Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Essex County Council
County Hall, Market Road
Chelmsford
CM1 1QH
UK
Contact person: Ms Rachel Horne
E-mail: rachel.horne@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
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://procontract.due-north.com/
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://procontract.due-north.com/
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
Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Support
Reference number: DN729186
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Essex County Council (“the Council”) is seeking to commission a new Voluntary and Community Sector support service as part of a wider offer to strengthen and champion a thriving and influential voluntary and community sector within the administrative boundaries of Essex (excluding the unitary authority areas of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea). In addition, this service will also be open to the following classification of users: NHS Healthcare (including Integrated Care Systems) both within the administrative boundaries of Essex and cross-boundary organisations.
This procurement will incorporate the following lots:
Lot 1: Universal Standard Support Offer (USSO)
Lot 2: Community Participation
An overview of the Council's requirements for this service is outlined within the lot specific sections of this notice. However, prospective bidders are advised that the full details regarding the Council’s requirements for each of these lots can be found within the relevant service specification which will be published on the Council’s e-tendering portal, ProContract and can be accessed via:
https://procontract.due-north.com/
Please register for a user account to gain access to the procurement documentation for this opportunity. The Council envisages that this procurement will be published on the aforementioned e-sourcing portal on Friday 26th July 2024.
The proposed contract commencement date for both lots is 1st December 2024 until 31st March 2031 with a break clause at 31st March 2028. Please note that the maximum duration amounts to 75 months and 30 days. However, due to the constraints with the fields in this notice, this position has been rounded up to the nearest month. The stated budget for this service is based on £75,000 for the initial four (4) months per lot and £75,000 p.a. for each subsequent year of the contracts per lot. In addition, the Council understands that there may be scope for additional funding of up to 15%, although this matter remains subject to confirmation during the post-tender phase of the project.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
Tenders may be submitted for one lot only
Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 1
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1
II.2.1) Title
Universal Standard Support Offer (USSO)
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
98133100
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKH3
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Council is seeking to commission provider(s) to develop and maintain a Universal Standard Support Offer (USSO) to the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) in Essex. This service is designed to allow users to self-assess and directs them to relevant, up to date and accessible business and compliance advice.
The overarching purpose of this lot is to provide equity in access to quality, practical guidance to ensure organisations have the strong foundations needed to support them to achieve their goals, plan for development, become more resilient, build capacity and contribute to flourishing communities.
The successful bidder must ensure that the service delivers the following commissioning requirements:
• Ensure the USSO is hosted as a digital platform
• Allow users the ability to complete self-assessments of their organisational health
• Automatically direct users to high-quality and relevant information, advice, guidance and resources based on the outcome of their self-assessment regarding business development and compliance (e.g. governance procedures, safeguarding, policy templates, legal updates, training).
• Be easily accessible to all VCS organisations regardless of size, skill or accessibility needs.
• Allow users to intelligently browse the resources within the USSO
Please note that the above information is intended to provide an overview of the Council's commissioning requirements for this service and full details of the scope of this provision will be published in the associated service specification which can be located via ProContract.
The proposed contract commencement date is 1st December 2024 until 31st March 2031 with a break clause at 31st March 2028. The stated budget for this lot is based on £75,000 for the initial four (4) month term followed by £75,000 p.a. for each subsequent year of the contract. In addition, the Council understands that there may be scope for additional funding of up to 15%, although this matter remains subject to final confirmation.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 60
Quality criterion: Social Value
/ Weighting: 10
Price
/ Weighting:
30
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
525 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 76
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Lot No: 2
II.2.1) Title
Community Participation
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
98133100
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKH3
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Council is seeking to commission provider(s) to deliver a strategic approach to building Community Participation across Essex.
This lot is for the development of a broad approach to community participation, developing a culture of active and engaged communities that can be driven forward and supported by place-based resources. Leading the development of an eco-system that enables and grows community participation within the boundaries of Essex County Council (excluding Southend and Thurrock).
• Lead the creation of an ecosystem that facilitates community participation
• Support and develop a positive environment in which the value of participation is recognised and community activity is flourishing
• Embrace digital technology to connect local efforts into an integrated whole
• Advocate for accessible participation, by creating, promoting, and fostering accessible and welcoming pathways into community participation
• Identify and scope opportunities to maximise the potential of corporate volunteering capacity and return on Social Value commitments.
Please note that the above information is intended to provide an overview of the Council's commissioning requirements for this service and full details of the scope of this provision will be published in the associated service specification which can be located via ProContract.
The proposed contract commencement date is 1st December 2024 until 31st March 2031 with a break clause at 31st March 2028. The stated budget for this lot is based on £75,000 for the initial four (4) month term followed by £75,000 p.a. for each subsequent year of the contract. In addition, the Council understands that there may be scope for additional funding of up to 15%, although this matter remains subject to confirmation during the post-tender phase of the project.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 60
Quality criterion: Social Value
/ Weighting: 10
Price
/ Weighting:
30
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
525 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 76
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:
As detailed within the tender documents.
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2024/S 000-013998
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
06/09/2024
Local time: 12:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 4 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
06/09/2024
Local time: 12:00
Place:
Electronically via the system functionality within the Council's e-tendering system, ProContract
Information about authorised persons and opening procedure:
Electronic process — The commercial officer will conduct the opening process via the
functionality within the Council's e-sourcing portal, ProContract. No postal responses or any
submissions which are issued outside the electronic portal will be accepted.
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.3) Additional information
The contracting authority considers that this contract is suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SME) and Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement. Candidates are advised this procurement will be conducted via the Council's e-tendering portal, ProContract, which can be accessed via the following website:
https://procontract.due-north.com/Login
Please register for a user account to gain access to the procurement documentation for this opportunity. The Council envisages that this procurement will be published on the aforementioned e-sourcing portal on Friday 26th July 2024. However, the Council reserves the right to postpone the publication in order to ensure suitable assurance that the tender documents are fit for purpose. Once the procurement is published a corresponding advertisement will be available via the Council's e-tendering portal, ProContract to enable prospective bidders to access, view and respond to this opportunity.
In order to submit an effective expression of interest in this opportunity, candidates must utilise the functionality within the Council's e-tendering portal.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
The High Court
The Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
26/07/2024