Prior information notice
This notice is for prior information only
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
UK
E-mail: mollie.giuffrida@fcdo.gov.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.gov.uk/fcdo/
Address of the buyer profile: https://fcdo.bravosolution.co.uk/
I.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Procurement of a Contractor to build new British Embassy, Beijing
Reference number: Estates-11519-2024
II.1.2) Main CPV code
45000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Works
II.1.4) Short description
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office ("FCDO") intend to engage the market in relation to this project as part of early market engagement activity in accordance with Regulation 40 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The purpose of this PIN is to initiate market engagement and is not being used as a call for competition.
This PIN is intended to:
1. Engage with and inform the market of the FCDO's requirements, enabling potential Contractors to better understand the scope of the requirement and the approach to the procurement process;
2. Provide detail of the upcoming early market engagement event which will be held at a venue in Central London (TBC) on 30th September 2024. Details on how to register for this event is provided in section VI.3 (Additional Information); and,
3. Seek feedback from the market to validate the proposed packages and phasing of works along with the proposed procurement and contract approach for this project.
The FCDO are seeking feedback from a range of Contractors who are interested in delivering all or part of the works.
Whilst this PIN is being issued under the Public Contract Regulations 2015, subject to the commencement date of this Procurement, the Procurement will be run in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
100 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
45000000
45300000
71200000
71300000
71315200
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
CN
Main site or place of performance:
Beijing
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The FCDO is seeking market engagement to validate its approach to packages, phasing, and contract and procurement strategy to demolish and re build its new Beijing Embassy, Ambassadors Residence and Staff accommodation block and gatehouses.
Planning permission has been submitted in Beijing seeking the approval of the proposed design.
The works are split across two adjacent sites in Beijing which currently provide both Embassy office space and HMA Residence. The sites will be fully demolished and new build assets will be provided and linked.
The proposed construction phasing is:
Phase 1 – New Embassy Site
• Demolish HMA Residence
• New build underground carpark
• New build Embassy
• New build Guardhouse
• Landscaping works
• Move staff from existing Embassy site
Phase 2 – New Residence Site
• Demolish existing offices and ancillary buildings
• New build underground carpark
• New build HMA Residence
• New build staff accommodation
• New build Guardhouse
• Landscaping
The estimated value of each Phase is as detailed below:
Construction Value excluding VAT: £100m
Phase 1 - £60m
Phase 2 - £40m
Please note that the value stated is an estimate at this stage and will be finalised following further analysis and confirmed within the Contract Notice.
The market engagement seeks to understand the optimal approach to procure packages of work from both local and international Contractors to deliver the works.
The preferred form of contract is NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract. However, the use of FIDIC is being considered for some or all of the works. The intention is to test this as part of the market engagement.
The procurement is planned to commence in Spring 2025, with an anticipated award date of December 2025, please note at this stage these dates are subject to change.
II.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice:
01/03/2025
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.3) Additional information
FCDO is seeking feedback from the market on our procurement approach and wish to understand capacity and interest to provide works in relation to the British Embassy, Beijing. This notice is being published to advertise a forthcoming early market engagement event, which will be held on 30th September 2024 at a venue in Central London (TBC). The event is scheduled to run from 10:00am (BST) until 12 noon, where FCDO will introduce the project requirements.
Potential Contractors are kindly requested to provide the names of those who wish to attend, please note that due to capacity, FCDO may be required to limit the number of attendees per Contractor.
Contractors wishing to attend the forthcoming market engagement event should register their interest by email to mollie.giuffrida@fcdo.gov.uk by 16th September 2024.
Following the market engagement event, FCDO may issue a questionnaire and or offer follow up 1-2-1 engagement sessions with relevant Contractors who are interested in the requirement and or have useful market information to share.
The contracting authority will consider the feedback received to help inform its procurement approach and further decision making. For the avoidance of doubt, this market approach is not part of a formal procurement process, and the contracting authority is not committing, at this stage, to carrying out such a process. The FCDO reserves the right to change the process at any stage and to undertake this procurement using alternative routes.
Participation or non-participation in this market engagement exercise shall not prevent any supplier participating in a potential future procurement, nor is it intended that any information supplied as part of this exercise shall place any supplier at an advantage in a potential procurement process. No formal assessment of capability or down selection of bidders will be carried out in relation to any responses received as a result of this.
The requirement will be procured via the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's e-procurement portal: https://fcdo.bravosolution.co.uk. Suppliers, not currently registered on the portal, who are interested in being considered for this opportunity must self-register on the site in order to participate - registration is free and instantaneous.
Please note, the information contained within this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is subject to change.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
16/08/2024