'<REMOVED>'

Tender description

Summary of the work '<REMOVED>' Expected Contract Length '<REMOVED>' Latest start date '<REMOVED>' Budget Range '<REMOVED>' Why the Work is Being Done '<REMOVED>' Problem to Be Solved '<REMOVED>' Who Are the Users '<REMOVED>' Early Market Engagement '<REMOVED>' Existing Team '<REMOVED>' Current Phase '<REMOVED>' Skills & Experience '<REMOVED>' Nice to Haves '<REMOVED>' Work Location '<REMOVED>' Working Arrangments '<REMOVED>' Security Clearance '<REMOVED>' Additional T&Cs '<REMOVED>' No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 0 Proposal Criteria '<REMOVED>' Cultural Fit Criteria '<REMOVED>' Payment Approach '<REMOVED>' Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 0% Cultural fit 0% Price 0% Questions from Suppliers 1. Can you take us through the stages of the bidding process? *due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B, C, etc. Part A: Formal framework questions run until 11 April 2022 at midnight• All Q&A will be answered on 12 April 2022• The opportunity closes on 18 April 2022 at midnight. Allow plenty of time to submit in case of technical issues. Late tenders will be commercially non-complaint and automatically fail. • Commercial will sift the initial tender responses to ensure they are commercially compliant. To pass this initial sift: All questions must be answered. Availability Date must be no later than 20 Jun 2022. The tender must have been submitted on time via the Digital Market Place portal. 2. Can you take us through the stages of the bidding process?*Answers are broken down in to parts A,B & C, etc due to length of answer. Part B: The responses are sent to Navy Digital technical evaluators (Mix of MOD and Crown Commercial Servant)• Scores are generated and returned to commercial who will then ascertain the three highest scoring commercially compliant tenderers from the 'initial evaluation'. Where there are tied top scorers, the tender submissions will be technically moderated. If there remains tied top scoring resulting in excess of three top scorers, they will all be taken through to the next round. 3. Can you take us through the stages of the bidding process?*due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B,C, etc. Part C:• The top three suppliers who have been successful at this initial evaluation are then notified by email. Those who are unsuccessful will also be notified. • The successful suppliers will be invited to the next stage of the competition. In this they will submit a proposal, a presentation for their proposal, work histories and all items as requested within the supplementary information document (to be provided at notification of successful down-select). • Presentations will last 90 minutes (45 minutes for presentation, and 45 minutes for questions) 4. Can you take us through the stages of the bidding process?*due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B,C, etc. Part D:To assist successfully down-selected suppliers with the next phase of the competition, the Authority will provide: 1. A Service Levels and Volumes document outlining the work strands to be undertaken. 2. A work history template 3. A proposal submission template 4. A supplementary information document which contains advice on: a. the expected proposal content breakdown, b. cultural fit explanation, c. pricing explanation, d. the Cyber Risk Assessment requirements, e. details of any supplier statements that are required. 5. Can you take us through the stages of the bidding process?*due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B,C, etc. Part E:• For the 'initial evaluation' the technical evaluators (Military and Civil Servant) meet internally to conduct an evaluation of the data submitted to the Digital Market place. These are scored against all of the essential, nice to have, and cultural, advert criteria. They are marked on a rating system 0 = not met, 1 = partially met, 2 = fully met, and in exceptional circumstances 3 = exceeded may be awarded. 6. Can you take us through the stages of the bidding process?*due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B,C, etc. Part F:• For the 'proposal evaluation'. Prior to the presentation day, the technical evaluators (Military and Civil Servant) conduct an independent review of the technical proposal data submitted to the Commercial Officer. These are provisionally marked as outlined above. This scoring will then be reviewed and moderated by individual technical evaluators when they have heard the presentation on the presentation day and questioned the supplier. Only information submitted by the supplier in their tender will be evaluated. Present known commitments or services falling outside the degree of detail provided within a tender submission, will not be evaluated. 7. Can you take us through the stages of the bidding process?*due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B,C, etc. • Overall Consensus Evaluation. After initial technical tender evaluation, technical proposal evaluation and post supplier presentations, the technical evaluators will meet to perform a consensus evaluation. The methodology is detailed at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-score-digital-outcomes-and-specialists-suppliers• Social Values will be broadly assessed within the Cultural Fit scores, undertaken at both the initial evaluation, proposal evaluation, and agreed on the final consensus evaluation.