Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Manchester Metropolitan University
All Saints, Grosvenor Square
Manchester
M15 6BH
UK
Contact person: Steve Everitt
Telephone: +44 1612471789
E-mail: s.everitt@mmu.ac.uk
NUTS: UKD33
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.mmu.ac.uk
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/mmu/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/mmu/aspx/Home
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Education
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Embedded International Study Centre (EISC)
Reference number: MMU1040
II.1.2) Main CPV code
80000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Manchester Metropolitan University wishes to enter into a collaboration to establish an Embedded International Study Centre ("EISC") on campus to deliver educational study programmes to international students to equip them with the skills/qualifications required to enrol on an undergraduate or postgraduate course at Manchester Met. This presents an exciting opportunity for a suitably experienced and innovative partner to enter into a joint venture ("JV") with Manchester Met to realise its ambitions for the EISC. At this point in the process, Manchester Met wishes to remain agnostic in respect of the form which the JV will take (e.g. contractual/incorporated), and is therefore interested to hear bidders’ proposals on this aspect later in the process. The JV Partner will be responsible for the operational running of the EISC, delivering programmes, promoting the EISC, recruitment of international students, administration of admissions and provide teaching services within the EISC.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
150 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
80000000
80490000
80500000
80400000
80300000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKD33
Main site or place of performance:
On or near to Manchester Metropolitan University's Campus.
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Manchester Met’s vision is to collaborate with a JV Partner to create a fully embedded EISC on campus which provides pathway programmes for international students progressing onto Manchester Met degree courses. The EISC will support the University's ambition to significantly increase the number of international students enrolling on Manchester Met degree courses.To achieve this vision, it is envisaged that the EISC will: -be established in partnership with a private provider/partner; -be managed by Manchester Met and the Partner; -be physically embedded on Manchester Met’s campus; and -be established such that the EISC students will have appropriate rights and access to the University's facilities (e.g., library, laboratories, studios, classrooms and accommodation It is envisaged that in the short to medium term the EISC will be based in either existing University facilities or in leased space close to the campus. Led by the growth prospects of the JV, longer term purpose built/renovated facilities will be provided to accommodate such growth on or near to campus. It is intended that the relationship will facilitate a successful collaboration between the two entities, creating a true partnership with the shared ambition of maximising the success of the EISC. To realise this, the parties will enter into a JV following contract award – the form of which will be discussed during the procurement process. As explained above, Manchester Met wishes to remain agnostic at this point in respect of whether the JV will be based on a contractual or incorporated model. Therefore, to assist bidders in their assessment of this opportunity, Manchester Met has provided a document which lists its ‘key commercial principles’ upon which this arrangement will be based (a copy of which is provided in the procurement documents, available via the Portal). What will the JV Partner bring? Expertise in successfully delivering embedded colleges for other further education institutions and the drive, determination and innovation to ensure that the EISC is at the forefront of the international student market. What will Manchester Met bring? The facilities required to operate the EISC, support the JV Partner to maximise its success and aims to create a true partnership which optimises the benefits for both parties. The first stage of this process requires bidders to complete a Selection Questionnaire (SQ), a copy of which is provided via the Portal. This will enable Manchester Met to identify providers who have the requisite level of experience in delivering similar projects, and the required levels of capability to deliver the EISC. Key areas of importance which will be assessed throughout the process include facilitating a supportive environment for students which maximises their educational success, academic experience, marketing of the EISC, increasing the number of international students who will eventually enrol for degree courses at Manchester Met, realising social value, IT/Systems maturity and facilitating innovation throughout the lifetime of the contract. Following the evaluation of all SQ responses, Manchester Met intends to identify a maximum of 5 bidders to invite to the invitation to negotiate (ITN) stage of the procurement process. Those 5 bidders will be invited to submit initial tenders which will be evaluated and the top 3 scoring bidders invited to take part in the negotiation phase. Those 5 bidders will be invited to submit initial tenders which will be evaluated by Manchester Met with the top 3 scoring bidders invited to take part in the negotiation phase. At this stage Manchester Met intends to undertake the negotiation phase such that areas for negotiation are focussed, in accordance with its ambition to undertake an efficient but fair and robust process. A copy of the procurement pack which provides further information about this opportunity is available for download via the Portal.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 360
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
Retender prior to contract expiry.
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:
Availability of capacity and resources.
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
Yes
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:
Selection criteria 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.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.2) Contract performance conditions
Bidders which are subsequently successful in this procurement exercise may be required to actively participate in the achievement of social and/or environmental objectives. Accordingly, contract performance conditions may relate in particular to Environmental, Social, Governance or other corporate social responsibility and sustainability considerations. Further details will be set out in the procurement documents.
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Competitive procedure with negotiation
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:
2022/S 000-016581
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
20/03/2023
Local time: 12:00
IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
Date:
06/04/2023
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
Tender must be valid until:
24/11/2023
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
Yes
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
VI.3) Additional information
Bidders may wish to note that Manchester Met conducted a pre-market engagement exercise prior to launching this opportunity, which enabled Manchester Met to develop its thinking in terms of the key areas to be addressed during the procurement process, how the JV will operate and how the procedure should be structured. Manchester Met has considered the informative and helpful feedback provided by those who participated in this activity and has incorporated such feedback into the design of this process. Bidders may also wish to note that participation in the pre-market engagement exercise is not a pre-requisite for being considered for this opportunity and, if of interest, copies of the documentation issued during this phase are available upon request via the Portal. Manchester Met believes that face to face interaction with Bidders will be an important part of this procurement process, in light of some of the issues which will need to be further navigated with bidders to establish the JV. Manchester Met has therefore opted to utilise the Competitive Procedure with Negotiation in respect of this procurement. However, Manchester Met would state that the procedure has been designed to operate a truncated and efficient negotiation process, with the aim of reducing the burden on bidders to the greatest extent possible. Bidders should refer to the procurement documents for further details in this regard. Bidders will remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third party acting under instructions from bidders in connection with taking part in this procurement, regardless of whether such costs arise as a consequence direct or indirect of any amendments made to the procurement documents by Manchester Met at any time. Manchester Met reserves the right at any time to: i) reject any or all responses and to cancel or withdraw this procurement at any stage; ii) change the basis, the procedures and the timescales set out or referred to within the procurement documents; iii) require a bidder to clarify any submissions in writing and/or provide additional information (failure to respond adequately may result in disqualification); iv) terminate the procurement process; and v) amend the terms and conditions of the selection and evaluation process.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
High Court of England and Wales
London
WC2A 2LL
UK
Internet address(es)
URL: http://www.justice.gov.uk
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
Any review proceedings should be promptly brought to the attention of the Chief Operating Officer of Manchester Metropolitan University at Ormond Building, Lower Ormond Street, Manchester, M15 6BX, and will be dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015). Any review proceedings must be brought within the timescales specified by the applicable law, including, without limitation, PCR 2015. In accordance with PCR 2015, The University will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period from the date information on the award of the contract is communicated to bidders.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
17/02/2023