ARCHER HPC Facility – Service Provision
In December 2011, the Minister for Science announced a new GBP 158 m capital investment in e-infrastructure which included GBP 43 m for ARCHER, the next national HPC facility for academic research.
UK-Swindon: Computer-related management services
2013/S 105-180303
Directive 2004/18/EC
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
UK Shared Business Services Ltd
North Star House, North Star Avenue
For the attention of: Joanne Thatcher
SN2 1FF Swindon
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail: joanne.thatcher@ssc.rcuk.ac.uk
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)
I.2)Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.3)Main activity
Other: Scientific Research
I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: yes
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
SN2 IET Swindon
UNITED KINGDOM
Section II: Object of the contract
II.1)Description
II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:
PR120039 ARCHER HPC Facility – Service Provision.
II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
Service category No 7: Computer and related services
NUTS code UKM23
II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)
The notice involves a public contract
II.1.4)Information on framework agreement
II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
In December 2011, the Minister for Science announced a new GBP 158 m capital investment in e-infrastructure which included GBP 43 m for ARCHER, the next national HPC facility for academic research.
The overall vision for ARCHER is to build on the existing investments in national HPC facilities so that the UK is a recognised leader on the international scene for computational science and engineering. In order to achieve this, UK researchers must be able to carry out internationally competitive research across the remit of EPSRC and NERC.
The ARCHER service comprises the hardware, Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) support, Service Provision support, hardware accommodation support and external users.
EPSRC, as managing agent for the national HPC facility on behalf of the other Research Council, is now inviting bids for the Service Provision element of the facility.
The ARCHER service provider will be responsible for: integration with technology (in conjunction with the CSE support): front line service (via a help desk): service availability and reliability: scheduling and allocation of resources: and user registration and access.
Some aspects of the service provision will be based near Edinburgh.
II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
72510000, 72250000, 72253000, 72260000, 72611000
II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): yes
II.1.8)Lots
This contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.9)Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: no
II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract
II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 7 500 000 and 12 500 000 GBP
II.2.2)Information about options
Options: no
II.2.3)Information about renewals
This contract is subject to renewal: no
II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Duration in months: 60 (from the award of the contract)
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
Please see tender documentation for further information.
III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
Please see tender documentation for further information.
III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
Please see tender documentation for further information.
III.1.4)Other particular conditions
The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: no
III.2)Conditions for participation
III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
III.2.2)Economic and financial ability
III.2.3)Technical capacity
III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts
III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts
III.3.1)Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: no
III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service
Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: no
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1)Type of procedure
IV.1.1)Type of procedure
Open
IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
IV.1.3)Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue
Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated no
IV.2)Award criteria
IV.2.1)Award criteria
The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document
IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction will be used: no
IV.3)Administrative information
IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:
PR120039.
IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document
Payable documents: no
IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
12.7.2013 – 12:00
IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
English.
IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
in days: 120 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders
Persons authorised to be present at the opening of tenders: no
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: no
VI.2)Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
VI.3)Additional information
VI.4)Procedures for appeal
VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures
VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals
VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:30.5.2013