Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
National Procurement Service (NPS) for Wales on behalf of Finance Wales plc (FW)
Ty'r Afon, Bedwas Road
Caerphilly
CF83 8WT
UK
E-mail: npsprofessionalservices@wales.gsi.gov.uk
NUTS: UKL
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.financewales.co.uk
Address of the buyer profile: http://www.sell2wales.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA0555
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
http://www.etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
http://www.etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at:
http://www.etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Economic and financial affairs
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Provision of Fund Management Services to the Wales Business Fund
Reference number: NPS-PS-0029-15
II.1.2) Main CPV code
66122000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Finance Wales plc ("FW") has been appointed by the Welsh European Funding Office as the Holding Fund/Fund Administrator for a new fund for Welsh-based Micro to Medium Enterprises. The new fund will be known as the Wales Business Fund.
For further information about the Fund and FW's requirements please see Section II.2.4 below.
NPS is facilitating the procurement process on behalf of FW. The tender will be undertaken through the NPS electronic tendering profile at www.etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk.
Full instructions on accessing the eTender are found in section V1.3 of this notice.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
21 100 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKL
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
FW has been appointed by the Welsh European Funding Office as the Holding Fund/Fund Administrator for a new fund for Welsh based Micro to Medium Enterprises. The new fund will be known as the Wales Business Fund the “Fund”.
The Fund is anticipated to be a GDP135.9m fund comprising 2 sub-funds: Equity and Loans. The Fund will operate within the State aid framework set out in the Communication from the Commission: Guidelines on State aid to promote risk finance investments 2014/C19/04 and will be required to be managed and administered in accordance with the requirements of the Structural Funds legislation.
Making the Fund as accessible as possible to SMEs is crucial, as is ensuring that SMEs have access to the most appropriate finance for their needs, whether that is loan finance or equity finance. A single fund manager acting for the Fund as a whole would be better placed to make a decision about which sub-fund or product would best meet the needs of a particular SME. In addition, as the Fund will be demand led, FW will need to retain complete flexibility and discretion to adjust the capital allocations between the two sub-funds to reflect levels of demand and also any changing requirements of WEFO and the Welsh Government. FW recognises that, with no certainty over the level of the funds that may be available in the sub-funds during their term, it would be difficult for suppliers to bid for the fund management agreements.
In light of the above, FW has concluded that it is not appropriate to divide the fund management services into lots.The purpose of the procurement process is to invite professional, financially robust, FCA authorised fund managers with:
a an excellent understanding of the State aid framework and European Structural Funds legislation;
b a demonstrable track record of successfully managing ERDF funded SME investment funds and securing private sector co-financing; and
c the capability of: i managing and administering the Fund in accordance with (and where applicable to exceed) FW’s requirements; and ii delivering the objectives for the Fund, in each case as detailed in the Invitation to Tender (“ITT”) and related documents for this procurement process
to tender for the provision of management services for the Fund.
Given the nature and make-up of the Fund and the stringent requirements regarding European Structural Funds and State aid, organisations tendering to deliver the services will be required to meet minimum financial and technical selection criteria. Those minimum criteria will be set out in the ITT and related documents and suppliers should consider very carefully whether or not they can meet the same before participating in the procurement process.
NPS is facilitating the procurement process on behalf of FW and is using eTenderwales to carry out this procurement process. Further information regarding the Fund, the services to be provided in respect of the Fund, the procurement process to appoint a fund manager and FW’s requirements regarding the same is set out in the ITT and associated documents for this procurement process, which are available at www.etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk.
Any organisations interested in participating in the procurement process should access the ITT and related documentation on www.etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk and those organisations which consider that they are able to meet FW’s requirements detailed in the ITT and related documentation should submit a tender response by the date set out in section IV.2.2 below.
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:
21 100 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 144
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
The contract is anticipated to commence on 1/6/16 and continue for the investment period and for a further 5 years for realisation of investments. FW anticipates that the investment period will end (a) in relation to the equity sub-fund on 31/5/23 or earlier if the sub-fund is fully invested and (b) in relation to the loans sub-fund on 31/5/22 or before that if the sub-fund is fully invested.
