Prior information notice
This notice is a call for competition
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Office for National Statistics
Segensworth Rd
Fareham
PO15 5RR
UK
E-mail: census2021.transformation.programme@ons.gov.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/ons/aspx/Home
I.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/ons/aspx/Home
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5) Main activity
Other: The Office for National Statistics
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Specialist Services to Transform Historical Census Volumes into Digital Data
Reference number: PU-19-0317
II.1.2) Main CPV code
72311100
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for running and producing results from the decennial census in England and Wales. This project is concerned with improving the accessibility of historical census data, enabling greater use to be made of it. Statistical outputs for England and Wales from the 2011 to 1971 censuses can be downloaded in digital form from ONS and other websites. However, a complete set of census data from the main volumes produced from 1961 to 1801 is not available digitally. All the information is publicly available (for example, through public libraries), but in paper form it has very limited accessibility and usability for analytical purposes. ONS would like to convert all the tables of aggregate data from the historical census volumes into digital data. On receipt of the data ONS will make it available to users free of charge via an online portal with a file download facility. This will allow greater use to be made of the historical census data and enable an improved understanding of socio-economic change over time. The call-off contract will allow ONS to focus on the published volumes from the 1961 Census and earlier years, potentially all the way back to 1801. Our first priorities would be the 4 census years from 1961 to 1921 (NB. there was no Census conducted in 1941), and our expectation is that it would be possible to complete this work within 2 years. The exact scope for delivery in the first year would be agreed with the supplier on award of the contract. There will be different stages to the work:
— automated extraction of data from the census volumes,
— a mechanism to assign missing values that cannot be extracted using Optical Character Recognition (OCR),
— quality assurance to validate the data,
— supply of fully specified tables in spreadsheet format (e.g. .xls or .csv). Scanned images of the census volumes already exist but the successful bidder may decide it is more cost-effective to undertake a re-scan of the volumes to a higher, more consistent standard (i.e. better granularity and alignment) to improve the efficiency of the conversion into digital data. In addition to the data, we require high quality digital boundaries at a resolution appropriate for use online/publications at district level (and lower level geographies if possible). District level boundaries have already been created for 1961 as part of an ongoing project so this requirement would be for 1951 and earlier census years only. Further details on indicative volumes will be released on the 1st April with the procurement pack. The competition will take the form of a 2 stage open competition via the eSourcing portal In-tend. Should you wish to register interest please send an email to Ian.Mackinnon@ONS.gov.uk with the following details: your company name contact email address contact telephone number. You will also be required to register interest via the In-tend portal by following the link below: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/ons/aspx/Home
Instructions on how to register are contained within the link provided.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
72311100
72313000
72330000
79999100
72316000
63524000
79131000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for running and producing results from the decennial census in England and Wales. This project is concerned with improving the accessibility of historical census data, enabling greater use to be made of it. Statistical outputs for England and Wales from the 2011 to 1971 censuses can be downloaded in digital form from ONS and other websites. However, a complete set of census data from the main volumes produced from 1961 to 1801 is not available digitally. All the information is publicly available (for example, through public libraries), but in paper form it has very limited accessibility and usability for analytical purposes. ONS would like to convert all the tables of aggregate data from the historical census volumes into digital data. On receipt of the data ONS will make it available to users free of charge via an online portal with a file download facility. This will allow greater use to be made of the historical census data and enable an improved understanding of socio-economic change over time. This call-off contract will allow ONS to focus on the published volumes from the 1961 Census and earlier years, potentially all the way back to 1801. Our first priorities would be the 4 census years from 1961 to 1921 (NB. there was no Census conducted in 1941), and our expectation is that it would be possible to complete this work within 2 years. The exact scope for delivery in the first year would be agreed with the supplier on award of the contract. There will be different stages to the work:
— automated extraction of data from the census volumes,
— a mechanism to assign missing values that cannot be extracted using Optical Character Recognition (OCR),
— quality assurance to validate the data,
— supply of fully specified tables in spreadsheet format (e.g. .xls or .csv). Scanned images of the census volumes already exist but the successful bidder may decide it is more cost-effective to undertake a re-scan of the volumes to a higher, more consistent standard (i.e. better granularity and alignment) to improve the efficiency of the conversion into digital data. In addition to the data, we require high quality digital boundaries at a resolution appropriate for use online/publications at district level (and lower level geographies if possible). District level boundaries have already been created for 1961 as part of an ongoing project so this requirement would be for 1951 and earlier census years only. Indicative volumes will be released on the 1.4.2019.
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
Competitive procedure with negotiation
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement with several operators.
Justification for any framework agreement duration exceeding 4 years: N/A
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of expressions of interest
Date:
29/03/2019
Local time: 00:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
The Office for National Statistics
Segensworth Rd
Fareham
PO15 5RR
UK
VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
The Office for National Statistics
Segensworth Rd
Fareham
PO15 5RR
UK
VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
The Office for National Statistics
171 Govt Building, Cardiff Rd
Newport
NP10 8XG
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
08/03/2019