Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service
9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9P
UK
Telephone: +44 3150103503
E-mail: supplier@crowncommercial.gov.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.gov.uk/ccs
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://supplierregistration.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/dps
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://supplierregistration.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/dps
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address
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
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Research & Insights DPS
Reference number: RM6126
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79300000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Crown Commercial Service (CCS) as the authority intends to put in place a DPS Agreement for the provision of Research and Insights services to be utilised by Central Government Departments and all other UK Public Sector Bodies, including local authorities, health, police, fire and rescue, education and devolved administrations and charities. It is intended that this DPS agreement will be the recommended vehicle for all research and behavioural insights services required by UK Central Government Departments.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
350 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
73000000
73100000
73110000
73111000
73112000
73200000
73210000
73300000
73400000
73430000
79000000
79310000
79311000
79311100
79311200
79311210
79311300
79311400
79311410
79312000
79313000
79314000
79315000
79320000
79330000
79340000
79342310
79342311
79400000
79410000
79411000
79411100
90711400
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The RM6126 Research & Insights agreement will be organised into distinct categories so:
● bidders can indicate all elements relevant to their service offering
● customers can filter the elements to produce a shortlist of appointed suppliers to invite to a competition
Crown Commercial Services (CCS) key priorities are to support visibility and control of research services whole life costs and to influence efficiencies through:
● offering valued research solutions to meet customers individual requirements
● build and increase capacity of high quality research and insights services outputs
● develop a dynamic commercial model for access to research and insights services
The four (4) distinct categories comprise of:
● Subject area
● Research methods
● Target participants
● Research location
Full details of the four (4) distinct categories and the sub-categories can be found at Annex A of the Buyer Needs document, and at DPS Schedule 1 (Specification) of the RM6126 Research & Insights DPS agreement terms and conditions, and also as Attachment 2 (Service Filter Matrix) in the bid pack.
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: 72
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
CCS may extend the period of validity of the DPS for further two yearly periods at the end of the initial four year period and then at the end of each period of validity, as previously extended.
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:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
Initial term of 48 months (4 years) CCS may extend the period of validity of the DPS for further two yearly periods at the end of the initial four year period and then at the end of each period of validity, as previously extended.
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:
Suppliers will be assessed on their response to the selection criteria in their request to participate for a place on the RM6126 – Research & Insights DPS agreement. The procurement bid pack and registration details can be accessed via the following URL address
https://supplierregistration.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/dps
and clicking on Research & Insights
Please read the DPS Needs document first for a full overview of the procurement process and read the instructions carefully. To register for the RM6126 – Research & Insights DPS agreement please select the ‘Access as a Supplier’ link which can be located at the URL address above. An example of how to register for the DPS platform can be found at the following youtube generic guide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gMaIEIqEyY&authuser=0
Please note that to register you must have a valid DUNS number (as provided by Dun and Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are registering, who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so. The procurement will be managed electronically via CCS. The value provided in Section II.1.5) is only an estimate. We cannot guarantee to suppliers any business through this DPS Agreement. This procurement offering does not guarantee any minimum spend and there will be no form of exclusivity or volume guarantee under this DPS. As part of this contract notice the bid pack and the following documents can be accessed at the link provided below:
1) Contract notice authorised customer list;
2) Rights reserved for CCS DPS agreement.
3) DPS Bid Pack
4) DPS Contract Notice Transparency Information for Crown Commercial Service Framework Agreement
As part of this contract notice the following documents can be accessed at https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Start/76c6a1ab-5fd1-4dff-bbb7-1214f2752a32
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.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the setting up of a dynamic purchasing system
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:
2021/S 000-004892
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
01/11/2027
Local time: 00:00
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.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
VI.3) Additional information
The value provided in Section II.1.5) is only an estimate. The Authority cannot guarantee to suppliers any business through this DPS Agreement. The Authority expressly reserves the right:
(i) not to award any DPS Agreement as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice; and
(ii) to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the tendering competition; and in no circumstances will the customer be liable for any costs incurred by the suppliers.
(iii) to make changes to the management charge applicable to this DPS in relation to both the percentage charged and the methodology used.
We consider that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 ("TUPE") may apply at the call for competition.
It is the supplier’s responsibility to take your own advice and consider whether TUPE is likely to apply in the particular circumstances of the contract and to act accordingly.
On 2.4.2014 Government introduced its Government Security Classifications (GSC) scheme which replaced Government Protective Marking Scheme (GPMS). A key aspect is the reduction in the number of security classifications used. All bidders should make themselves aware of the changes as it may impact on this requirement. The link below to Gov.uk provides information on the GSC at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-security-classifications.
Cyber essentials is a mandatory requirement for central government contracts which involve handling personal information or provide certain ICT products/services. Government is taking steps to reduce the levels of cyber security risk in its supply chain through the cyber essentials scheme. The scheme defines a set of controls which, when implemented, will provide organisations with basic protection from the most prevalent forms of threat coming from the internet. To participate in this procurement, bidders must be able to demonstrate they comply with the technical requirements prescribed by cyber essentials, for services under and in connection with this procurement.
Customers may enter into a contract with a supplier for a period of their determining which may exceed the RM6126 Research & Insights DPS, should this agreement be terminated at any time. The flexibility of the contracting period allows customers (Buyers) to determine appropriate contracting timelines required to enable the supplier to meet customer needs.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service
9th Floor, The Capital, Old Hall Street
Liverpool
L3 9PP
UK
Telephone: +44 3450103503
E-mail: supplier@crowncommercial.gov.uk
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
02/11/2021