We are seeking expertise from service providers delivering capacity building services within the research, innovation and community engagement sectors.
Directive 2004/18/EC
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
British Council
10 Spring Gardens
For the attention of: Marta Tedros
SW1A 2BN London
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail: brian.dmello@britishcouncil.org
Internet address(es):
General address of the contracting authority: www.britishcouncil.org
Address of the buyer profile: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/britishcouncil
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: registered charity
I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no
Section II: Object of the contract
II.1)Description
II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:
Newton Professional Development and Engagement Programme.
II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
Service category No 27: Other services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: UK plus China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Turkey, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Egypt, Kazakhstan. Please note that this list of country might change within the duration of the contract. It is also important to note that not all of the above countries will take part in all of the British Council Newton Programme activity strands. The offer will vary depending on the identified needs and requirements in each of the partner countries.
NUTS code
II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)
The notice involves the establishment of a framework agreement
II.1.4)Information on framework agreement
Framework agreement with several operators
Duration of the framework agreement
Duration in years: 2
II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
The British Council are issuing an Invitation to Tender for Consultancy and Professional Services under a framework agreement for the Professional Development and Engagement strand under the Newton Fund.
We are seeking expertise from service providers delivering capacity building services within the research, innovation and community engagement sectors. This Invitation to Tender aims at building a bank of expertise to supply consultancy and professional services when demands arise from partner countries. This pool of experts will form the basis of successful delivery of the Professional Development and Engagement Programme and assist in achieving the broader benefits of the Newton Fund.
In this Invitation to Tender, the British Council are seeking expertise in the following three areas of work:
Lot A – Skills training
Lot B – Research governance and management
Lot C – Engagement with end users
How to apply
Deadline for responses: 29.6.2015, 14:00 UK time.
All tender documents are accessible online at: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/britishcouncil
You will need to register on this website in order to view the tender and download the relevant documentation. You will be able to send and receive correspondence through this site, and submit your response to the tender online.
Contact us
If you have any enquiries relating to this invitation to tender, please communicate with us via the website: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/britishcouncil
For more information on the Professional Development and Engagement strand please visit the website:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/education/science/newton/PDE
II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): no
II.1.8)Lots
This contract is divided into lots: yes
Tenders may be submitted for one or more lots
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:
II.2.2)Information about options
II.2.3)Information about renewals
II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Information about lots
Lot No: 1Lot title: Skills training
1)Short description
Service providers must be able to demonstrate a track record of delivering training services to support the research and innovation environment. This includes but it is not limited to the development of training resources and delivery of training to researchers, research managers, policymakers and other research and innovation workforce members that play a role in supporting the research and innovation ecosystem. Areas of training might include: peer review, quality assurance, open access to research; technology transfer; IP frameworks, research ethics, academia-industry collaboration, dissemination of research; communication skills for researchers; English skills for researchers; leadership, entrepreneurship; technology transfer; research management, project management for research projects. The Newton Fund aims at supporting capacity building in countries, therefore service providers might be requested to deliver training for trainers in partner countries. Service providers will be expected to have experience of delivering similar types of training within the UK and ideally also in an international context.
2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
3)Quantity or scope
4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion
5)Additional information about lots
Lot No: 2Lot title: Research governance and management
1)Short description
Service providers must be able to design, conduct and facilitate activities to support the development of effective research governance and management systems to maximise impact of research and benefit to people in developing countries. Activities under this area might include but are not limited to best practice sharing, study tours and work shadowing for senior research managers/policymakers/SME leaders. Service providers will be expected to have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the UK research and innovation landscape in order to support the transfer of knowledge around good practice in research governance, and facilitate relationship building between the UK and partner countries. They will also need to demonstrate international experience, and an understanding of the different challenges and opportunities for emerging economies.
2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
3)Quantity or scope
4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion
5)Additional information about lots
Lot No: 3Lot title: Engagement with end users
1)Short description
Service providers must be able to demonstrate a track record of designing, delivering and/or facilitating activities that support community engagement and the research-policy interface. In this way the research that is performed in partner countries can be applied to address relevant issues for the poorest communities, and to support evidence-based policy making. These activities will be focussed around the country priority themes under the Newton Fund, or on specific research areas where activity is taking place in the Newton Programme or Translation areas. Service providers will need experience of working in or with developing countries, and an understanding of community engagement in research as an enabler of economic development and social welfare. Service providers will also be expected to have experience of community engagement in the UK in order to ensure the maximum possibility for UK-partner country relationship building over the longer term, and a sustainable approach to raising the status of public engagement.
2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
3)Quantity or scope
4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion
5)Additional information about lots
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
No special legal form is required but each supplier will be required to become jointly and severably responsible for the contract before acceptance.
III.1.4)Other particular conditions
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
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Means of proof required. These conditions are outlined in the questionnaires. All completed questionnaires should be submitted to the relevant section on https://in-tendhost.co.uk/britishcouncil
III.2.3)Technical capacity
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
Means of proof required. These conditions are outlined in the questionnaires. All completed questionnaires should be submitted to the relevant section on https://in-tendhost.co.uk/britishcouncil
III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts
III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts
III.3.1)Information about a particular profession
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
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:
BC/00165
IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
no
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
29.6.2015 – 14:00
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
IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about recurrence
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
This framework will be for 2 years with an option to extend for a further two 12 month periods.
VI.4)Procedures for appeal
VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures
VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals
Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: The British Council will incorporate a standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into
The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).
VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:
21.5.2015