Network Rail Weather Systems Tender

In addition to service provision, Network Rail seeks that the future weather service supplier embraces innovation and creativity throughout the contract’s life to ensure that Network Rail’s emerging requirements and advancements in technology are ensured in future service provision.

United Kingdom-Milton Keynes: Weather-forecasting services

2014/S 204-362106

Contract notice – utilities

Services

Directive 2004/17/EC

Section I: Contracting entity

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

Network Rail Infrastructure Limited
1 Elder Gate, The Quadrant
Contact point(s): National Supply Chain — Procurement
For the attention of: Mark Satterthwaite
MK9 1EN Milton Keynes
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 7718004074
E-mail: mark.satterthwaite@networkrail.co.uk

Internet address(es):

General address of the contracting entity: www.networkrail.co.uk

Address of the buyer profile: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/1542.aspx

Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)

Specifications and additional documents (including documents for 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)Main activity

Railway services

I.3)Contract award on behalf of other contracting entities

The contracting entity is purchasing on behalf of other contracting entities: no

Section II: Object of the contract

II.1)Description

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

Weather System.

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
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: United Kingdom.

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 a single operator

Duration of the framework agreement

Duration in years: 5

Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement

Estimated value excluding VAT: 5 000 000 GBP

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

1. Background.
Weather Forecasting.
1.1 Network Rail receives weather information via a number of Centre and Route funded contracts. The data is received in various formats ranging from simple emails to sophisticated analytical displays with considerable variance across the Routes.
1.2 Currently, a wide range of weather services are provided to Network Rail via a range of contracts and differing suppliers. The main legacy contract is scheduled for renewal from March 2015 and this Notice outlines Network Rail’s requirement for the provision of services post March 2015 with the majority of future services being provided to Network Rail and its Routes through a single contract.
1.3 In addition to service provision, Network Rail seeks that the future weather service supplier embraces innovation and creativity throughout the contract’s life to ensure that Network Rail’s emerging requirements and advancements in technology are ensured in future service provision.
2. Network rail weather stations.
2.1 Network Rail purchased a number of weather stations (Circa 200) in 2013. In excess of 100 stations have been rolled out across Scotland, Anglia and Wessex as part of Network Rail’s High Wind Strategy which necessitates more granular forecasting and near real-time monitoring of wind.
2.2 It is envisaged that support for and data from these stations will be covered under future contract arrangements.
3. Headline Outcomes ?nd Requirements.
3.1 Network Rail seeks the following high level outcomes and requirements from the Weather Services Partner procurement:
Outcomes:
— An all-encompassing weather system that captures and provides timely information where and when needed to avoid potential safety incidents;
— An enhanced weather forecasting and real-time weather reporting system capable of predicting the impact of single or multiple weather events on Network Rail Assets;
— A high confidence weather trigger, alerting and alarm mechanism linked to enhanced local and line-side Weather Data Service;
— A multi-layered geospatial weather mapping capability that allows users to select a wide range of weather and information management data displays.
Requirements:
— The solution shall be tested and evaluated in a ‘model office’ environment;
— The all-encompassing weather system shall be capable of displaying weather data and support capabilities from 3rd Party suppliers;
— The Solution shall enable a capability to provide localised weather forecast for user defined Geographic areas;
— The provision of enhanced local and line-side weather data in near real time monitoring specifically for wind;
— The solution shall ultimately interface with Network Rail systems such as ORBIS (Offering Rail Better Information Services), GEO-RNIM (Geo — Rail Infrastructure Network Model) and METEX (GIS Tool Asset Vulnerability Tool).

II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

71351600, 38127000, 38128000, 71351600, 71351610

II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

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

II.1.8)Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: no

II.1.9)Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: yes

II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract

II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:

II.2.2)Information about options

Options: yes
Description of these options: Network Rail shall retain the option to award an ‘evergreen’ contract with an initial term of 3 to 5 years with rolling mutual extension thereafter, until terminated by either party subject to reasonable notice to be agreed.
It is Network Rail’s intention to contract using the standard NR03 Contract template.

II.2.3)Information about renewals

This contract is subject to renewal: yes

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:

Parent Company guarantees shall be required for this contract.
Other financial and performance guarantees may be requested as deemed appropriate and will be advised and agreed with participants during the course of the tender process.

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

Network Rail Infrastructure Limited standard payment terms shall apply. These will be set out in the draft contract documentation to be issued at Invitation to Tender stage of the Procurement process.

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

Where there is more than one economic operator proposed, Network Rail may require one member of such group / consortium to accept Prime Contractor Status.

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

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Participants will be advised in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire where these are required.

III.2.2)Economic and financial ability

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Selection of suppliers to be invited to tender for the contract will be based on information provided in response to the economic and financial evaluation criteria as outlined in the pre-qualification questionnaire.

III.2.3)Technical capacity

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Selection of suppliers to be invited to tender for the contract will be based on information provided in response to the technical evaluation criteria as outlined in the pre-qualification questionnaire.

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

Negotiated
Some candidates have already been selected (if appropriate under certain types of negotiated procedures): no

IV.2)Award criteria

IV.2.1)Award criteria

The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications or in the invitation to tender or to negotiate

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 entity:

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

IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents

Time limit for receipt of requests for documents or for accessing documents: 18.11.2014 – 17:00
Payable documents: no

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

28.11.2014 – 17:00

IV.3.5)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up

IV.3.6)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

IV.3.7)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

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:

Interested suppliers must submit their ‘Expression of Interest’ (‘EOI’) via email to the contact as listed in this notice.
When submitting an EOI, supplier must request a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire from the contact as listed in this notice.

For the avoidance of doubt the contact for submission of EOI and request of PQQ is mark.satterthwaite@networkrail.co.uk

Expression of Interest and completed PQQ response documents must be received no later than 28.11.2014, 17.00 hours.
Suppliers must ensure that all communication with Network Rail in relation to this Notice and any subsequent tender must only be via the contact as listed in this Notice; failure to comply with this condition of tender may result in the removal of that supplier from this process and exclusion from any subsequent tender.
Any supplier that is invited to tender following evaluation of their PQQ response will be required to formally present their offer (e.g. PowerPoint based presentation); such Supplier presentation may be required on an appropriate client site of the Supplier.

VI.4)Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures

The High Court
The Strand
WC2A 1AA London
UNITED KINGDOM

VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals

Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: Network Rail will incorporate a 10 calendar day standstill period after award notification to bidders. Network Rail will not enter into a contract during this period. Bidders considering lodging an appeal must do so within this time-scale in order to allow Network Rail to consider such an appeal.

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

Network Rail Infrastructure Limited
1 Elder Gate, The Quadrant
MK9 1EN Milton Keynes
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail: mark.satterthwaite@networkrail.co.uk
Telephone: +44 7718004074

VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:

20.10.2014