Tender for Credit Referencing and Fraud Investigation Services
The Agreement shall be available for use by a broad range of public sector organisations (as defined in this document) for the delivery of the services as stated.
UK-West Malling: fraud audit services
2012/S 72-119529
Contract notice
Services
Directive 2004/18/EC
Section I: Contracting authority
Kent County Council
Procurement -Commercial Services, Gibson Drive, Kings Hill
Contact point(s): Please see advert at www.businessportal.southeastiep.gov.uk
ME19 4QG West Malling
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail: psg@kent.gov.uk
Section II: Object of the contract
Service category No 6: Financial servicesa)Insurances services b)Banking and investment services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: In accordance with best procurement practice, EU & UK Procurement Directives & Regulations, Commercial Services acting for Kent County Council (the Contracting Authority), in association with the National Fraud Authority wishes to create a nationally accessible Framework Agreement (the Agreement) for the supply and delivery of Credit Referencing and Fraud Investigation Services.
The Agreement shall be available for use by a broad range of public sector organisations (as defined in this document) for the delivery of the services as stated. The purpose of the Agreement is to develop a toolkit that allows authorised public sector organisations to make individual contracts with Suppliers utilising a compliantly let Framework with the aim of increasing value and decreasing public expenditure.
The Agreement will be accessible to all members, affiliates and associates of the Pro5 Group (being Central Purchasing Bodies as defined by the EU Combined Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC), Local Authority Councils, Central Government Departments and their Agencies, Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships (RIEP), the Police Service, the Fire and Rescue Service, the NHS & NHS Trusts (including the Ambulance Service), Third Sector Organisations, Registered Charities, Registered Social Landlords, Educational Establishments (including schools and universities), Academic Centres, Coastguard Emergency Services, publicly funded organisations and publicly owned private companies, operating within the geographic boundaries of the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland. Access to this Agreement shall be subject to the agreement of the Contracting Authority.
Information on other public bodies, third sector organisations, academic centres and publicly funded organisations can be found at: www.southeastiep.gov.uk / www.direct.gov.uk / www.edubase.gov.uk / www.schoolswebdirectory.co.uk / http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/A-ZOfCentralGovernment/index.htm / www.police-information.co.uk / www.nhs.uk / www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk / www.charitycommission.gov.uk / www.idea.gov.uk / www.fireservice.co.uk / www.opsi.gov.uk / www.espo.org/ojeu-framework-permissible-users
Current members of the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships:
East Midlands: http://www.eastmidlandsiep.gov.uk.
London: http://www.capitalambition.gov.uk.
East: http://www.improvementeast.gov.uk.
North East: http://www.northeastiep.gov.uk.
North West: http://www.nwce.gov.uk.
South East: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/DG_4003647.
For the purposes of this Agreement the Contracting Authority and Participating Authority shall have the following meanings:
Contracting Authority – shall mean the public sector body that has agreed to take responsibility for the tender process and contract formation relating to the supply and delivery of Credit Referencing and Fraud Investigation Services.
NUTS code UK
maximum number of participants to the framework agreement envisaged: 20
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 3 000 000 and 7 000 000 GBP
— housing allocations and benefits claims,
— procurement of goods or services,
— pre-employment screening,
— council tax fraud,
— trading standards,
— disabled blue badges,
— grants and social housing,
— single person discounts,
— debt prioritisation.
79212400, 66000000
Tenders may be submitted for one or more lots
The Agreement will be divided in to four LOTs, the table below gives an anticipated number of Suppliers per LOT. However, the Contracting Authority reserves the right to increase or decrease these numbers according to market conditions, tender responses and the need to ensure the delivery of best value.
Lot 1 – Company Credit Checks.
Lot 2 – Person Checks.
Lot 3 – Employee Checks.
Lot 4 – Debt Prioritisation and Collection services.
Information about lots
Lot No: 1 Lot title: Company Credit Checks
79212400, 66000000
Taking the above into account this Agreement is to be populated with a number of CRA’s who can deliver the necessary information that will allow the organisation, as part of its risk management process, the information it requires.
79212400
Public Sector bodies and organisations are a major target for the fraudster, who might be claiming for a range of benefits that they are not entitled – Social Security fraud for example. With the UK Government announcing budgetary restraints and cut it’s increasingly important to identify fraudulent and deceptive claims or claimants before any benefit is delivered and also to identify any existing benefit claims and payments that have been obtained through fraud or deception and to take appropriate action to reclaim the benefits and where appropriate prosecute those who make such claims. SSFA legislation outlines the provisions that Government bodies should follow in obtaining information about individuals in order to make a provision for the restriction of benefits for fraudulent claims and proceedings for such offences.
