Contract notice – utilities
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
NORTHUMBRIAN WATER GROUP LIMITED
02366703
Northumbria House,Abbey Road, Pity Me
DURHAM
DH15FJ
UK
Contact person: Andriy Volkov
E-mail: andriy.volkov@nwl.co.uk
NUTS: UKC14
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.nwl.co.uk
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://s1.ariba.com
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://s1.ariba.com
I.6) Main activity
Water
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
NW2675 - Leakage Detection Framework Agreement
Reference number: NW2675
II.1.2) Main CPV code
50000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Northumbrian Water (NWL) intend to put 3+2 year Framework Agreements in place with up to 3 suppliers for leakage detection services. Our Leakage Strategy is built around the industry recommendations focused around the core principles of PALM; Prevent, Aware, Locate and Mend. We are looking for Framework Agreement Partners who will support our Leakage Strategy for AMP 7 by providing a leakage detection service. Future awards on the Framework going into AMP 8 and, subject to internal NWL approvals, may be a combination of fixed work packages with a clear scope of work and acceptance criteria, or a model where appropriate resource(s) will be requested to work in certain regions within NWL's operating area in the North (please note that the Essex and Suffolk operating areas are not in scope for this Framework Agreement). We would need our prospective Framework Agreement partners to bring extensive knowledge of Leakage find, incorporated with their AI platform(s). Partners would be able to provide expert advice on how best to use market products or their own products, as well as the necessary skills to work as part of a blended team to locate leaks, prioritise leaks and use technology to drive efficiencies. NWL preferred working arrangements would be to operate as a blended squad with team members from our operational leakage teams as well as or analysts, performance managers and Leakage Strategy Manager as part of the Leakage Strategy team.
The key attributes that we are looking for in the procured partners are to support us in providing an easy, timely and high-quality active leak detection service, to assist our current live processes, and provide the knowledge and skills to develop our thinking in utilising technology in the right way to reduce leakage in the right area. We require our partner to give us advice on how to best and fully utilise the features of leakage products we already have to support our goal of realising maximum business value over the coming years.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
2 500 000.00
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:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
NWL's operating area in the North (Essex and Suffolk are excluded)
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Advert:
Northumbrian Water (NWL) intend to put 3+2 year Framework Agreements in place with up to 3 suppliers for leakage detection services. Our Leakage Strategy is built around the industry recommendations focused around the core principles of PALM; Prevent, Aware, Locate and Mend. We are looking for Framework Agreement Partners who will support our Leakage Strategy for AMP 7 by providing a leakage detection and related services. Future awards on the Framework going into AMP 8 and, subject to internal NWL approvals, may be a combination of fixed work packages with a clear scope of work and acceptance criteria, or a model where appropriate resource(s) will be requested to work in certain regions within NWL's operating area in the North (please note that the Essex and Suffolk operating areas are not in scope for this Framework Agreement). We would need our prospective Framework Agreement partners to bring extensive knowledge of Leakage find, incorporated with their AI platform(s). Partners would be able to provide expert advice on how best to use market products or their own products, as well as the necessary skills to work as part of a blended team to locate leaks, prioritise leaks and use technology to drive efficiencies. NWL preferred working arrangements would be to operate as a blended squad with team members from our operational leakage teams as well as or analysts, performance managers and Leakage Strategy Manager as part of the Leakage Strategy team.
The key attributes that we are looking for in the procured partners are to support us in providing an easy, timely and high-quality active leak detection service, to assist our current live processes, and provide the knowledge and skills to develop our thinking in utilising technology in the right way to reduce leakage in the right area. We require our partner to give us advice on how to best and fully utilise the features of leakage products we already have to support our goal of realising maximum business value over the coming years.
The partner capabilities would include the following resources as a minimum:
• Leakage Technician/s or Operational Team - on site technician/s to locate leaks
• Data Analysts
• Data Team Leaders
• Delivery and Account Managers
Key Technologies that would be required to supplement the service offering:
• Highly accurate AI and data driven service -Provide unerring accuracy of the leaks that matter to allow our teams to promote and manage the largest and most important leaks through the works management system to reduce run times.
• Privately-operated AI to differentiate leak noises from other sounds and leak sizing.
The following attributes shall be expected from a Framework Partner as a minimum:
• Provide own team with flexibility to upscale
• Provide own Leakage Detection equipment
• Performance Management
• Dedicated analyst support throughout the term of the contract
• Dedicated account and project management
• Flexible rates based on contract length and volume of kms
• The ability to provide engineering assistance if required during breakouts periods or emergencies
End-to-end leakage management capability is desirable.
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:
2 500 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 60
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
for up to 24 months
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
Yes
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
for up to 24 months
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 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:
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents.
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.1.6) Deposits and guarantees required:
If the Dunn and Bradstreet credit rating returns a rating of 'above average risk' or 'high risk', the contracting entity will request further financial information for review and a parent company guarantee may be required.
III.1.7) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
Please see the terms and conditions in the procurement documents.
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.2) Contract performance conditions
These will be set out in the tender documents.
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated with call for competition
IV.1.4) Information about reduction of the number of solutions or tenders during negotiation or dialogue
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated
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 tenders or requests to participate
Date:
23/10/2023
Local time: 12:00
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
Tender must be valid until:
29/02/2024
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
Applicants are asked to note that this procurement process will be conducted electronically with all documents and communication being managed through the Northumbrian Water
eSourcing Spend Management portal called 'Ariba'. Expressions of interest must be sent to the e-mail address andriy.volkov@nwl.co.uk before the deadline date of the 23rd October
2023 (12:00). Once expression of interest has been received that contains the details below, applicants will be given access to the Ariba portal within 48 hours from request. This portal
will contain all the tender documents associated with this procurement that are available at the time. An email link will also be provided to the email address you provide to access the
portal. The deadline for return of the completed PQQ is the 2nd November 2023 at 12.00 noon.
When sending expression of interest, applicants must provide the following information:
1) Full company name;
2) Main contact details of the person who will be given access to the Ariba portal - name, job title, email address and telephone.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
06/10/2023