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
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:
Yes
Identification of the project:
The Wales Business Fund is to be part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) West Wales and the Valleys Programme and the ERDF East Wales Programme.
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:
For FW's specific requirements, please see the information contained within the ITT and related documents, copies of which can be accessed in accordance with the instructions in sections II.1.4 and VI.3.
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria:
Given the nature and make-up of the Fund and the stringent requirements regarding European Structural Funds and State Aid, organisations tendering to deliver the services will be required to meet minimum economic and financial standing criteria.
Those minimum criteria will be set out in the ITT and related documents and organisations interested in participating in the procurement process should consider very carefully whether or not they can meet the same.
The ITT and related documents can be accessed in accordance with the instructions in sections II.1.4 and VI.3.
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria:
Given the nature and make up of the Fund and the stringent requirements regarding European Structural Funds and State Aid, organisations tendering to deliver the services will be required to meet minimum technical selection criteria.
Those minimum criteria will be set out in the ITT and related documents and organisations interested in participating in the procurement process should consider very carefully whether or not they can meet the same.
Organisations interested in participating in the procurement process should note in particular that they will be required to be authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, have previous experience of successfully delivering SME investment funds co-financed with ERDF and have experience of securing significant levels of private sector leverage/co-investment at deal level.
The ITT and related documents can be accessed in accordance with the instructions in sections II.1.4 and VI.3
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.2) Contract performance conditions
For FW's specific requirements, please see the information contained within the ITT and related documents, copies of which can be accessed in accordance with the instructions in sections II.1.4 and VI.3.
III.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open 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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2015/S 046-079130
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
11/04/2016
Local time: 13:00
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: 4 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
11/04/2016
Local time: 13:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.3) Additional information
The Invitation to Tender (itt) documentation can be accessed via
https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk.
- The first person from your Organisation to use the Platform will be required to register on behalf of the Organisation.
- Registration involves accepting a User Agreement, and providing basic information about your Organisation and about the User performing the Registration.
- The User who performs the Registration becomes the Super User for the Organisation.
- On registering on the Platform the Super User will select a username and will receive a password.
- The Password will be sent by e-mail to the e-mail address that was specified in the User Details section of the Registration page.
- In order to log-in to the Platform please enter your Username and Password.
- Note: If you forget your Password then visit the homepage and click "Forgot your password?"
- Registration should only be performed once for each Organisation.
- If you think that someone in your Organisation may have already registered on this Platform then you must not register again.
- Please contact the person who Registered (i.e. the Super User) in order to arrange access to the Platform.
- Contact the Helpdesk immediately if you are unable to contact the Super User (for example if they have left your Organisation).
HOW TO FIND THE ITT:
- Once logged in you must click on 'itts Open to all Suppliers'.
- The etender references for this framework are:
itt_53316 Provision of Fund Management Services to the Wales Business Fund
MANDATORY itt
A tender response which is compliant with the requirements of the itt must be submitted by all Tenderers:
itt_53316- Click on the title to access summary details of the itt. If you are still interested in submitting a tender, click the 'Express an Interest button'.
This will move the itt from the 'Open to all Suppliers' area to the 'My itt's' on the home page.
- You will then see the full details of the itt in the qualification and technical envelopes along with any relevant documents in the 'Attachments' area.
If you have any queries regarding the requirements please message using the e-tenderwales message portal. If you are seeking help on using the etenderwales system please email the bravo solutions
helpdesk at help@bravosolution.co.uk or 0800 3684852
If you require the documentation in an alternative format, please use the 'Messages' area to contact the buyer directly, who will be able to provide a more suitable format. For example, Braille, Large Print, Word Document or Audio format.
Neither the Welsh Ministers (NPS), FW nor any of their agents or advisors will be responsible for, or liable for, any costs and expenses incurred by organisations participating in the procurement process and responding to the itt. FW reserves the right at any time without notice and without liability to any bidder to: (i) withdraw from and/or abandon and/or defer the procurement process; and (ii) not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process.
(WA Ref:41333)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Finance Wales
1 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street
Cardiff
UK
E-mail: procurement@financewales.co.uk
Internet address(es)
URL: www.financewales.co.uk
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
FW will incorporate a minimum standstill period in compliance with the timescales within the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
29/02/2016