Prior information notice
This notice is for prior information only
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Essex County Council
County Hall, Market Road
Chelmsford
CM1 1QH
UK
Contact person: Ms Amelia Hickin
Telephone: +44 333
E-mail: Amelia.Hickin@essex.gov.uk
NUTS: UKH3
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.essex.gov.uk/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.essex.gov.uk/
I.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
1053 Essex Forest Initiative: Tree Services Framework
Reference number: DN737587
II.1.2) Main CPV code
03450000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
II.1.4) Short description
The Essex Forest Initiative (EFI) is Essex County Council’s (ECC) tree planting project and is leading the county on responsible and sustainable tree planting and establishment. Planting an average of over 100,000 trees per year with a mixture of public and private landowners, the project is keen to collaborate with the market to ensure best outcomes in terms of tree health, species choice, bio-security and successful establishment.
ECC wishes to establish a multiple supplier Framework Agreement during 2025 to provide tree supply and planting and maintenance services to support the EFI tree planting projects over the next 5+ years and the Authority wishes to invite interested parties to complete a market engagement questionnaire.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKH3
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Essex County Council (the Authority) is issuing this Prior Information Notice (PIN) as a Request for Information (RFI) to engage with the market and to gather information in order to gain a better understanding of the Cell Grown Trees market.
ECC wishes to establish a multiple supplier Framework Agreement during 2025 to provide tree supply and planting and maintenance services to support the EFI tree planting projects over the next 5+ years.
It is anticipated that the Framework Agreement will be dived into Lots to cover Urban Tree supply, Cell Grown trees, planting and supplies, watering and ongoing maintenance services and this will be finalised following market engagement and communicated via a published Notice.
ECC would like to engage with the market regarding Cell Grown Trees in particular, in order to support the development of the framework strategy and to gain a better understanding of this market. The results of the exercise will be used to help consider and define the requirements within the Framework Agreement.
The Authority wishes to invite interested parties to complete the market engagement questionnaire which can be found at the link below:
https://forms.office.com/e/rtZuxK8jnk
The closing date for responses is 12pm (midday) on Friday 6th September 2024.
Please note that this PIN is not intended as a call for competition and as such you will need to express your interest in any future tender opportunity once the contract notice is published.
This PIN is intended as an awareness, communication and information gathering exercise. An expression of interest is no indication of a commitment to participate in any future tendering process nor does it infer any preferential or special status on those individuals and organisations who participate.
II.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice:
28/11/2024
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
09/08/2024