This LOT is solution led and may differ dependent on the requirement of the Participating Authority. The Supplier will be expected to work with the Participating Authority to develop a solution that fits the needs of the business.
Taking the above into account this Agreement is to be populated with a number of CRA’s who can deliver the necessary information that will allow an organisation, as part of its risk management and fraud prevention processes, the information it requires.
Basic Requirement – To help a Participating Authority identify fraud and fraudulent activity the Supplier will be expected to work with the Authority to carry out a range of checks and searches on named individuals or groups as requested and directed by the Authority. These checks may include but not be limited to:
— identity checks,
— contact detail (address, telephone numbers etc),
— residency checks (rights to reside in the UK),
— tenancy checks,
— bank account details,
— credit ratings,
— payment record (i.e. credit card defaults, loan defaults, mortgage defaults etc),
— income checks,
— evidence of housing fraud or similar fraud,
— permit to work checks,
— single person discount checks.
The detail obtained by the Participating Authority from the CRA in relation to any Person Checks shall be used to obtain, by any and all legal means available to it, the return of any benefit already delivered, to refuse any fraudulent or deceptive claim and to pursue through a court of law any target who it believes is undertaking criminal activity in respect of the subject of the request for information.
79212400
Taking the above into account this Agreement is to be populated with a number of CRA’s who can deliver the necessary information that will allow the organisation, as part of its risk management process, the information it requires.
Basic Requirement – The Supplier will be expected to carry out the following checks on job applicants at the request of the Participating Authority. These checks may include but not be limited to:
— CV validation (qualification, job verification),
— identity checks,
— bank account validation,
— background checks,
— financial probity,
— rights to work.
The detail obtained by the Participating Authority from the CRA in relation to any Employee Check shall be used in conjunction with its recruitment process in order to ascertain the suitability of a candidate for the role or position advertised or offered.
79212400, 66000000
Taking the above into account this LOT is to be populated with a number of organisations who can deliver the necessary information that will allow the organisation, as part of its risk management process, the information it requires.
Basic Requirement – The Supplier will be expected to work with a Participating Authority to assist in developing a strategy for dealing with this important aspect of its business activity.
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
(a) is bankrupt or is being wound up, where his affairs are being administered by the court, where he has entered into an arrangement with creditors, where he has suspended business activities or is in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure under national laws and regulations;
(b) is the subject of proceedings for a declaration of bankruptcy, for an order compulsory winding up the administration by the court or of an arrangement with creditors or of any other similar proceedings under national laws and regulations;
(c) has been convicted by a judgment which has the force of res judicata in accordance with the legal provisions of the country of any offence concerning his professional conduct;
(d) has been guilty of grave professional misconduct proven by any means which the contract authorities can demonstrate;
(e) has not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which he is established or with those of the country of the contracting authority;
(f) has not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which he is established or with those of the country of the contracting authority;
(g) is guilty of serious misrepresentation in supplying the information required under this Section or has not supplied such information;
(h) has been the subject of a conviction for participation in a criminal organization, as defined in Article 2(1) of Council Joint Action 98/733/JHA;
(i) has been the subject of a conviction for corruption, as defined in Article 3 of the Council Act of 26.5.1972 and Article 3(1) of Council Joint Action 98/742/JHA3 respectively;
(j)has been the subject of a conviction for fraud within the meaning of Article 1 of the Convention relating to the protection of the financial interests of the European Communities;
(k) has been the subject of a conviction for money laundering, as defined in Article 1 of Council Directive 91/308/EEC of 10.6.1991 on prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering.
Section IV: Procedure
Section VI: Complementary information
Any questions or clarifications must be submitted through the ProContract portal no later than 14th May 2012. The Contracting Authority will endeavour to answer all questions and clarification requests prior to the submission date, however those received after the 14.5.2012 may not be answered.
This opportunity will be completed electronically via ProContract, a site run by Due North. Interested organisations should go to www.businessportal.southeastiep.gov.uk to register and express interest. Once you have successfully expressed interest via the portal you will be sent an email directing you to the ProContract site from which you will be able to access and download the invitation to tender documentation and any other relevant information. This email should be retained, as it will contain your direct link to the ProContract portal, for information purposes only the link is www.businessportal.southeastiep.gov.uk/procontract/supplier.nsf do not use this link now.
Tenderers should also note that final submissions must be made via ProContract, no other submission route is permitted. Failure to follow this path may result in the tender submission being disregarded.
All documents pertaining to this opportunity will be available for download via the ProContract portal from the outset. Please ensure you are able to download all files immediately after accessing the ProContract portal.
It is not envisaged that the tender process leading to the creation of the Agreement will involve an electronic auction process. However, Participating Authorities may elect to execute an electronic auction as part of any future mini competitions under this Agreement.