Group Income Protection for OFCOM

OFCOM
Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road
For the attention of: Hayley Watson
SE1 9HA London
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 2079813110
E-mail: hayley.watson@ofcom.org.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)

Body governed by public law

Other: Independent Communications Regulator

The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no

ITT 18/2013 – Flexible Benefits – Group Income Protection.

Services
Service category No 6: Financial services a) Insurances services b) Banking and investment services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: The majority of persons for whom the cover is required work at Riverside House, but Ofcom has some staff at other locations.
NUTS code UK

The notice involves a public contract

This invitation to tender (ITT) is designed to assist Ofcom in selecting providers for specific insured health and risk flexible benefits which form part of its “Choices” flexible benefits programme, from 1.1.2014 onwards.
Ofcom Background:
Ofcom is a Statutory Corporation established under The Office of Communications Act 2002.
Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the communications industries within the UK, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services. Since October 2011, Ofcom’s remit has been extended to include responsibility for the postal service (under The Postal Services Act 2011).
Ofcom currently employs approximately 790 people within the UK and introduced a flexible benefits plan (“Choices”) for all employees during December 2003.
Employees, known as “colleagues”, are spread throughout 14 locations across the UK. The majority of colleagues are based in the London office – SE1 9HA. Details of postcode locations are provided in the membership data.
Ofcom previously undertook a review of its group life and income protection providers 2011. Since the last review it has closed its defined benefit pension arrangement. All colleagues are now provided with access to a stakeholder pension arrangement. Staff numbers are expected to remain stable over the near to medium term.
Ofcom’s defined benefit pension arrangements closed on 1.6.2011 and were previously provided only to those colleagues employed by the “legacy regulators” prior to December 2003. The legacy regulators included:
— Broadcasting Standards Commission;
— The Radio Authority;
— The Office of Telecommunications;
— The Radio Communications Agency;
— The Independent Television Commission.
Those colleagues who opted to retain the terms and conditions of employment provided by the legacy regulators were entitled to retain their existing terms and conditions, or accept Ofcom terms of employment but retain membership of the defined benefit pension arrangement. These colleagues were known as “Existing Terms” and “Partial Terms” colleagues, respectively. Colleagues that joined Ofcom on or after 29.12.2003 were not provided with access to a defined benefit pension arrangement and are known as “Full Terms” colleagues.
From 1.6.2011, all “Partial Terms” colleagues (approximately 84 colleagues) transferred to “Full Terms” contracts of employment. In addition a small number of “Existing Terms” colleagues also transferred to “Full Terms” contracts with a small number of colleagues opting to retain their Existing Terms contracts. There are currently 5 employees with “Existing Terms” contracts.
The Objective:
This ITT describes the insured benefits that are being reviewed and available under the Choices programme.
The benefits for which proposals are required are:
— Ofcom Choices group income protection.
The key issues for each product are the benefits offered, clarity of the product offering and cost for the individual purchaser.
Providers should be able to demonstrate the ability to integrate/liaise with other Choices product providers as Ofcom is looking to validate long-term cost savings (through, for example, reduced absenteeism or improved productivity through early intervention).
In addition Ofcom is looking for ease of implementation, straightforward contracting and the service levels offered.

66512000

The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): no

Options: yes
Description of these options: The Contract is for either 24 or 36 months to be notified by Ofcom at award of Contract.

The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: yes
Description of particular conditions: Please refer to tender documentation.

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: 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://ofcom.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.

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Please refer to tender documentation.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: Please refer to tender documentation.

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
Please refer to tender documentation.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
Please refer to tender documentation.

Open

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

ITT 18/2013.

no

21.6.2013 – 12:00

English.

in days: 180 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

Date: 21.6.2013 – 12:00