Print specification. For external print tender Paul Rainbow

Transcription

1 Print specification For external print tender Paul Rainbow

2 1970 British Cohort Study Age 46 Survey Analysis of blood samples TENDER UCL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON 20 BEDFORD WAY LONDON WC1H 0AL Compiled JULY 2015 Document Ref: Document Revision. Status: Prepared: CLSMCBA For Tender GA/MB

3 Invitation to Tender

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW PURPOSE, OVERVIEW AND NEXT STEPS FOR POTENTIAL BIDDERS EVALUATION OF ITT PROCUREMENT RULES CONTRACT AWARD INSTRUCTIONS ON COMPLETING THE ITT ADMINISTRATION SERVICE SPECIFICATION BIDDER RESPONSE SECTION FINANCE COMPLIANT BID REQUIREMENTS GA.MR Page 4

5 1 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 1.1 Introduction The Institute of Education is known throughout the world as the UK's premier institution for the education and training of teachers and for the conduct of educational and social research. That reputation has been gained and sustained over a period of 100 years. It has an annual turnover of 70m, which is forecast to grow to circa 80m over the next 5 years. The Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) is an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) resource centre responsible for running four of Britain s internationally-renowned cohort studies National Child Development Study 1970 British Cohort Study Millennium Cohort Study Next Steps (previously known as the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England) The IOE s Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) is now seeking proposals from laboratories to analyse blood samples collected during the Age 46 survey of the 1970 British Cohort Study. The IOE s Centre for Longitudinal Studies has set an affordability threshold for this project at 92,225 (inclusive of VAT). 1.2 Background and Context to the BCS70 Requirement The service specification provided sets out the BCS70 Age 46 Survey requirements in terms of analysis of blood samples. This procurement is subject to the UCL IOE procurement regulations, the open procedure will be adopted similarly to OJEU requirements for accelerated open tender. The Institute intends to accept the most economically advantageous offer and, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to accept or reject all or any part of any offer. All details have been included in good faith. All information supplied to bidders by the Institute of Education in connection with this procurement exercise shall be regarded as confidential 1.3 Objectives of the Procurement To obtain the highest quality analysis of blood samples; and To achieve best value for money. 1.4 Scope of services The scope of the work required is detailed in the service specification. Administration Page 5 of 32

6 1.5 Contract Terms As detailed in section the main stage of data collection will be preceded by a dress rehearsal in January/February It is proposed that the contract will be reviewed in March 2016, following the dress rehearsal and would terminate on poor performance but would continue to the end upon both parties agreement of the review. 1.6 Critical Success Factors The Institute is looking for the Provider to meet the following Critical Success Factors (CSFs): Technical Capacity Experience of processing and storing blood samples; Quality Evidence of robust processing and storage procedures; and Value for money and affordability The processing and storage must be affordable and provide VFM 2. PURPOSE, OVERVIEW AND NEXT STEPS FOR POTENTIAL BIDDERS 2.1 Purpose The Invitation to Tender (ITT) provides: An overview of the Institute Procurement process; Rules and instructions on completing the ITT; The specific information and requirements for this Procurement; and Requests for responses from Bidders. The purpose of the ITT is to provide Bidders with sufficient information on the BCS70 Age 46 survey processing and storage of blood samples requirement to enable them to compile a comprehensive Bid that meets the Institute of Education Procurement CSFs set out in Section 1.6 of this ITT. This service is being procured under the IOE standing financial Instructions and EU procurement regulations. 2.2 Overview of the ITT Stage This section provides an overview of the Institute of Education Procurement process. The table in Section 2.3 sets out a summary of this process and an indicative timetable. The results of the evaluation of the ITT will determine which Potential Bidder is selected. For the purpose of this Procurement, the Institute of Education Standing Financial Instructions EU Procurement legislations will be adopted. Administration Page 6 of 32

