Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
DoJ Forensic Science Northern Ireland
c/o Construction Procurement Delivery, Clare House, 303 Airport Road West
Belfast
BT3 9ED
UK
E-mail: justice.cpd@finance-ni.gov.uk
NUTS: UKN0F
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/topics/forensic-science/forensic-science-northern-ireland
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/topics/procurement
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Provision of Helium BiPS
Reference number: DOJ DAC 10/24
II.1.2) Main CPV code
44612100
II.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
II.1.4) Short description
This Direct Award Contract is to cover expenditure for the supply of cylinders of helium gas with a Built In Purification System (BIPS) for use with an instrumentation set up in a number of labs across FSNI which demands high purity helium in order to avoid unnecessary maintenance, repair and down time.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
180 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKN0F
Main site or place of performance:
Forensic Science Northern Ireland, Seapark, Carrickfergus, County Antrim
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This Direct Award Contract is to cover expenditure for the supply of cylinders of helium gas with a Built In Purification System (BIPS) for use with an instrumentation set up in a number of labs across FSNI which demands high purity
helium in order to avoid unnecessary maintenance, repair and down time.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
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 IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason: protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights
Explanation
FSNI tested the market for Helium with BIPS in 2013 when they tendered for the Supply & Delivery of Gases, this product had to be removed from the tender specification as no other supplier was permitted to supply Helium BIPS which only the appointed contractor can supply. Horizon scanning has continued since then to understand whether there may be an alternative in provision that could provide the same level of purity required and recent market sounding has confirmed that there remains no alternative to the patented product offered by the appointed contractor. BIPS cylinders are exclusive to the appointed contractor, who developed and own the Built In Purification System. The appointed contractor have this system patented, therefore no other supplier can offer the same or similar products in UK or Ireland. Further research (2023/24) in the market has confirmed that the appointed contractor remains the only provider capable of providing high purity helium.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section V: Award of contract
Contract No: DOJ DAC 10/24
Title: Provision of Helium BiPS
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
09/08/2024
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
As per Regulation 50(6)(a) - information withheld for security reasons
As per Regulation 50(6)(a) - information withheld for security reasons
As per Regulation 50(6)(a) - information withheld for security reasons
UK
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 180 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
Please note that information relating to contractors engaged by the Northern Ireland Department of Justice,and associated bodies, is not published in any publicly accessible forum or publication. This is to protect such contractors, whose security and safety could be
threatened by dissident terrorist organisations still active in Northern Ireland if their details became known. This is consistent with Regulation 50(6)(a).
The estimated contract value is a broad estimate only and includes additional quantum for unforeseen demand and to future proof. There is no guarantee of any level of business under
this contract. The estimate is not deemed to be a condition of contract nor a guarantee of minimum demand or uptake. No compensation will be payable to a contractor should the
actual demand be less than that stated.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
See VI.4.3 / Review procedure
See VI.4.3 / Review procedure
UK
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
The UK does not have any special review body with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures in public procurement competitions. Instead, any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
13/08/2024