Supply of a Hearing Protection Service for Aircrew

The contract will run for seven years, for the supply of Aircrew Hearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) In Ear Communication Devices (IECDs) to ensure aircrew have adequate hearing protection that meets current health and safety legislation.

United Kingdom-Bristol: Communications equipment

2013/S 218-378939

Contract notice

Supplies

Directive 2004/18/EC

Section I: Contracting authority

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

Air Commodities (AC), DE&S
AS-AC Comm4, Walnut 1a #1128, MOD Abbey Wood
For the attention of: Mavis Page
BS34 8JH Bristol
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 367982916
E-mail: desas-accomm4@mod.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

Defence

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:

The Supply of a Hearing Protection Service for Aircrew.

II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance

Supplies
Purchase
NUTS code UK

II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)

The notice involves a public contract

II.1.4)Information on framework agreement

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

Communications equipment. The contract will run for seven years, for the supply of Aircrew Hearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) In Ear Communication Devices (IECDs) to ensure aircrew have adequate hearing protection that meets current health and safety legislation. The contract will include the service to measure and fit for moulded earplugs.
A Pre-Qualification Questionnaire will need to be completed in order to be considered.

II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

32570000

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: 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:

The procurement will be conducted in accordance with the Restricted Procedure under the Defence and Security Public Contract Regulations. The estimated value over the seven years is GBP 4,500,000 – GBP 10,000,000 (Value Band E1). It is planned to incorporate a review point at the four-year stage of the contract.
A range of attenuation levels are required to cater for the large variation in noise environments across the aircraft fleet while taking account of the need to avoid over-attenuation. The ability to respond to changes, for example in the cockpit noise environment or legal thresholds, and hence required attenuation levels throughout the life of the contract is required.
Both moulded and pre-moulded devices are required to allow aircrew a choice of device to maximise personal comfort.
A complete service is required for aircrew across the UK (for example taking moulds, dispensing, sizing, use and maintenance instructions). This service must be available to aircrew across the UK within reasonable travelling time.
Technical Support will be required on an as-required basis to ensure that the devices can be integrated with MoD Aircrew Head Equipment Assemblies and on-aircraft intercom systems. For example the capabilities to alter lead lengths, change connectors, provide impedance matching, provide leads and connectors as required for installation in the helmet/headset interface, are required.
The MEAT methodology will be used for assessing tenders. Due to the intrusive nature of the devices on the body a primary evaluation criteria will be comfort to minimise any air safety risks caused by potential distraction due to discomfort. Hence the Quality score will be heavily weighted, with a Quality/Cost weighting ratio of 80/20.
Another key part of the tender evaluation will be assessment of suitability for use in the air environment. This will evaluate the devices from an air safety, medical, and integration perspective, such as their suitability for use at altitude, their potential for loose article hazard, and their ability to integrate with other aircrew equipment.
Further detail of the specification and tender evaluation methodology will be provided in the Invitation To Tender (ITT).
A minimum of three potential suppliers will be selected for the ITT stage, based on their scores from the PQQ evaluation.
As part of the tender evaluation it is expected that a small number (approximately 10) personnel will be fitted with IECDs free of charge by the potential suppliers for initial evaluation. For those taken forward for further evaluation, contracts will be offered to provide the service to a larger number of personnel for the trial period, with an option to extend the contract for seven years (with a four-year review point) which will be taken up with the successful potential supplier(s) following Award announcement and Standstill Period. While the Authority’s preference will be to award the contract to a single supplier, the requirement may be split across more than one supplier.
Those potential suppliers invited to tender will be expected to attend an industry event to provide further context and detail regarding this requirement.
The planned timetable for this procurement is: Feedback results of PQQ evaluations to potential suppliers by end January 2013; Industry event for down-selected potential suppliers by end February 2014; Release of ITT by mid March 2014; Receipt of tender submissions by mid May 2014. Award decision by end September 2014; Commencement of service: by end October 2014.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 4 500 000 and 10 000 000 GBP

II.2.2)Information about options

II.2.3)Information about renewals

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

Duration in months: 84 (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:

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:

III.1.4)Other particular conditions

The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: yes
Description of particular conditions: The MOD is progressively moving towards electronic purchasing using the Purchase to Payment (P2P) system operated over the Defence Electronic Commerce Service (DECS). Any resultant contract may also require the supplier to trade via the P2P system.