• The evaluation criteria will be performed, and moderated as per the DOS scoring guidelines applicable to ‘outcomes’ at paragraphs 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9 at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-score-digital-outcomes-and-specialists-suppliers 8. Can you take us through the stages of the bidding process?*due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B,C, etc. Part H:• The initial evaluation scores and Consensus evaluation scores are returned to the Commercial officer.The Technical and Cultural scores of the 'initial evaluation' and 'consensus evaluation' will be added together respectively. The Price submissions will be ascertained as per the Bidders Supplemental Information Document, and then the weightings will be applied as per the tender advert. 9. Dues TUPE apply to this requirement? TUPE does not apply. As such, CCS mandatory Terms and Conditions Call-Off Schedule 2 (Staff Transfer) 3.2 Part C will be included in this contract. 10. Are there any additional services or changes to scope expected throughout the duration of the contracted service? *due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B,C, etc. Part A: Any changes to scope would require financial approvals and contract amendment. There was a hook in our prior communications that; ‘systems that come in throughout the course of the contract’ will be considered in-scope. Whatever the case, we would talk to the supplier to ascertain how this was to be serviced. Funding would be sought, and if approved a contract amendment would be conducted to align the updated scope with the contract Scheme of Work. A Service Levels and Volumes document will be provided to down-selected tenderers at the next phase. 11. Are there any additional services or changes to scope expected throughout the duration of the contracted service? *due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B,C, etc. Part B:One change which may occur during the contract period (subject to additional funding and contract amendment) is c2 x specialist support to grow the footprint of a new C4ISR capability that has been installed at HMNB Clyde that uses the ATAK Android SW. There is also anticipated growth in RMB Stonehouse to support a similar bespoke system in that area. Both would be subject to contract amend. 12. Noting the requirements for security, is it possible to have a blend of staff cleared to Security Check and Developed Vetting (DV)? The MOD is unique on this and a high number of individuals working on this project will need administrative access to Secret and Above Secret systems. Administrative rights attract higher security levels and direct us to insist on a DV for those with admin access. DV is required for all staff delivering service at the Service Commencement Date (01 Aug 2022). Without DV cleared individuals, suppliers will not be able to provide the required services. 13. Does the authority anticipate that most of the work will be based out of Portsmouth?*due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B,C, etc. Services are based out of MCSU Portsdown where the core systems are located. Some of these services are supporting ships deployed around the world and there are occasions when site visits are required to operational areas overseas. There is also a small team located in Northwood and an individual at Faslane. 14. Does the authority anticipate that most of the work will be based out of Portsmouth?*due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B,C, etc. Part B:In addition to the services currently held in Part A (Q13);Subject to contract amendment and financial approval, the Faslane component may grow during the contract period in order to support a new local system at that site. The potential additional service could potentially be circa 2xFTE. Subject to contract amendment and financial approval, there is also anticipated growth in RMB Stonehouse to support a similar bespoke system in that area. The resourcing for this has not yet been confirmed. 15. What is the required team size at Northwood? 3 FTE working shifts to provide 24/7 assistance. 16. Are the required service levels stipulated in the Supplier Pack following the initial successful supplier Down-Select stage? Yes, this will be provided for those successful at down-select. 17. This requirement last came out in 2019, has there been any changes / enhancements to it since then? There have been changes. A Service Levels and Volumes document will be provided to assist down-selected tenderers in their proposal submission. This will contain the services to be delivered and will provide an indication of the Scheme of Work to be delivered for the future contract. 18. How is the score of '3' exceeded awarded? The score of exceeded (3) should be rarely awarded and given only in exceptional circumstances where not only has the answer exceeded the met criteria, but the answer provided is also entirely relevant to the question asked and exceeding in all domains of the subject matter contents. 