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

Gas to the West — Expression of Interest.

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

Northern Ireland.

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)

Expression of interest:

SGN is the second largest operator of gas distribution infrastructure in the UK. We have been an active participant in the development of the gas market in Northern Ireland since 1994 and our teams were involved in the commissioning of the major transmission pipelines into and through the province. We provide various essential services to all the operators in the market, working with Phoenix Natural Gas, Bord Gais Eireann and Firmus Energy as well as Mutual Energy's gas businesses; providing maintenance, emergency response and gas control services. We currently manage 74 000 km of distribution network mains infrastructure in Scotland and the South of England. Our two networks consistently delivered our 97 % emergency standard (a key licence condition) even during extreme winters. The SGN group ranks first throughout GDPCR1 on customer service and we have delivered all our mains replacement targets with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

As part of the Gas to the West (GTTW) low pressure licence process and subject to ongoing regulatory discussions and approvals, we would require one or more contractors to assist with this exciting opportunity to develop the gas market to the west of Northern Ireland.

This could involve:

— lay, test and commission gas mains infrastructure up to 7 bar pressure, 40mm to 355mm dia. (anticipated 244 km over 4 years);

— lay, test and commission I&C and domestic services up to 4 bar pressure (anticipated 4 500 over 4 years);

— install meters to I&C and domestic customers (anticipated 5 900 over 4 years);

— install, test and commission pressure regulating equipment up to 7 bar pressure;

— provide the provision of the emergency repair response service on our mains network 24 hours a day, 365 days a year;

— operate in the towns of Strabane, Dungannon, Coalisland, Cookstown, Magherafelt, Omagh, Enniskillen and Derrylin.

We are looking for the contractors to demonstrate their market leading capabilities to build the infrastructure to the highest standards of safety, service and quality whilst demonstrating Innovation and knowledge transfer that are critical to the long-term requirements of the gas consumer in Northern Ireland.

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

II.2.2)

Options

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:

Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial and Technical Information

III.1)

Conditions relating to the contract

III.1.1)

Deposits and guarantees required

III.1.2)

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

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

III.1.4)

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

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

VI.4)

Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)

Body responsible for appeal procedures

Body responsible for mediation procedures

VI.4.2)

Lodging of appeals

VI.4.3)

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

VI.5)

Dispatch date of this Notice

ANNEX A

Additional Addresses and Contact Points

I)

Address and contact points from which further information can be obtained

II)

Address and contact point from which additional documentation may be obtained

III)

Address and contact point to which Tenders/Requests to Participate must be sent