Contact Centre Framework for Department for Work and Pensions

UK-Sheffield: call centre

2012/S 164-272892

Contract notice

Services

Directive 2004/18/EC

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)

Department for Work and Pensions
56 West Street
Contact point(s): Contact Centre Framework team will manage the procurement through our e-procurement solution. All interested parties should register here www.dwp.bravosolution.co.uk
S1 4EP Sheffield
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail: contactcentre.servicesframework@gsi.gov.uk

Internet address(es):

General address of the contracting authority: http://www.dwp.gov.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

Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions

I.3)Main activity

Social protection

I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities

The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: yes

Section II: Object of the contract

II.1)Description

II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:

Contact Centre Services Framework.

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: Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
NUTS code UK

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
maximum number of participants to the framework agreement envisaged: 6
Duration of the framework agreement

Duration in months: 48
Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement

Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 100 000 000 and 150 000 000 GBP

II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) intends to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of Contact Call Centre services to support DWP and other Contracting Authorities including Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland www.dsdni.gov.uk (collectively the Contracting Authorities) using the Framework Agreement in carrying out a range of Contact Call Centre functions, including but not limited to increasing customer access, delivering contact via telephony and other emerging communication channels and related Social Welfare administrative and processing services to customers across a range of opening hours and service lines. These services will likely involve but not be restricted to:

— providing key outcomes including increasing customer access to better value and more effective channels and improving performance across the Government telephony network itself. There is a focus on single call resolution and providing services which are incremental in scale. A strategic outsourced partner(s) would complement the business delivering tangible results such as reduced average handling times and better first call resolution,
— providing a flexible, cost effective Call Centre resource with the ability to respond to seasonal requirements and short term capacity requests,
— providing Other Government Departments with access to or copies of any customer relationship management system developed or configured specifically to support services let under the framework and where those other Government Departments are themselves providing a similar or equivalent service,
— working collaboratively with the DWP and other Contracting Authorities delivering contact telephony, other emerging communication channels, and related administrative and processing services to customers across a range of opening hours and service lines,
— assisting in identifying solutions and opportunities regarding work, processes, people and estates. Being key in offering support to DWP contact growth strategy, with the potential to provide support to other government departments. This is particularly challenging given the speed and scale of change involved in delivering key Government Welfare Reforms such as Universal Credit.
DWP is acting as a central purchasing body through which the other Contracting Authorities as identified in Section VI.3 may wish to procure services by calling off services under the Framework Agreement (but without any obligation on the Contracting Authorities to call-off services). Accordingly it is the intention that the other Contracting Authorities should be able to rely on this procurement to purchase such services without the need for any further primary procurement process.
These are part B services and the DWP and other Contracting Authorities utilising the Framework Agreement will not be bound by the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended); except as such Regulations are applicable to part B services. This notice and any subsequent notices are placed voluntarily.
Individual contract values let under the Framework Agreement are likely to vary. See VI.3 for the estimated value of the first likely specific contract let under the Framework Agreement for the Child Maintenance Options Service for Child Maintenance Group, and information on the Contact Centre Service for the rest of DWP.
The Framework Agreement will be for 4 years. The expectation is that specific contracts let under the Framework Agreement may be for up to 6 years.

II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

79512000

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:

II.2.2)Information about options

II.2.3)Information about renewals

II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information

III.1)Conditions relating to the contract

III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:

Parent company guarantees, performance bonds, deposits, sub-contractor warranties or other forms of appropriate security may be required in appropriate circumstances. Further details will be provided in the Invitation to Tender documents.

III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:

Further details will be provided in the Invitation to Tender documents.

III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:

The contracting authority reserves the right to require groupings of contractors or consortia to take a particular legal form or to require a single contractor to take primary liability or to require that each party undertakes joint and several liability. This may include establishing a special purpose vehicle (SPV) which will contract directly with the contracting authority.

III.1.4)Other particular conditions

The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: yes
Description of particular conditions: Under this Framework Agreement and specific contracts let under it, economic operators and their supply chain will be required to actively participate in the achievement of social and/or environmental policy objectives relating to such matters as recruitment, training and sustainability. Accordingly contract performance conditions may relate in particular to social and environmental considerations.

III.2)Conditions for participation

III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Any supplier may be disqualified if any of the circumstances listed in Article 45 of the Public Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC (Regulation 23 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended)) apply to their organisation and suppliers will be asked to complete an appropriate declaration, which will be provided in the Invitation to Tender documents.
Suppliers Instructions How to Express Interest in this Tender: 1. Register your company on the eSourcing portal (this is only required once) – Browse to the eSourcing Portal: https://dwp.bravosolution.co.uk and click the link to register – Accept the terms and conditions and click ‘continue’ – Enter your correct business and user details – Note the username you chose and click ‘Save’ when complete – You will shortly receive an email with your unique password (please keep this secure) 2. Express an Interest in the tender – Login to the portal with the username/password – Click the ‘PQQs / ITTs Open To All Suppliers’ link. (These are Pre-Qualification Questionnaires or Invitations to Tender open to any registered supplier) – Click on the relevant PQQ/ ITT to access the content. – Click the ‘Express Interest’ button at the top of the page. – This will move the PQQ /ITT into your ‘My PQQs/ My ITTs’ page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only) -You can now access any attachments by clicking ‘Buyer Attachments’ in the ‘PQQ/ ITT Details’ box 3. Responding to the tender – Click ‘My Response’ under ‘PQQ/ ITT Details’, you can choose to ‘Create Response’ or to ‘Decline to Respond’ (please give a reason if declining) – You can now use the ‘Messages’ function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification – Note the deadline for completion, then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the PQQ/ ITT – There may be a mixture of online & offline actions for you to perform (there is detailed online help available) You must then submit your reply using the ‘Submit Response’ button at the top of the page. If you require any further assistance please consult the online help, or contact the eTendering help desk on +44 8003684850.

