Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Westcountry Schools Trust
Ivybridge Community College, Harford Road
Ivybridge
PL21 0JA
UK
Contact person: Lorraine Ashover
Telephone: +44 1256467107
E-mail: tenders@minervapcs.com
NUTS: UKK41
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.westst.org.uk/
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/minervapcs/aspx/Home
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/minervapcs/aspx/Home
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Other: Educational institute
I.5) Main activity
Education
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Westcountry Schools Trust — Payroll, HR Admin and Associated Services
Reference number: MPN-10162
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79211110
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Westcountry Schools Trust are currently out to tender for the provision of payroll, HR admin and associated services The Trust requires a supplier to undertake the payroll, HR Admin and associated services in accordance with good practice so as to provide a high service standard throughout the Trust for the benefit of their staff. Complete information regarding the service requirement for the Trust can be found in the statement of requirements which is part of the tender pack. The supplier will be responsible for the provision of skilled payroll and HR administration personnel to provide an efficient, timely and proactive payroll, HR Admin and associated services provision. In addition, they will be required to provide day to day support to the Trust’s Central HR and Finance staff as well as named representatives (finance lead and HR admin lead) at each school.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
500 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79211110
79631000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK41
Main site or place of performance:
The Trust main Central Team are based at Ivybridge Community College, Harford Road, Ivybridge, PL21 0JA. All other sites can be reviewed via the Trust website.
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Westcountry Schools Trust is a Multi Academy Trust consisting of 22 schools located in Devon. The Trust currently utilises three Local Authority providers (Devon, Cornwall and Plymouth) for provision of payroll and HR administration services. Whilst broadly happy with the service they are looking to make some changes. There are a number of issues with the current provision which mainly relate to the fact that the Trust are using three different service providers. The recent pay award is a prime example where this had to be instructed three separate times. Data, which is inconsistent, is in three different places, nothing is harmonised. In short, the situation as it stands is causing the Trust significant additional workload. Based on the number of payslips being processed, and contracts being issued, the Trust is keen to ensure that they appoint one sufficiently experienced and efficient service provider alongside seeking ‘best value’ in respect of all supplies of goods and services. Westcountry Schools Trust is conducting a tender process to award a contract for the provision of ‘Payroll, HR Admin and Associated Services’. The contract is to commence on 1 September 2021.
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:
500 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 60
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
The contract will be awarded for an initial period of 3 years with two possible extensions of 12 months meaning a maximum contract length of 5 years.
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged number of candidates: 5
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:
A maximum of five suppliers will be taken forward to the Invitation to Tender stage of the process. Where less than five suppliers meet the minimum standards, only those that meet the minimum standards will be taken through to the Invitation to Tender stage. Where more than five suppliers meet the minimum standard, those suppliers with the highest scores will proceed to the Invitation to Tender stage.
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
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
II.2.14) Additional information
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:
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.2) Conditions related to the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Restricted procedure
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
29/01/2021
Local time: 17:00
IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
Date:
24/02/2021
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.3) Additional information
This is a best estimate of the date, time and location based on what is known at the time of despatch of this notice.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Please refer to Section VI.4.3) Review procedure
Please refer to Section VI.4.3) Review procedure
UK
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
Westcountry Schools Trust will incorporate a standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 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.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
18/12/2020