Contract notice – utilities
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Firmus Energy (Distribution) Ltd
A4/A5 Fergusons Way, Kilbegs Industrial Estate
Antrim
BT41 4LZ
UK
Contact person: Niamh Magee
E-mail: firmusconstructiontender@carson-mcdowell.com
NUTS: UKN13
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.firmusenergy.co.uk
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://www.firmusenergy.co.uk/publications/category/tender-opportunities
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address
I.6) Main activity
Production, transport and distribution of gas and heat
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Firmus Energy Construction and Maintenance Works and Services Contract
II.1.2) Main CPV code
45231221
II.1.3) Type of contract
Works
II.1.4) Short description
Firmus Energy is currently undergoing the construction of a predominantly polyethylene medium pressure (4 bar) and low pressure (75mbar) gas network and associated domestic and industrial and commercial connections to natural gas within a number of townlands in Northern Ireland including Derry/Londonderry, Limavady, Coleraine, Ballymoney, Ballymena, Antrim, Craigavon (including Lurgan and Portadown), Armagh, Banbridge and Newry. Against this background, Firmus Energy is inviting tenders for works across its development area in Northern Ireland, to include:
— polyethylene main laying (c. 200 km per annum) and service laying (c. 6 700 services per annum),
— emergency response services (responding to c. 3 500 Public Reported Escapes per annum),
— network maintenance and materials logistics.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
96 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
44100000
45231220
45231223
45333100
45333200
45231100
45231110
45231111
45231112
45231221
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKN
Main site or place of performance:
— Derry/Londonderry,
— Limavady,
— Coleraine,
— Ballymoney,
— Ballymena,
— Antrim,
— Craigavon (including Lurgan and Portadown),
— Armagh,
— Banbridge, and
— Newry.
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Firmus Energy is undertaking a competitive tendering process to enter into a contract with one contractor to meet its requirements as further summarised in the procurement documents.
It is anticipated that the contract will commence on 9.4.2020 and continue thereafter for an initial period of three (3) years (initial period). Following expiry of the initial period, Firmus Energy shall have the option to extend the contract on three (3) subsequent occasions of up to 12 months each.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
96 000 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 72
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
It is anticipated that the contract will commence on 9.4.2020 and continue thereafter for an initial period of three (3) years (initial period). Following expiry of the initial period, Firmus Energy shall have the option to extend the contract on three (3) subsequent occasions of up to 12 months each.
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:
As stated in the procurement documents.
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.1.4) Objective rules and criteria for participation
As stated in the procurement documents.
III.1.6) Deposits and guarantees required:
Firmus Energy reserves the right to require bonds, deposits, guarantees or other forms of undertaking or security to ensure proper contractual performance. Interested parties should be aware in particular that the successful contractor will be required to provide a performance security bond of 800 000 GBP.
III.1.8) Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
Subject to the status and involvement of the parties, Firmus Energy may require the parties to commit to joint and several liability in respect of the contract. Alternatively, Firmus Energy may require the lead operator to take total responsibility or a consortium to form a legal entity before entering into any contract.
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated with call for competition
IV.1.4) Information about reduction of the number of solutions or tenders during negotiation or dialogue
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2019/S 099-240814
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
09/09/2019
Local time: 12:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.3) Additional information
This contract is being procured competitively in accordance with the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016. The procedure to be followed for this procurement is the negotiated procedure.
Applicants who wish to participate in this procurement will be required to provide contact details to firmusconstructiontender@carson-mcdowell.com upon downloading the procurement documents. Applicants who fail to provide their details or register in this manner will not receive any clarifications or updated information provided by Firmus Energy during the procurement process.
The costs of responding to this notice and participation in the process will be borne by each applicant. All discussions and correspondence will be deemed strictly subject to contract until a formal contract is entered into. The formal contract shall not be binding until it has been signed and dated by the duly authorised representatives of both parties.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland
Royal Courts of Justice, Chichester Street
Belfast
BT1 3JF
UK
E-mail: office@courtsni.gov.uk
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
Firmus Energy will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of contract is communicated to all applicants. The standstill period provides time for unsuccessful applicants to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into. The Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 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 (Northern Ireland).
VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Firmus Energy (Distribution) Ltd
A4/A5 Fergusons Way, Kilbegs Industrial Estate
Antrim
BT41 4LZ
UK
Internet address(es)
URL: http://www.firmusenergy.co.uk
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
09/08/2019