Due Diligence Framework

The diversity of projects HIE deals with from clients or delivered directly requires us to undertake due diligence which necessitate a wide range of skillsets.

United Kingdom-Inverness: Financial consultancy services

2020/S 127-312108

Contract notice

Services

Legal Basis:

Directive 2014/24/EU

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1)Name and addresses

Official name: Highlands and Islands Enterprise
National registration number: 313
Postal address: An Lòchran, 10 Inverness Campus
Town: Inverness
NUTS code: UKM6 Highlands and Islands
Postal code: IV2 5NA
Country: United Kingdom
E-mail: hieprocurement@hient.co.uk
Telephone: +44 1463245245

Internet address(es):Main address: http://www.hie.co.uk

Address of the buyer profile: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00313

I.2)Information about joint procurement

I.3)Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk

Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via: www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk

I.4)Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local agency/office

I.5)Main activity

Economic and financial affairs

Section II: Object

II.1)Scope of the procurement

II.1.1)Title:

Due Diligence Framework

Reference number: O191

II.1.2)Main CPV code

66171000 Financial consultancy services

II.1.3)Type of contract

Services

II.1.4)Short description:

The diversity of projects HIE deals with from clients or delivered directly requires us to undertake due diligence which necessitate a wide range of skillsets to understand the proposals, appraise the merits and understand the investment risks. In most cases, due diligence is undertaken by HIE staff themselves, but from time to time there can be more complex challenges or resourcing issues which lead to a requirement for HIE to seek external support.

The contract will be awarded under a multi supplier Framework basis to approximately 3 suppliers.

It is expected that the framework will be awarded in October 2020 for an initial period of 3 years, with HIE having the option to extend for a period or periods together not exceeding 1 year following the initial term.

The initial 3 year budget currently available to deliver this service is between GBP 540 000 and GBP 720 000 (excluding VAT).

II.1.5)Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: 960 000.00 GBP

II.1.6)Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: no

II.2)Description

II.2.1)Title:

II.2.2)Additional CPV code(s)

72221000 Business analysis consultancy services

79211000 Accounting services

79411100 Business development consultancy services

79412000 Financial management consultancy services

II.2.3)Place of performance

NUTS code: UKM6 Highlands and Islands

II.2.4)Description of the procurement:

The objectives of the framework are to:

— support HIE’s decision making and resource prioritisation

— provide access to specialist knowledge and

— develop skills / build capacity in HIE.

Types of support will include, but are not limited to:

— financial reviews

— strategic business reviews

— assessing investor proposals

— distress situations

— R&D/Innovation — technical assessments/R&D tax assessments and

— general technical assessments.

II.2.5)Award criteria

Criteria below

Quality criterion – Name: Cyber security / Weighting: Pass/Fail

Quality criterion – Name: Management and delivery methodology / Weighting: 15

Quality criterion – Name: Management and delivery team / Weighting: 40

Quality criterion – Name: Added value and partnership working / Weighting: 15

Price – Weighting: 30

II.2.6)Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: 960 000.00 GBP

II.2.7)Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months: 36

This contract is subject to renewal: yes

Description of renewals:

II.2.10)Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: no

II.2.11)Information about options

Options: yes

Description of options:

HIE reserves the right to order any variation to any quantity or specification of any part of the services that for any reason shall in HIE’s opinion be desirable. Any such variation may include (but shall not be restricted to) additions, omissions, alterations, substitutions to the services and changes in quality, form, character, kind, timing, method or sequence of the provision of services. The conditions under which such variations may be required are as a result of changes to HIE and/or Scottish Government policy or strategy in relation to which the services and support HIE provides or is to provide, or a change to the nature of the services or the enterprises which HIE supports.

Any such modification shall be in terms of Regulation 72 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

II.2.12)Information about electronic catalogues

II.2.13)Information about European Union funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no

II.2.14)Additional information

Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

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:

Not applicable to this procurement exercise.

III.1.2)Economic and financial standing

List and brief description of selection criteria:

4B.6 (not scored)

HIE as a public body must comply with HMRC IR35 provisions. Therefore, where you are bidding as a personal service company (PSC) or will be using a personal service company to provide services under the framework please identify these PSC (s) in your response to 4B.6.

Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:

Minimum level(s) of standards required:

4B.5 It is a requirement of this Framework that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commence of any subsequently awarded framework, the types and levels of insurance indicated below:

Professional risk indemnity insurance = GBP 1 000 000 for each and every claim

Employer’s (compulsory) liability insurance = GBP 5 000 000 for each and every claim (see http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse40.pdf)

Public liability insurance = GBP 1 000 000 for each and every claim

III.1.3)Technical and professional ability

III.1.5)Information about reserved contracts

III.2)Conditions related to the contract

III.2.1)Information about a particular profession

III.2.2)Contract performance conditions:

The contract will include Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) and/or Service Level Agreements (SLAs) which can be found within the Tender documentation.

III.2.3)Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract

Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)Description

IV.1.1)Type of procedure

Open procedure

IV.1.3)Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system

The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement

Framework agreement with several operators

Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement: 3

IV.1.4)Information about reduction of the number of solutions or tenders during negotiation or dialogue

IV.1.6)Information about electronic auction

IV.1.8)Information about the 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

IV.2.2)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date: 12/08/2020

Local time: 12:00

IV.2.3)Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

IV.2.4)Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted:

English

IV.2.6)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

Duration in months: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

IV.2.7)Conditions for opening of tenders

Date: 12/08/2020

Local time: 12:00

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.1)Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: yes

Estimated timing for further notices to be published:

HIE reserves the right to re-tender for these services upon termination of the framework or at the end of the framework period, including any extension period.

VI.2)Information about electronic workflows

Electronic ordering will be used

Electronic invoicing will be accepted

Electronic payment will be used

VI.3)Additional information:

It is estimated that the total value of the services over the 4 years will be GBP 960 000 (ex VAT). This is the figure used in II.1.5) and II.2.6).

Where relevant, bidders are required to provide information relating to consortia (2C1 of ESPD) and/or sub-contractors (2C1 and 2D.1 of the ESPD) with the relevant supporting ESPD documentation submitted.

National identification number (not scored) where relevant, bidders are required to insert details of their Companies House (or equivalent) registration number.

ESPD 3D.12 bidders should refer to the ‘Conflict of Interest’ Section within the Scope of Requirements for this question.

Award criteria scoring

Question 1 Cyber Security will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis using the criteria in the Scope of Requirements.

The remainder of the award criteria will be marked according to the following:

0 = Unacceptable — Nil or inadequate response which fails to demonstrate an ability to meet the requirement.

1 = Poor — Response is partially relevant but generally poor. It addresses some elements of the requirement but contains insufficient/limited detail or explanation to demonstrate how the requirement will be fulfilled.

2 = Acceptable — Response is relevant and acceptable. It addresses a broad understanding of the requirement but may lack details on how the requirement will be fulfilled in certain areas.

3 = Good — Response is relevant and good. It is sufficiently detailed to demonstrate a good understanding and provides details on how the requirements will be fulfilled.

4 = Excellent — Response is completely relevant and excellent overall. It is comprehensive, unambiguous and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the requirement and provides details of how the requirement will be met in full.

In order to participate, bidders should register, for free, on the PCS website (www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk), and record their interest in this contract and download and complete all relevant documentation.

Tenders must be submitted via the PCS postbox and must be received by the published deadline. Late tenders will not be accepted. HIE will reject any submissions received after the deadline. Email or hard copy responses will not be accepted.

PCS also gives bidders access to a Question and Answer facility which allows queries to be submitted (anonymously) and answers published and shared with all potential bidders.

This framework will be non-exclusive i.e. HIE reserves the right, in certain circumstances, to procure out with the framework as and when required.

The framework will also be available for call-off by any current or future HIE subsidiary organisation, associated company, joint venture or similar or South of Scotland Enterprise, all subject to a case-by-case prior approval by HIE.

Note: to register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=621022

The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx

Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.

Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2361

A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows:

Community benefits will not be evaluated as part of the tender process but bidders are expected to provide a Community Benefit proposal as part of their tender detailing how, if awarded the contract, these will be addressed. Please refer to the Scope of Requirements for further details.

(SC Ref:621022)

Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=621022

VI.4)Procedures for review

VI.4.1)Review body

Official name: Inverness Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
Postal address: The Castle
Town: Inverness
Postal code: IV2 3EG
Country: United Kingdom
E-mail: inverness@scotcourts.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 1463230782Internet address: https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/inverness-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court

VI.4.2)Body responsible for mediation procedures

VI.4.3)Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:

An economic operator that suffers, or is at risk of suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 or the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 , may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or the Court of Session.

VI.4.4)Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained

VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:

01/07/2020