Erasmus+
Contract notice
Services
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
1 Victoria Street
Contact point(s): Major Projects, UK SBS Ltd
For the attention of: Alan Bird
SW1H 0ET London
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 1793867098
E-mail:
Internet address(es):
General address of the contracting authority: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-innovation-skills
Address of the buyer profile: http://www.ssc.rcuk.ac.uk/Pages/default.aspx
Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: The above mentioned contact point(s)
I.2)Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions
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:
Erasmus+
II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
Service category No 27: Other services
Service category No 27: Other services
NUTS code UK
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)
Erasmus+ is the European Union's new programme for education, training, youth and sport. Erasmus+ aims to strengthen opportunities for mobility and cooperation, with a focus on study, training, teaching and volunteering opportunities for higher education and vocational students, trainees, teachers, trainers, youth workers, and young people. It will provide opportunities for education and training institutions and youth and sports organisations to engage in partnerships to exchange good practice, working with businesses to promote innovation and employability.
Erasmus+ brings together the existing Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP, which includes the Erasmus, Comenius, Leonardo da Vinci, and Grundtvig schemes); the Youth in Action Programme (YiA); and five international cooperation programmes (part of Erasmus Mundus , all of the Tempus, Alfa and Edulink programmes, and the programme for cooperation with industrialised countries). Erasmus+ will be an integrated programme allowing groups to apply under each action with no separate programmes for different sectors of lifelong learning, although most of the LLP brand names mentioned above will continue to be used. The reduced fragmentation and duplication should result in simpler application rules and procedures.
The aims of Erasmus+ remain the same as the current programmes - to improve people's skills and ultimately their employability, and supporting the modernisation of education and training systems.
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills is seeking a supplier to become the National Agency to deliver the ‘Erasmus+ programme in the UK. The supplier will need to:
Manage a Service which publicises the programme and gives advice and guidance to potential participants, both for the decentralised (nationally managed) and centralised (Commission managed) actions of the programme.
Select participating individuals or organisations for the decentralised actions, pass on grants provided by the European Commission; and
Monitor accounts for project activity and spend.
The supplier will:
Provide adequate systems and procedures to manage the lifecycle of the programme actions.
Ensure all systems and procedures comply with the internal control standards set out in the Commission's Guide for National Agencies.
Maintain a compliant accounting system.
Ensure segregation of duties and prevent conflicts of interest.
Comply with HM Treasury management rules, and EU fund holding rules, for the required bank accounts.
Ensure the necessary infrastructure and IT systems to manage the programme, meeting both BIS and EU system requirements.
Provide the capacity to manage both the previous and current programme during the transition period between them.
Work with the ECVET National Contact Points in England and in each of the Devolved Administrations.
Ensure smooth transition between the current programmes and Erasmus+ including winding up of the existing programmes'.
Erasmus+ brings together the existing Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP, which includes the Erasmus, Comenius, Leonardo da Vinci, and Grundtvig schemes); the Youth in Action Programme (YiA); and five international cooperation programmes (part of Erasmus Mundus , all of the Tempus, Alfa and Edulink programmes, and the programme for cooperation with industrialised countries). Erasmus+ will be an integrated programme allowing groups to apply under each action with no separate programmes for different sectors of lifelong learning, although most of the LLP brand names mentioned above will continue to be used. The reduced fragmentation and duplication should result in simpler application rules and procedures.
The aims of Erasmus+ remain the same as the current programmes - to improve people's skills and ultimately their employability, and supporting the modernisation of education and training systems.
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills is seeking a supplier to become the National Agency to deliver the ‘Erasmus+ programme in the UK. The supplier will need to:
Manage a Service which publicises the programme and gives advice and guidance to potential participants, both for the decentralised (nationally managed) and centralised (Commission managed) actions of the programme.
Select participating individuals or organisations for the decentralised actions, pass on grants provided by the European Commission; and
Monitor accounts for project activity and spend.
The supplier will:
Provide adequate systems and procedures to manage the lifecycle of the programme actions.
Ensure all systems and procedures comply with the internal control standards set out in the Commission's Guide for National Agencies.
Maintain a compliant accounting system.
Ensure segregation of duties and prevent conflicts of interest.
Comply with HM Treasury management rules, and EU fund holding rules, for the required bank accounts.
Ensure the necessary infrastructure and IT systems to manage the programme, meeting both BIS and EU system requirements.
Provide the capacity to manage both the previous and current programme during the transition period between them.
Work with the ECVET National Contact Points in England and in each of the Devolved Administrations.
Ensure smooth transition between the current programmes and Erasmus+ including winding up of the existing programmes'.
II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
75100000, 75110000, 75120000, 75130000, 79900000
II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): yes
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 supplier(National Agency) will be financed by a combination of payments from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and the European Commission. The latter will also transfer funds to the supplier to cover grants to successful applicants.
