Accreditation of Military Engineer Geographic Education and Training
This contract is for the accreditation of Military Engineer Geographic Education and Training. Military Engineer Geographic Technicians (ME Geo Techs) complete two long courses at the Royal School of Military Survey (RSMS).
UK-Huntingdon: Education and training services
2013/S 082-138106
Contract notice
Services
Directive 2004/18/EC
Section I: Contracting authority
Joint Forces Intelligence Group, C&C
Room A104, A Block, RAF Wyton
For the attention of: Joanne Shakespeare
PE28 2EA Huntingdon
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 148052451
E-mail: icghq-j8commercial@mod.uk
Fax: +44 1480446615
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)
Section II: Object of the contract
Service category No 24: Education and vocational education services
NUTS code UKJ11
As part of continuing professional development since 2008 ME Geo Techs have been able to progress to a Bachelor of Science (Engineering) Honours (BSc(Eng) (Hons)) Degree. All modules in this programme are run by the accrediting University and delivered by distance learning, with RSMS supporting this programme by supervision and assessment of a Research Project.
The successful bidder will be required to accept any learning credits already awarded by the current provider to ME Geo Techs who have yet to complete all of their training as Accredited Prior Certified Learning (APCL).
MOD runs one-week assessment courses at RSMS to select recruits with the potential to complete the ME Geo Tech education and training programme. Minimum entry standards for recruits are 3 x GCSE, Grade C or above, including English and Maths. This screening process largely eliminates soldiers who do not have the necessary aptitude for this specialisation or who discover that it does not suit their aspirations during the assessment course. As a result over 90 % of the soldiers selected are successful on their ME Geo Tech courses.
The education and training to be accredited and delivered under this contract is in three segments:
a. ME Geo Tech Class 2 Course. This course, which lasts 11 months, is completed by soldiers as part of their recruit training prior to being posted to an operational unit. The entire course is delivered at RSMS and currently awarded 110 NQF Level 4 Learning Credits. After completion of this course soldiers earn a further 10 credits by completing an experiential module whilst serving in their operational unit. The University does not have a teaching role but within the contract the University is required to award the requisite learning credits subject to the University’s quality standards being maintained by RSMS. The content of this course covers the following modules – Spatial Data, Application of Information Systems, Geographic Product Design and Generation, Geographic Acquisition Release and Supply, Fundamentals of Geospatial Imagery, Terrain Analysis, Spatial Analysis, Visualisation and Working in the Operational Environment.
b. ME Geo Tech Class 1 Course. This course, which lasts 10 months, is completed by soldiers as part of the career development after spending 2-3 years in an operational unit. The entire course is delivered at RSMS and currently awarded 110 NQF Level 5 Learning Credits. Before attending this course soldiers earn a further 10 credits by completing an experiential module whilst serving in their operational unit. The University does not have a teaching role but within the contract the University is required to award the requisite learning credits subject to the University’s quality standards being maintained by RSMS. Successful completion of both the Class 2 and Class 1 courses results in award of a FDSc by the University. The content of this course covers the following modules – Analysing the Working Environment, Geospatial Information Systems Management, Geographic Respresentation & Communication, Advanced Terrain Factors, Advanced Imagery Exploitation, GIS 1 and GIS 2.
c. BSc(Hons) e-Top Up Programme. The University must be able to offer a distance learning programme over a period of 2-6 years to enable soldiers who have been awarded the FDSc to study for a BSc(Hons) or BSc. Modules, including some elective options, are to be run by the University to allow soldiers to accrue 90 NQF Level 6 learning credits. As part of this programme soldiers are also required to complete a research project overseen by RSMS valued at 30 NQF Level 6 learning credits. Therefore, both the University and RSMS have teaching responsibilities in this programme. The content of this course covers the following modules – Professional Practice, Principles and Practices of GIS, Data Warehousing and Data Mining, Managing Change, GIS and the Environment, GIS and Transport and a Research Project.