19. Who should I provide for the work histories and how is it marked? Suppliers are invited to offer illustrative Workforce Histories to support their case for delivery of the service. A template will be provided.Work histories are used as an illustrative tool to understand the available SQEP which could be provided to deliver the service. There is no specified Authority scoring for this section, however the contents are considered within both the technical and cultural scores. The work histories are also considered when looking for required qualifications and skills within specific technical questions. Cultural fit, and Social Values such as diversity and inclusion will also be considered when looking at the Work_Histories. 20. How will T&S be charged and payments made throughout the contract? The contract value will include all T&S, to be invoiced as actuals in line with MoD T&S rates. Foreign travel will require Authority approval before these costs are met. T&S throughout the contract will be limited to a maximum liability which will be advised within the Bidders Supplemental Information pack at down select. In addition, MOD travel rates will be provided. The service delivery will be receipted and invoiced via C,P&F and EXOSTAR using the method of Capped time and materials. 21. Will an implementation plan be required during the transition phase? Yes, in accordance with DOS 5 Call-Off Schedule 13 , a draft implementation plan will be required within the transition phase, not later than 20 days prior to the Service Delivery commencement date of 01 Aug 2022. Full Implementation Plans shall be required within the service transition phase. Not later than ten (10) Working Days prior to the Service Delivery Commencement Date the Supplier shall prepare and deliver the final entry plan to the Buyer for the Buyer’s written approval. 22. Are there any additional requirements for the personnel delivered to perform the service?*due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B,C, etc. Part A:The supplier will be required to ensure that those personnel delivering the service:1. Are a UK National; 2. Hold DV clearance;3. Are suitably qualified and experienced and available to work immediately from the service commencement date;4. Seek to stay in post for not less than one year. In the event that personnel delivering the service leave, the contractor will ensure that there is no loss in continuity of service.5. Hold a valid UK Driving Licence 23. Are there any additional requirements for the personnel delivered to perform the service?*due to length of answer response is broken down in to parts A,B,C, etc. Part B:The Contractor shall endeavour to provide the Authority with Service continuity wherever possible and shall ensure that a robust handover process is completed between personnel where possible; or to the Authority / another Contractor. As part of any handover process, the contractor shall submit CVs to the Authority, of the candidate(s) that are to deliver the service and the Authority reserves the right to reject unsuitable candidates. 24. In relation to cultural fit, what is the word count for each question and please could you advise where I can find information on Social Values? Emphasis on Social Value should be incorporated into the answers submitted at the ‘Cultural Fit’ element of the tender submission. This will then be evaluated within the 10% of marks afforded to ‘Cultural fit’. The word count for the Cultural Fit Statements is 100 words per question, and this word count is separate from the Proposal word count.Further information can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/940828/Social-Value-Model-Quick-Reference-Table-Edn-1.1-3-Dec-20.pdf" 25. Will this be assessed as inside IR35? It is not expected that IR35 will apply. An assessment will be made after the winning supplier has been selected and assurances are obtained relating to IR35. 26. Is there a Cyber Risk Assessment? The Cyber Risk Level for this requirement is 'very low'. Suppliers that are down selected will be required to complete a SAQ. 27. Is there an incumbent supplier in the role? There is a supplier delivering the current service. 28. Will there be any performance indicators within the contract? Yes, there will be performance management measures within this contract. These will be clarified later in the tender competition. 29. Could tenderers be considered non-compliant and subsequently be excluded from the competition? Yes. The Authority reserves the right to consider tenderers non-compliant if their points are below 2 on any essential criteria. Tenderers may also be considered non-compliant if their proposed start date is after the required start date or if their pricing is above the stated budget. Non-compliant tenderers will be excluded from the competition and their total technical evaluation points will be 0. 