III.2.2)Economic and financial ability

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Minimum annual turnover requirement of 9 333 333 GBP.
Please refer to Invitation to Tender documents available for download via https://dwp.bravosolution.co.uk.

Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: Please refer to the Invitation to Tender documents available simultaneously with this notice via https://dwp.bravosolution.co.uk.

III.2.3)Technical capacity

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
Potential suppliers must have a minimum current call centre capacity of 250 agents seat. Please refer to Invitation to Tender documents available for download via https://dwp.bravosolution.co.uk.

Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
Please refer to the Invitation to Tender documents available simultaneously with this notice via https://dwp.bravosolution.co.uk.

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

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: yes
Additional information about electronic auction: Electronic auction will not be used in establishing the Framework Agreement but may be used in call off contracts let under the Framework Agreement.

IV.3)Administrative information

IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:

UI_DWP_17632

IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract

IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document

IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

8.10.2012 – 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: 180 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

IV.3.8)Conditions for opening tenders

Date: 8.10.2012 – 13:00
Place:

e-procurement

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

1. A briefing event will be held on 6th September 2012 at St Mary’s Church, Bramall Lane, Sheffield, S2 4QZ Due to space limitations, organisations are asked to send no more than two representatives. In order that appropriate security arrangements can be made interested organisations shall advise the DWP Commercial Team via the following address contactcentre.servicesframework@dwp.gsi.gov.uk by no later than 30.8.2012 if they intend to send representative(s) to this briefing event and, if so, the names of those who will attend.

2. The form of model call-off contract will be included in the Framework Agreement subject to the right to make specific amendments in respect of an individual call-off contract.
3. In the event of re-structuring within Central or local government and/or the wider public sector this procurement and/or the Framework Agreement and/or any contracts awarded under the Framework Agreement will pass to statutory successor authorities to the DWP or any of the contracting authorities as applicable.
4. It is for economic operators to satisfy themselves as to the position but it is the initial view of DWP that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (as amended) may potentially apply to specific contracts let under the terms of the Framework Agreement.
I.1 and I.4: The other public sector bodies to whom the use of this Framework Agreement will be open in addition to DWP are the following in the United Kingdom including Northern Ireland and their respective statutory successors and organisations created as a result of re-organisations or organisational changes:
1) Central Government Departments & their executive agencies (a list of such Departments and executive agencies can be found at http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/government-business/government-ministers-responsibilities.aspx). The Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland details can be found at www.dsdni.gov.uk

2) Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) (a list of NDPBs can be found at Annex A to the Public Bodies Directory 2007 published by the Cabinet Office) which can be found at http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/documents/pdf/public_bodies_2007.pdf),

3) Local Authorities (as defined in Regulation 3(2) to 3(5) inclusive of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 as amended, a list of such authorities being available at: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/AToZOfLocalCouncils/DG_A-Z_LG,

4) Devolved administrations within the British Isles, detailed at: (in the case of Scotland) http://scotland.gov.uk/Home, and http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/, (in the case of Wales) http://new.wales.gov.uk/?llang=en

II.1.4: The DWP intends to appoint 6 organisations provided that sufficient compliant tenders are received which satisfy the minimum standards and levels stated in the Invitation to Tender documents. However, DWP reserves the right to appoint fewer than 6 organisations where fewer than 6 tenders which satisfy the minimum standards and levels stated in the Invitation to Tender documents are received.
II.1.4 Inevitably with a national Framework Agreement of this nature the potential value of purchases has to be expressed by means of a broad range and will be affected by the extent to which the Contracting Authorities specified in this notice use the Framework Agreement.
II.1.5: No guarantee or warranty is given as to the nature, value or volume, if any, of the services or number of specific contracts if any under the Framework Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, DWP currently anticipates that the following mini competitions may be conducted under the Framework Agreement:
a. Child Maintenance Options service provision throughout the UK potentially including Child Maintenance Choices in Northern Ireland. It is envisaged that this mini-competition will commence in November 2012, with contracts awarded in January 2013 and service commencing in May 2013. The estimated approximate collective annual value of CMG contracts is GBP 8 million. Further information is included in the Invitation to Tender documents available simultaneously with this notice via https://dwp.bravosolution.co.uk

b. It is the intention that the contract for Contact Centre Services for the rest of DWP, due from February/March 2014 will be procured via this framework.
IV.1.1) The DWP intends to use a procedure with some similarities to the open procedure described in Regulation 15 for use when procuring Part A services, as there will not be a separate pre-qualification stage.
IV2.1) MEAT is not being used. The Overall criterion is that DWP will award places on the Framework Agreement to suppliers who best demonstrate the capacity and capability to deliver good quality, efficient and effective Contact Call Centre Services to the Contracting Authorities by reference to the detailed criteria set out in this ITT.

VI.4)Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures

Department for Work and Pensions
CD Sourcing, Mayfield Court, 56 West Street
S1 4EP Sheffield
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail: contactcentre.servicesframework@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Internet address: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/supplying-dwp/purchasing-in-dwp/dwpcommerical-complaints/

VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals

Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: To the extent that they apply, in accordance with Regulations 47A to 47P of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (SI 2006 No. 5) (as amended).
This authority will voluntarily (as this prcourement relates to Part B services) incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period prior to the award of the Framework Agreement.
The purpose of this standstill period referred to above is to allow parties to apply to the Courts to set aside the award decision before the contract is entered into. You may also care to note the information provided via the following web link:
The DWP commercial complaints process – http://www.dwp.gov.uk/supplying-dwp/purchasing-in-dwp/dwpcommerical-complaints/.

VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained

VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:23.8.2012