CONTRACT NOTICE - UTILITIES

Section I: Contracting Entity

I.1)

Name, Address and Contact Point(s)

I.2)

Main activity or activities of the contracting entity

	Production, transport and distribution of gas and heat
	Electricity
	Exploration and extraction of gas and oil
	Exploration and extraction of coal and other solid fuels
	Water
	Postal services
	Railway services
	Urban railway, tramway, trolleybus or bus services
	Port-related activities
	Airport-related activities

Section II: Object of the Contract

II.1)

Description

II.1.1)

Title attributed to the contract by the contracting entity

Fuel farm management and into-plane services agreement.

II.1.2(a))

Type of works contract

II.1.2(b))

Type of supplies contract

II.1.2(c))

Type of service contract

II.1.2)

Site or location of works, place of delivery or performance

George Best Belfast City Airport.

II.1.3)

This notice involves

A public contract
The setting up of a Dynamic Purchasing System
The establishment of a framework agreement

II.1.4)

Information on framework agreement (if applicable)

Framework agreement with a single operator
Framework agreement with several operators

Number of participants to the framework agreement envisaged

Duration of the framework agreement

Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement

Frequency of the contracts to be awarded

II.1.5)

Short description of the contract or purchase(s)

Belfast City Airport (‘BCA’) is seeking to appoint an operator to provide services and operate facilities for the purposes of aviation fuel distribution, into-plane and refuelling operations at George Best Belfast City Airport (‘Airport’) throughout hours of operation at the Airport (as detailed in section 3 of the Project Information Memorandum available on request from the address detailed at section I.1 above). It is currently anticipated that the key role of the appointed party will be to assist BCA in its objective to provide at the airport: (1) a safe, cost efficient and operationally effective system for receipt, storage and distribution of jet fuel to operating aircraft; (2) at all times ensure that an adequate stock of fuel is available in order to provide uninterrupted service to operating aircraft; (3) full management responsibility for the operation of the fuel facility, to include: (a) ensuring product quality assurance; (b) providing stock management services; (c) performing into-plane operations in line with all appropriate industry standards; and (d) maintaining a management system for health, safety and environmental matters (including issuing risk assessments where appropriate).

The successful operator will be responsible for the overall management and provision of the services in accordance with principles of open and fair access to all fuel suppliers.

The operator will assist BCA with the management of the financial and operational aspects of the relationship with operating airlines, including calculation and collection of fees in respect of services delivered.

The operator may be required to transfer into its employment the staff currently employed by the incumbent operator and in doing so, must abide by all relevant TUPE Regulations.

The operator will utilise BCA's facilities and equipment to provide the Services and operate the fuel facilities, including refuelling bowsers. Full details of the equipment which will be made available can be found at Annex B of the Project Information Memorandum. BCA will retain ownership of the fuelling facilities, associated equipment and infrasture at BCA. The successful contractor will however be required to replace and refurbish certain tractor and trailer units, as detailed in the Project Information Memorandum.

Throughout the contract, the operator will be expected to:(a) provide and maintain manuals, procedures and processes for the safe and efficient operation of the facility in line with industry standards; and (b) provide, as appropriate, technical support linked to any development of the fuelling facilities, including demand forecasting, and any ongoing maintenance of the facilities.

II.1.6)

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

II.1.7)

Contract covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

II.1.8)

Division into lots

II.1.9)

Will variants be accepted

II.2)

Quantity or Scope of the Contract

II.2.1)

Total quantity or scope

The below represents estimated contract value per annum.

II.2.2)

Options

It is envisaged that the initial contract term may be up to 36 months with the option (exercisable at BCA's discretion) to extend (all or part of the services) for 2 consecutive periods of 12 months.

Provisional timetable for recourse to these options

Number of possible renewals

In the case of renewable contracts, estimated time frame for subsequent calls for competition:

II.3)

Duration of the contract or limit for completion

Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial and Technical Information

III.1)

Conditions relating to the contract

III.1.1)

Deposits and guarantees required

The Contracting Authority reserves the right to require performance bonds, deposits, parent company guarantees or other forms of undertaking or security to ensure proper contractual performance.

