Invitation to Tender for Northumberland's Last 10% Superfast Broadband Scheme
Contract notice
Services
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Northumberland County Council
Commercial and Procurement Services, County Hall
For the attention of: Fay Cooper
NE61 2EF Morpeth
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 1670623877
E-mail:
I.2)Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
I.3)Main activity
General public services
I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no
Section II: Object of the contract
II.1)Description
II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:
Invitation to Tender for Northumberland's Last 10% Superfast Broadband Scheme
II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
NUTS code UKC2
II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)
The notice involves a public contract
II.1.4)Information on framework agreement
II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
Northumberland County Council through its iNorthumberland Programme has a requirement for procuring a partner to deliver superfast broadband to the last 10% communities within the County. The last 10% refers to premises that will not be included within the BDUK fibre broadband roll-out programme, which will be delivered between now and 2016. Superfast broadband is defined to be a speed of 24Mbps and above to the end-user.
The iNorthumberland Programme working with local communities had originally secured GBP 1.6 million worth of funding in October 2012 in 5 separate applications to DEFRA as part of the Rural Community Broadband Fund (RCBF) round 2. This funding was based upon a match funded grant of up to GBP 300 per premise for connecting over 5,000 premises (business and residential) to superfast broadband. The intention is to identify additional funding grants in the future so to enable the contractor to deliver any outstanding premises.
The preferred technological solution for broadband is not prescribed, however it must meet the local and State Aid requirements, the requirements of the DEFRA grant agreement and of any other future funding grants.
The iNorthumberland Programme working with local communities had originally secured GBP 1.6 million worth of funding in October 2012 in 5 separate applications to DEFRA as part of the Rural Community Broadband Fund (RCBF) round 2. This funding was based upon a match funded grant of up to GBP 300 per premise for connecting over 5,000 premises (business and residential) to superfast broadband. The intention is to identify additional funding grants in the future so to enable the contractor to deliver any outstanding premises.
The preferred technological solution for broadband is not prescribed, however it must meet the local and State Aid requirements, the requirements of the DEFRA grant agreement and of any other future funding grants.
II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
72000000
II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): no
II.1.8)Lots
This contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.9)Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: no
II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract
II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:
The BDUK roll-out programme will leave an estimated 13,000 premises (business and residential) with less than 24 Mbps. These premises make up the last 10% area, which are distributed in a large geographical area across the County.
Estimated value excluding VAT: 1 589 100 GBP
Estimated value excluding VAT: 1 589 100 GBP
II.2.2)Information about options
Options: yes
Description of these options: Option to extend for a further period of two years, subject to future funding.
Description of these options: Option to extend for a further period of two years, subject to future funding.
II.2.3)Information about renewals
II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Duration in months: 15 (from the award of the contract)
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
N/A
III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
Services will be funded through public funds, grants and match funding.
III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
N/A
III.1.4)Other particular conditions
The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: yes
Description of particular conditions: Details will be included in the tender documents.
Description of particular conditions: Details will be included in the tender documents.
III.2)Conditions for participation
III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met:
As set out in the tender documents.
As set out in the tender documents.
III.2.2)Economic and financial ability
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met:
As set out in the tender documents.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: As set out in the tender documents.
As set out in the tender documents.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: As set out in the tender documents.
III.2.3)Technical capacity
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met:
As set out in the tender documents.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
As set out in the tender documents.
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met:
As set out in the tender documents.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
As set out in the tender documents.
III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts
III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts
III.3.1)Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: no
III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1)Type of procedure
IV.1.1)Type of procedure
Open
IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
IV.1.3)Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue
IV.2)Award criteria
IV.2.1)Award criteria
The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document
IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction will be used: no
IV.3)Administrative information
IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:
IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
no
IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document
Time limit for receipt of requests for documents or for accessing documents: 28.5.2013
IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
28.5.2013
IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
English.
IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
in days: 40 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders
Date: 28.5.2013 - 00:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: no
VI.2)Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: yes
Reference to project(s) and/or programme(s): Rural Community Broadband Fund
Reference to project(s) and/or programme(s): Rural Community Broadband Fund
VI.3)Additional information
VI.4)Procedures for appeal
VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures
VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals
VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:
16.4.2013