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: The Authority will apply all the offences listed in Article 45(1) of Directive 2004/18/EC (implemented as Regulation 23(1) of the Public Contract Regulations (PCR) 2006 in the UK) and all of the professional misconducts listed at Article 45(2) of Directive 2004/18/EC (see also Regulation 23(2) in the PCR 2006) to the decision of whether a Candidate is eligible to be invited to tender.
A full list of the Regulation 23(1) and 23(2) criteria are at http://www.contracts.mod.uk/delta/project/reasonsForExclusion.html#dspr

Candidates will be required to sign a declaration confirming whether they do or do not have any of the listed criteria as part of the pre-qualification process. For candidates who are registered overseas, you will need to declare if you have any offences/misconduct under your own countries laws, where these laws are equivalent to the Regulation 23 lists.
Candidates who have been convicted of any of the offences under Article 45(1) are ineligible and will not be selected to bid, unless there are overriding requirements in the general interest for doing so.
Candidates who are guilty of any of the offences, circumstances or misconduct under Article 45(2) may be excluded from being selected to bid at the discretion of the Authority.

III.2.2)Economic and financial ability

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Please see the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire related to this advertisement. Further information is provided in section VI).3.

III.2.3)Technical capacity

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
Please see the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire related to this advertisement. Further information is provided in section VI).3.

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

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)Type of procedure

IV.1.1)Type of procedure

Restricted

IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate

Envisaged minimum number 3
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Potential candidates must complete the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ).
The following weighting % has been applied to certain questions in the PQQ (Question number, weighting %)
5.1) 30, 6.1) 15, 6.2) 15, 6.3) 30, 6.4) 10
All other questions are Pass/Fail.
The scoring matrix used for the weighted questions is as follows:
0 – No Answer.
1 – Poor – Limited or irrelevant response with insufficient, irrelevant or unconvincing evidence.
2 – Satisfactory – Satisfactory and relevant answer to the question but little evidence provided.
3 – Good – Comprehensive and relevant answer to the question, partially supported by credible and relevant evidence.
4 – Very Good – Strong, comprehensive and relevant answer to the question, fully supported with credible and relevant evidence, clearly demonstrating the ability to meet the requirement.
5 – Excellent – Excellent, comprehensive and relevant answer to the question, fully supported with credible and relevant evidence, very clearly demonstrating the ability to meet and exceed the requirement.
Minimum score required for weighted questions: (Question, Minimum score)
5.1) 3, 6.1) 3, 6.2) 3, 6.3) 3, 6.4) 3.

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:

FAST/00054

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

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

16.12.2013 – 23:59

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

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

The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement, and the contract will be awarded on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender.Suppliers interested in working with the Ministry of Defence should register on the MOD Supplier Information Database (SID) Register, available at www.contracts.mod.uk. The MOD SID is a database of active and potential suppliers available to all MOD and UK Defence procurement personnel, and is the main supplier database of MOD Procurement organisations. Please note: the registration and publication of a company profile on the MOD SID does not mean or imply that the supplier has in any way been vetted or approved by the MOD. Suppliers wishing to compete for advertised MOD contracts must respond to any specific call for competition by submitting a separate expression of interest in accordance with the instructions of the purchasing organisation.

Advertising Regime OJEU: This contract opportunity is published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), the MoD Defence Contracts Bulletin and www.contracts.mod.uk GO Reference: GO-2013118-DCB-5251993.

VI.4)Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures

Air Commodities (AC), DE&S

VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals

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

Air Commodities (AC), DE&S

VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:8.11.2013