III.1.2)

Main Terms of financing and payment and/or reference to the relevant provisions

As set out in the contract documentation which will be provided to all bidders invited to take part in the negotiation process.

III.1.3)

Legal form to be taken by the grouping of suppliers, contractors or service providers to whom the contract is to be awarded

Subject to the status and involvement of the parties, the Contracting Authority may require the parties to commit to joint and several liability in respect of the contract. Alternatively the Contracting Authority may require the lead operator to take total responsibility or a consortium to form a legal entity and provide parent company guarantees before entering into any contract.

III.1.4)

Other particular conditions to which the performance of the contract is subject

The conditions applicable to the contract are set out in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire, Project Information Memorandum, Invitation to Negotiate and draft contract documents. It will be a condition of the contract that the successful bidder's staff obtain and maintain full security clearance for working airside during the contract. If any material elements of the contract will be sub-contracted, sub-contractors must be identified and complete the relevant sections of the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire.

The operator will contract with BCA for provision of the services identified in section II.1.5 and BCA shall collect certain charges in respect of such services from its airline customers. The operator will also be required to commit to the following: (a) a Storage and Into-Plane Agreement detailing the terms and operational requirements to be provided on behalf of all fuel suppliers; and (b) an aviation fuel indemnity agreement (between BCA, the operator and all fuel suppliers at the Airport). For full details, please refer to Section 3 of the Project Information Memorandum.

III.2)

Conditions for Participation

III.2.1)

Personal situation of suppliers,contractors or service providers

As specified in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire.

III.2.2)

Economic and financial capacity

The minimum standards to be met by the bidder are specified in full in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (available upon request from the contact point specified above).

III.2.3)

Technical capacity

III.2.4)

Reserved contracts

The contract is restricted to sheltered workshops
The execution of the contract is restricted to the framework of sheltered employment programmes

III.3)

Conditions Specific to Service Contracts

III.3.1)

Is provision of the service reserved to a specific profession?

III.3.2)

Will legal entities be required to state the names and professional qualifications of the personnel responsible for executing the contract?

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)

Type of Procedure

Open		Restricted
Negotiated		Have candidates already been selected?	No

IV.2)

Award Criteria

IV.2.2)

An electronic auction will be used

IV.3) Administrative Information

IV.3.1)

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting entity

IV.3.2)

Previous publication concerning the same contract

Periodic indicative notice
Notice on a buyer profile

Other previous publications

IV.3.3)

Conditions for obtaining contract document and additional documents

IV.3.4)

Time-limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

IV.3.5)

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

IV.3.6)

Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain its tender 

IV.3.7)

Conditions for opening tenders

Section VI: Complementary Information

VI.1)

Indicate whether this Procurement is a Recurrent one and the estimated timing for further notices to be published

VI.2)

Does the contract relate to a Project/Programme financed by Community Funds?

VI.3)

Additional Information

The Pre-Qualification Questionnaire and Project Information Memorandum are available on request from the contact point set out in Section 1 of this notice. All costs of responding to this notice and participating in the procurement will be borne by each bidder.

All discussions and correspondence will be deemed strictly subject to contract until the formal contract is entered into. The contract will not be binding until it has been signed and dated by the authorised representatives of both parties. Bidders that satisfy the requirements of the pre-qualification process may be offered the opportunity of a site visit to inspect the areas in which services are currently provided. Further details will be provided by BCA in due course.

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations and/ or The Service Provision Change (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 may apply to the staff/operatives currently engaged in the provision of the services. Further information will be provided at the Invitation to Negotiate stage of this process. Bidders are required to seek their own advice, make their own investigations and include for this if applicable in their tender responses.

Each bidder must maintain the validity of its tender open for acceptance for a period of 6 months from the deadline for receipt of tenders.

VI.4)

Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)

Body responsible for appeal procedures

Body responsible for mediation procedures

VI.4.2)

Lodging of appeals

BCA will incorporate a 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on award of the contract is communicated to all bidders. The standstill period provides time for unsuccessful bidders to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into. The Utilities Contract Regulations 2006 (as amended) provide for aggreived parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (Northern Ireland).

VI.4.3)

Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained

VI.5)

Dispatch date of this Notice