Investigation services

Tender description

The East Midlands Region of Police Forces (EMR) currently contracts for external forensic analytical services through a national framework which is maintained by the Home Office. These contracts were let 5 years ago and the framework has since expired. During the last 5 years, the market place has changed considerably. Not only have Police Forces seen a dramatic shift in supply and demand with significant reductions in volumes in certain areas, prices have become more competitive and delivery of innovation by suppliers in key areas has progressed. Whilst the EMR could continue to extend +1 year up to a maximum of 10 years, the contracting authorities made up of the EMR of police forces find themselves in a position whereby the re-tendering of these contracts will not only deliver much needed cashable savings for the region, but also improve effectiveness of service delivery by refocusing service provision requirements. All contracting entities specified in this Contract Notice therefore wish to conduct a new procurement and subsequently enter into a Contract for the future provision of external forensic analysis Services to the East Midlands Region of Police Forces. The new Contract will be for a period of 7 years initially with the option to extend the contract for further periods up to a maximum of 36 months. The Police and Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire is managing this procurement process in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the ‘Regulations’) and the services are being procured through the competitive procedure with negotiation (CPN), on behalf of the Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables stated at Section l.4) of this Contract Notice. The procurement is being conducted as a Competitive Procedure with Negotiation (CPN). The Police and Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire reserves the right to: i) Award a contract on the basis of initial tenders without negotiation; and ii) Conduct negotiations in successive stages with tenderers on the initial and subsequent tenders submitted by them, except for the final tender, to improve their content. Whilst the Police and Crime Commissioner for Derbyshire is identified as the contracting authority at Section 1) herein for procurement purposes, all contracting entities made up of the 5 Police and Crime Commissioners and 5 Chief Constables listed at Section l.4) herein shall jointly be referred to as the Customer and enter into this Contract jointly with the suppliers. The Customer intends to enter into contract with a single contracting vehicle for the provision of these Services, which may include a consortium of suppliers formed to make a single contracting vehicle for the purposes of subsequently servicing this Contract. The full extent of external forensic analysis services required to be provided as part of this Contract are detailed within the Invitation to Tender documentation and this includes both Minimum Requirements and requirements which are subject to negotiation between the parties as part of the CPN procurement process. The Minimum Requirements are stated within the Memorandum of Information (MOI) issued at the outset of this procurement along with this Contract Notice. The Contract awarded will allow for innovation and continuous development as part of the requirements, TUPE will apply in respect of any Contract awarded unless advised otherwise by the existing contractors. The achieving of year on year savings will be fundamental to the performance and delivery of this Contract. The Contracting Authority reserves the right at any time to cease this tendering process and/ or not to award a contract.