time-limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

IV.3.5)

Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

IV.3.6)

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

IV.3.7)

Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender 

IV.3.8)

Conditions for opening tenders

Section VI: Other Information

VI.1)

Indicate whether this procurement is a recurrent one and the Estimated timing for further notices to be published

VI.2)

Does the contract relate to a Project/Programme financed by Community Funds?

VI.3)

Additional Information

(MT Ref:139016).

VI.4)

Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)

Body responsible for appeal procedures

Body responsible for mediation procedures

VI.4.2)

Lodging of appeals
Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals:

VI.4.3)

Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained

VI.5)

Dispatch date of this Notice

ANNEX B

Information About Lots

1)

Short Description

Connectivity of various sites utilising all types of connectivity available as appropriate,directly or via Local Authority sites.

2)

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

3)

Quantity or scope

This is seen as the main requirement and is expected to attract the majority of orders.

4)

Indication about different contract dates

5)

Additional Information about lots

ANNEX B

Information About Lots

1)

Short Description

Primarily in support of Lot 1 but also to compliment existing networks the following types of equipment may be required: Network routing and switching equipment including wireless; software for operating and managing network equipment; other network associated equipment such as servers, caching equipment, telephony and video communications; hosting and other services such as backup; Installation, maintenance and support services for such equipment and services.

2)

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

3)

Quantity or scope

The framework is expected to enable not only E2BN but also its members and their associated public sector partners with a best value procurement route.

4)

Indication about different contract dates

5)

Additional Information about lots