Funicular Health and Safety Advisory Services

Tender description

This contract award notice refers to two contracts awarded to Sequs: 1.Funicular Control System Authorisation (GBP 42,952) 2. Stage 2 for Stage 2 Funicular Strengthening Authorisation (GBP 21,614) - publishing this contract as a combined CAN as there has been previous spend with Sequs. The contracts will expire on 31 January 2023. HIE have recently been advised by the Department of Transport that a full safety authorisation process, under the cableway regulations, is necessary for the implementation of the Funicular control system replacement. HIE also requires the supplier to provide advisory support for the Funicular Strengthening Authorisation which is concerned with the funicular viaduct strengthening authorisation process prior to re-entering into service. To date Sequs having been supporting HIE in the statutory recertification process and safety case for the Department for Transport. This Stage 1 process completed in March 2022. These two new contracts will provide further advisory services required for the two aspects of the funicular system. It is critical that the same specialist consultant advises on all matters relating to the funicular and its control system to ensure alignment. A change in supplier would cause significant inconvenience and/or substantial duplication of costs to HIE and could critically undermine either safety case processes and could result in a prolonged reapproval process or a failure to secure the necessary approval. Regulation 6b of The Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016 allows for a contract to be awarded without further competition: “A contracting authority may award a public contract without seeking offers in relation to the proposed contract—(b) where the works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator for any of the following reasons— (ii) competition is absent for technical reasons; but only, in the case of paragraphs (ii) where no reasonable alternative or substitute exists and the absence of competition is not the result of an artificial narrowing down of the parameters of the procurement;” HIE considers this requirement is satisfied by both contract: Sequs has gained valuable knowledge of the project and a change of supplier would cause significant inconvenience and/or substantial duplication of costs to HIE. In addition, that the only other suitable UK-based supplier is already acting on behalf of the UK Department of Transport in assessing the safety case for the funicular in which case it would not be appropriate to approach them as this would create a conflict of interest. Also, the need and the extent/value of the control systems authorisation was confirmed in March 2022 and in order to enable the funicular to be re-instated in a timeous manner, it was critical to directly award this element of work to Sequs.