30. Please clarify the difference between the start dates 20 Jun 22 and the 1 Aug 2022? The tender stipulates the Latest start date as: Monday 20 June 2022, this is the date which all suppliers must agree that they will be available to commence the service transition period (should this be required). Any suppliers with availability dates after this date will be deemed commercially non-compliant. The Service Delivery Start date of 1 Aug 2022 is the date which the supplier must be fully transitioned, and start full service delivery. 31. Please outline the predicted timeline for this tender? The below dates are indicative, however the Authority may alter these dates in the course of the tender:a. 4 Apr 22 Publish Tender b. 7 Apr 22 Q&A telephone session c. 11 Apr 22 Qs Close @ Midnightd. 12 Apr 22 Qs answers published on Digital Marketplace e. 18 Apr 22 Midnight Tender Closef. 27 Apr Initial Down-Select evaluationg. 4 May 22 Notify bidders and provide documents for their proposal/ work history/ Service Levels and Volumes.h. 18 May 22 Proposals and supporting docs due. i. 25 May 22 Presentations 32. Will the T&S element of the contract be ring-fenced? How should T&S be priced? A Service Levels & Volumes document will be provided for successful suppliers after initial down-select. This will provide further clarity regarding a T&S value for the tender. It will also detail the MOD rates for T&S which the contract will also stipulate. 33. Additional cultural fit question have been added in comparison to original competition, are answers for these to be specific to the contract? Additional cultural fit questions have been included since the previous competition for this requirement. This is in line with Government Commercial directives. The whole of the cultural fit section should be answered with emphasis on Social values.The onus is on the Suppliers to individualise their responses and show relevance of Social Values to this contract.A link is also provided in question 24 to assist in understanding the requirements relating to Social Values. 34. Please can you clarify how to answer the Nice to Have criteria questions where it details 'provide_equivalent_skills or experience operating..' ? In the Nice to Have criteria questions where it details 'provide_equivalent_skills or experience operating..' providing either evidence or transferable skills is the correct interpretation for answering this question. Then all answers must outline the suppliers transferable skills to be used to deliver this provision at Service Delivery commencement date. 35. Please can you confirm whether the contract will be based on capped Time and Materials for pricing of the services? Capped Time and Materials for the 28 staff required in the contract will be the basis for a monthly service charge, plus T&S. Pricing will be covered in the Bidders pack, supplied to successful applicants after initial down-select. 36. Can suppliers ask clarification questions which are asked under the caveat of being 'Commercially Sensitive', and therefore not published for all to see? It is MOD policy that the Authority reserves the right to decide whether a questions should be shared to other suppliers for transparency purposes, in doing so it would be paraphrased so to protect the anonymity of the asking supplier and their proposal. However, if the supplier stipulates the questions sensitivity at the outset and would like the option to see the paraphrased question before committing to its publication and therefore receive an answer, this can be accommodated. If the supplier then feels the paraphrased question not to be suitable, they can elect not to receive an answer. 37. Could the customer team please provide some background information on the Honeystone System (HS)? HS is a Above Secret Telephony system. configurable by VoSIP and dependant on the LIS Server it is configured by secure IP and interdependent with JCDX.A simple secure IP system which uses LIS as the bearer. In terms of volumes of work this could be considered the same as LIS and more often than not the systems are on/off loaded at the same time. 38. Could the customer team please provide some background information on the Operational Analysis Recording System? The Operational Analysis Recording System is under a technical refresh, sometimes referred to as Mirra or Red box Pro this system can be found in both the T23 class of ships plus the two LPD`s.The primary purpose of the system is to support flight safety as it records the Plain language voice circuits prepared for operating all kinds of aircraft, both fixed and rotary wing.Digital media alongside a dedicated laptop are used to record voice telephony as required in ships to comply with aviation law. 39. The submission deadline is midnight on Easter Monday. We lose two days of the stage 1 period to bank holidays. And we have further challenges with absenteeism due to the usual Easter period uptake of annual leave. Please can you consider at least a 24 hour extension of time to help us manage these challenges? When we advertise the DOS competitions in the Digital Marketplace the timescale for the first stage is automatically set at 14 days, so we cannot extend the initial return date as we are unable to amend the end date in the Digital Marketplace system.