FERA - Market Sounding Exercise
Prior information notice
Services
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Defra
17 Nobel House
For the attention of: Nicola Whiteford
SW1P 3JR London
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 1904454512
E-mail:
Further information can be obtained from: 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
Environment
I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no
Section II.B: Object of the contract (Supplies or services)
II.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:
FERA - Market Sounding Exercise
II.2)Type of contract and place of delivery or of performance
Service category No 27: Other services
The Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York, Y041 1LZ, United Kingdom.
The Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York, Y041 1LZ, United Kingdom.
NUTS code UK
II.3)Information on framework agreement
II.4)Short description of nature and quantity or value of supplies or services:
DEFRA intends to conduct a market sounding exercise and discuss with potential partners options for the strategic long term direction of the Fera (the Food and Environment Research Agency) Executive Agency which is a wholly owned part of DEFRA.
The main purpose of Fera is to support and develop a sustainable food chain and a healthy natural environment, as well as protecting the global community from biological and chemical risks.
Fera provides scientific evidence and services to support Defra in its policy making and operational responsibilities including emergency response capabilities in relation to food and the environment. It also serves other public and private sector customers, including the Food Standards Agency and Home Office. Fera may be restructured such that it will have a total adjusted annual turnover of around £40m and employ some circa 500 staff based on 2012 figures.
Fera's income is a combination of government revenue, other public sector funding (e.g. EU projects) and growing commercial income. Reductions in future government budgets suggest that a new operational model including formal partnerships with one or more entity outside of government, may be necessary to maintain sufficient funding for the organisation. This will look to increase the growth in its commercial (non-governmental) income in order to protect the viability of the scientific capabilities in Fera.
Defra believes that the skills and capabilities in Fera offer a genuine commercial opportunity for a partner, with the potential to grow the non-government income while ensuring that it continues to meet the core requirements of its government customers. Defra is keen to understand how a partner would approach a potential procurement and understand how they would expect to drive innovation in scientific research.
It is strategically important that Government departments continue to have access to the services that Fera provides (including emergency response capabilities) at an acceptable quality and price; and that the nationally important science capabilities, which underpin this, are safeguarded.
Defra is keen to engage organisations who are interested in participating in a new model for the strategic direction and structure of Fera. This market engagement will form part of the process to develop a proposition to achieve Defra's key objectives while being sustainable and attractive to potential market partners.
This notice is not a call for competition, though parties with the capability of being a potential partner are invited to respond to this notice with a view to participating in exploratory discussions with DEFRA. Further information on how to respond to this notice is set out at Section 2.8, Additional Information
The main purpose of Fera is to support and develop a sustainable food chain and a healthy natural environment, as well as protecting the global community from biological and chemical risks.
Fera provides scientific evidence and services to support Defra in its policy making and operational responsibilities including emergency response capabilities in relation to food and the environment. It also serves other public and private sector customers, including the Food Standards Agency and Home Office. Fera may be restructured such that it will have a total adjusted annual turnover of around £40m and employ some circa 500 staff based on 2012 figures.
Fera's income is a combination of government revenue, other public sector funding (e.g. EU projects) and growing commercial income. Reductions in future government budgets suggest that a new operational model including formal partnerships with one or more entity outside of government, may be necessary to maintain sufficient funding for the organisation. This will look to increase the growth in its commercial (non-governmental) income in order to protect the viability of the scientific capabilities in Fera.
Defra believes that the skills and capabilities in Fera offer a genuine commercial opportunity for a partner, with the potential to grow the non-government income while ensuring that it continues to meet the core requirements of its government customers. Defra is keen to understand how a partner would approach a potential procurement and understand how they would expect to drive innovation in scientific research.
It is strategically important that Government departments continue to have access to the services that Fera provides (including emergency response capabilities) at an acceptable quality and price; and that the nationally important science capabilities, which underpin this, are safeguarded.
Defra is keen to engage organisations who are interested in participating in a new model for the strategic direction and structure of Fera. This market engagement will form part of the process to develop a proposition to achieve Defra's key objectives while being sustainable and attractive to potential market partners.