The Commission will make the following funds available to the National Agency on a yearly basis:
Funds for grant support of the actions of the programme in the Member State, the management of which is entrusted to the National Agency.
A financial contribution in support of the programme management tasks of the National Agency. The indicative operating grant from the Commission to National Agencies is 3.4% of the overall programme funds as stated in Article 13 of the draft Erasmus+ Regulation (Appendix 5). The European Commission has yet to confirm how this will be distributed to each National Agency. It will be paid in Euro (EUR)
The National Authority will contribute additional financing to enable the National Agency to manage the programme efficiently under the applicable Union rules. This additional financing will be provided in pounds sterling (GBP).
Historically, an initial funding payment from the European Commission of 80% of the annual operating grant was made once the Regulation, EU budget proposals, the National Agency and annual work programme were approved. EU funding was usually not paid until at least March. Suppliers will be expected to manage the programme effectively during the preceding period. The remaining 20% has been paid on acceptance of the annual report by the European Commission which is usually in the first quarter of the following year. The Commission has yet to announce whether it will retain this system and/ or that ratio.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 50 000 000 and 70 000 000 EUR
The Commission will make the following funds available to the National Agency on a yearly basis:
Funds for grant support of the actions of the programme in the Member State, the management of which is entrusted to the National Agency.
A financial contribution in support of the programme management tasks of the National Agency. The indicative operating grant from the Commission to National Agencies is 3.4% of the overall programme funds as stated in Article 13 of the draft Erasmus+ Regulation (Appendix 5). The European Commission has yet to confirm how this will be distributed to each National Agency. It will be paid in Euro (EUR)
The National Authority will contribute additional financing to enable the National Agency to manage the programme efficiently under the applicable Union rules. This additional financing will be provided in pounds sterling (GBP).
Historically, an initial funding payment from the European Commission of 80% of the annual operating grant was made once the Regulation, EU budget proposals, the National Agency and annual work programme were approved. EU funding was usually not paid until at least March. Suppliers will be expected to manage the programme effectively during the preceding period. The remaining 20% has been paid on acceptance of the annual report by the European Commission which is usually in the first quarter of the following year. The Commission has yet to announce whether it will retain this system and/ or that ratio.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 50 000 000 and 70 000 000 EUR
II.2.2)Information about options
Options: no
II.2.3)Information about renewals
This contract is subject to renewal: no
II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Starting 1.1.2014. Completion 31.12.2020
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
See Invitation to Tender documentation.
III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
See Invitation to Tender documentation.
III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
Where a consortium wishes to bid the Contracting Authority reserves the right to require groupings of suppliers to take a particular legal form or to require a single supplier to take primary liability or to require that each partyundertakes joint and severable liability irrespective of the form the grouping takes.
III.1.4)Other particular conditions
The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: yes
Description of particular conditions: See Invitation to Tender documentation.
Description of particular conditions: See Invitation to Tender documentation.
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: See Invitation To Tender documentation.
III.2.2)Economic and financial ability
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: See Invitation to Tender documentation.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: See Invitation to Tender documentation.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: See Invitation to Tender documentation.
III.2.3)Technical capacity
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
See Invitation to Tender documentation.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
See Invitation to Tender documentation.
See Invitation to Tender documentation.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
See Invitation to Tender documentation.
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
Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: no
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
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated no
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:
PR120088
IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
Prior information notice
Notice number in the OJEU: 2012/S 198-325603 of 13.10.2012
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: 23.9.2013 - 12:00
Payable documents: no
Payable documents: no
IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
23.9.2013 - 12:00
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
Duration in months: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders
Date: 23.9.2013 - 12:00
Additional information about authorised persons and opening procedure: authorised officers of the UK SBS Ltd.
Place:
Swindon, UK.
Persons authorised to be present at the opening of tenders: yesAdditional information about authorised persons and opening procedure: authorised officers of the UK SBS Ltd.
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): The Erasmus+ programme is the proposed European Union programme for education, training, youth and sport.
Reference to project(s) and/or programme(s): The Erasmus+ programme is the proposed European Union programme for education, training, youth and sport.
VI.3)Additional information
There are three current programme activities that are being reviewed in 2014 and 2015 and will not initially form part of the Erasmus+ programme, but may be brought into Erasmus+ later - Europass, Euroguidance and Eurydice. The supplier will therefore not, initially have to provide for the management of these activities, but must be prepared to take them on later.
Interested bidders should notify the contact point detailed at I.1 to ensure that they are notified of any additional information provided during the tender period.
Interested bidders should notify the contact point detailed at I.1 to ensure that they are notified of any additional information provided during the tender period.
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:
7.8.2013