The contents of the ME Geo Tech Class 2 and Class 1 courses are set by the MOD to meet current Defence operational requirements. The MOD may adjust the content of the ME Geo Tech Class 2 and Class 1 courses to reflect changes in these requirements. When changes become necessary the University would be requested to review the changes to ensure that they conform to satisfactory academic standards to allow accreditation of the FDSc to continue.
The content of the E-Top Up BSc (Eng) (Hons) programme is flexible. It must allow ME Geo Techs to continue their professional development in this discipline but the University need not follow the same course content and structure as set out in the current programme.
80000000
It is envisaged that the following approximate numbers of students will sit each course per year –
ME Geo Tech Class 2: 36 (in 3 cohorts each of 12)
ME Geo Tech Class 1: 24-28 (in 2 cohorts each of 12-14)
E-Top Up: Distance learning over 2-6 years for each student with approx 10 enrolling per year
Estimated value excluding VAT: 260 000 GBP
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
During the life of this contract, the Authority and supplier will trade electronically using the Purchase to Payment (P2P) system operated over the Defence Electronic Commerce Service (DECS). Further information can be found at www.d2btrade.com
Payment will be made quarterly in arrears following acceptable delivery of the service for the previous 3 month period.
A full list of the Regulation 23(1) and 23(2) criteria are at http://www.contracts.mod.uk/delta/project/reasonsForExclusion.html#dspr
Candidates will be required to sign a declaration confirming whether they do or do not have any of the listed criteria as part of the pre-qualification process. For candidates who are registered overseas, you will need to declare if you have any offences/misconduct under your own countries laws, where these laws are equivalent to the Regulation 23 lists.
Candidates who have been convicted of any of the offences under Article 45(1) are ineligible and will not be selected to bid, unless there are overriding requirements in the general interest for doing so.
Candidates who are guilty of any of the offences, circumstances or misconduct under Article 45(2) may be excluded from being selected to bid at the discretion of the Authority.
(c) A statement of the undertaking’s overall turnover and, where appropriate, of turnover in the area covered by the contract for a maximum of the last three financial years available, depending on the date on which the undertaking was set up or the economic operator started trading, as far as the information on these turnovers is available
The above information must be submitted with expressions of interest and will be used to assess whether the Potential Provider has sufficient economic and financial resources to deliver the requirement.
Universities who wish to bid for this contract must provide evidence of the following criteria –
1. Ability to deliver all elements of the contract
2. Demonstrate expertise and knowledge of teaching undergraduates in Geospatial Information Management, Geospatial Information Exploitation and Geospatial Information Systems
3. Details of award processes in place already for the award of Foundation Degrees.
4. Agreement to the APCL proposals as set out within contract description above.
5. Agreement to the entry standards for students as set out within contract description above.
This Evidence must be Provided with the Expression of Interest.
Where there are more than 6 Potential Providers assessed as being suitable of fulfilling this requirement, a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire will be used to down select to no more than 6 to be invited to tender.
Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision: The service provider must be a University offering BSc(Hons) and FDSc awards.
Section IV: Procedure
Section VI: Complementary information
Suppliers interested in working with the Ministry of Defence should register on the MOD Supplier Information Database (SID) Register, available at www.contracts.mod.uk The MOD SID is a database of active and potential suppliers available to all MOD and UK Defence procurement personnel, and is the main supplier database of MOD Procurement organisations. Please note: the registration and publication of a company profile on the MOD SID does not mean or imply that the supplier has in any way been vetted or approved by the MOD. Suppliers wishing to compete for advertised MOD contracts must respond to any specific call for competition by submitting a separate expression of interest in accordance with the instructions of the purchasing organisation.
Advertising Regime OJEU:- This contract opportunity is published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), the MoD Defence Contracts Bulletin and www.contracts.mod.uk
GO Reference: GO-2013423-DCB-4752833
Joint Forces Intelligence Group, C&C
As detailed at Section 1.1
Body responsible for mediation procedures
Joint Forces Intelligence Group , C&C
As detailed at Section 1.1
Joint Forces Intelligence Group, C&C
As detailed at Section 1.1
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:23.4.2013