This notice is not a call for competition, though parties with the capability of being a potential partner are invited to respond to this notice with a view to participating in exploratory discussions with DEFRA. Further information on how to respond to this notice is set out at Section 2.8, Additional Information
Lots
This contract is divided into lots: noII.5)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
73111000, 75110000, 73200000, 79000000, 75131000, 73110000, 73120000, 73220000, 75000000, 77000000
II.6)Scheduled date for start of award procedures
30.4.2014
II.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): no
II.8)Additional information:
Next Steps
Organisation's name as registered on Bravo.
Name and job title of contact.
Access will then be given to a Brochure and Participation Pack.
Interested parties will be asked to agree terms and conditions for this market sounding exercise and then be asked to submit responses to a questionnaire. Any questionnaire submissions are to be sent to Defra no later than 12pm on 26.112013. Following this Defra will invite organisations to participate in bilateral discussion. It is intended that these discussions will be held in London during the first two weeks of December.
DEFRA anticipates commencing the procurement opportunity with the publication of an OJEU contract notice in March/April 2014.
DEFRA reserves the right to cancel or postpone the market engagement process at any stage.
DEFRA will not, under any circumstances, reimburse any expense incurred by Interested Parties in participating in the Market Engagement Process.
DEFRA shall not be responsible for any costs, charges or expenses incurred by Interested Parties and accepts no liability for any costs, charges or expenses, irrespective of the outcome of the market testing, or if the market testing is cancelled or postponed.
All dates and time periods specified in this notice are only provisional and the contracting authority reserves the right to change these.
Interested Parties are advised that the contracting authority is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). If an Interested Party considers that any of the information supplied as part of this market engagement procedure should not be disclosed because of its commercial sensitivity, confidentiality or otherwise, they must, when providing this information, clearly identify the specific information they do not wish to be disclosed and clearly specify the reasons for its sensitivity. The contracting authority shall take such statements into consideration in the event that it receives a request pursuant to the Act which relates to the information provided by the interested party. Please note, it is not sufficient to include a statement of confidentiality encompassing all the information provided in the response.
Interested parties are to register their interest at the following web portal no later than 17:00 GMT on 19.11.2013: https://defra prep.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.shtml
Any problems with registering please contact BRAVO direct on +44 8003684850 or email .
Once registered in the BRAVO system Interested Parties must email the following information to the contact point in Section I.1.Organisation's name as registered on Bravo.
Name and job title of contact.
Access will then be given to a Brochure and Participation Pack.
Interested parties will be asked to agree terms and conditions for this market sounding exercise and then be asked to submit responses to a questionnaire. Any questionnaire submissions are to be sent to Defra no later than 12pm on 26.112013. Following this Defra will invite organisations to participate in bilateral discussion. It is intended that these discussions will be held in London during the first two weeks of December.
DEFRA anticipates commencing the procurement opportunity with the publication of an OJEU contract notice in March/April 2014.
DEFRA reserves the right to cancel or postpone the market engagement process at any stage.
DEFRA will not, under any circumstances, reimburse any expense incurred by Interested Parties in participating in the Market Engagement Process.
DEFRA shall not be responsible for any costs, charges or expenses incurred by Interested Parties and accepts no liability for any costs, charges or expenses, irrespective of the outcome of the market testing, or if the market testing is cancelled or postponed.
All dates and time periods specified in this notice are only provisional and the contracting authority reserves the right to change these.
Interested Parties are advised that the contracting authority is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). If an Interested Party considers that any of the information supplied as part of this market engagement procedure should not be disclosed because of its commercial sensitivity, confidentiality or otherwise, they must, when providing this information, clearly identify the specific information they do not wish to be disclosed and clearly specify the reasons for its sensitivity. The contracting authority shall take such statements into consideration in the event that it receives a request pursuant to the Act which relates to the information provided by the interested party. Please note, it is not sufficient to include a statement of confidentiality encompassing all the information provided in the response.
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
III.2)Conditions for participation
III.2.1)Information about reserved contracts
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
VI.2)Additional information:
Any procurement will be carried out in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended) and will be compatible with EU Law.
VI.3)Information on general regulatory framework
VI.4)Date of dispatch of this notice:
8.11.2013
Note! Supplement