7 2.3 Timetable for ITT stage Reference Stage Description Dates 1 ITT issue ITT issued to Bidders. 31 st July ITT confirmation of receipt Bidders to confirm receipt of the ITT using 7 th August 2015 the ITT Receipt Form. 3 ITT Bidder due diligence stage Period when Bidders may carry out due diligence on information provided in the ITT. 7 th August 2015 to 21 st August ITT Bidder clarification stage Period when Bidders may request 7 th August 2015 to clarification on the ITT. 21 st August ITT Bidder response stage Period when Bidders must compile their offer in the required format and then submit them by the due date. 7 th August 2015 to 11 th September ITT Bid evaluation Period when Bids will be evaluated. During this period the Institute may ask Bidders questions in order to clarify information set out in their Bids. 11th September to 18 th September Feedback Bidders informed of Decision. 18 th September Cooling off period Alcatel period 18 th September 2015 to 28 th September Award and Purchase Official notification and procurement of lab. 29 th September Next Steps for Bidders Confirmation of Receipt By no later than 17:00 on 07 August 2015, Bidders must sign and return a completed ITT Receipt Form using the template provided at Annex A to this ITT. The ITT Receipt Form: Confirms Bidder s name; Confirms intention to submit an ITT response; and Confirms details of the Authorised Representative of the Bidder The completed ITT Receipt Form must be sent via by the deadline above to: Name: Gregory Alake Head of Contract and Procurement address: tender@ioe.ac.uk Bidder Due Diligence Stage During the ITT Bidder due diligence stage, Bidders may wish to conduct due diligence on certain aspects of the information provided in the ITT. Administration Page 7 of 32

8 The ITT Bidder due diligence stage will be from 07 August 2015 to 5.00pm on 21 st August Bidders must contact Emma Nixon, Project Officer, on for technical information Bidder Clarification Stage The objective of the ITT Bidder clarification stage is to give Bidders the opportunity to submit questions to the Institute where they require clarification on the information contained in the ITT. The Bidder clarification stage will be from 07 August 2015 to 5.00pm on 21 st August The Institute of Education will not respond to clarification questions received after the expiry of this period. Bidders must submit clarification questions on the ITT Clarification Question Template provided at Annex B. Bidders may ask as many clarification questions as they wish. Completed ITT Clarification Question should be sent by to: Name: Gregory Alake Head of Contracts and Procurement address: The IOE will endeavour to respond to each clarification question received during the Bidder clarification stage within two (2) business days of receipt. In order to treat Bidders fairly, Institute of Education will provide an anonymised copy of any clarification questions, and the answers to those questions, to all Bidders. The IOE Procurement Department will respond to all outstanding questions and requests no later than 5.00pm on 25 th August Should Bidders wish to avoid the disclosure of such a request (for example, on the basis that the request or response contains commercially confidential information or may give another Bidder a commercial advantage), then the request must be clearly marked "In confidence not to be circulated to other Bidders", and the Bidder must set out the reason(s) for the request for nondisclosure to other Bidders. In responding to such requests the IOE reserve the right to act in what it considers a fair manner and in the best interests of the Procurement which may include circulating the response to all Bidders Bidder Response The ITT Bidder response stage will be from 7th August 2015 until noon on 11th September Administration Page 8 of 32

9 Bidders must submit their ITT response before noon on 11 September (The date and time of the receipt in the tender mail box will be recorded). The IOE reserves the right not to consider any ITT response received after the deadline stated above and failure to submit a response by the deadline may result in the disqualification of the Bidder from participating in this Procurement. Bidders should compile responses in accordance with this ITT which gives detailed requirements for the format and content of responses. 3 EVALUATION OF ITT 3.1 Timing The evaluation stage will be between 11 September 2015 and 18 September IOE Clarification Questions The Institute of Education reserves the right to require Bidders to clarify any part of their ITT submissions in writing. Any such request will be made by e- mail to the Bidder s nominated representative. Such clarifications questions do not seek to elicit additional information to that initially requested, nor give Bidders an opportunity to correct incomplete or otherwise non-compliant submissions. Response to a clarification question will be required from the nominated representative of the Bidder within two working days of request, unless there is a justifiable reason why a delay would be incurred in submission of the response. Failure to respond adequately or in a timely manner to clarification questions may result in a Bidder not being considered further in the Procurement. 3.3 Stages of Evaluation ITT responses will be evaluated using the process and criteria as detailed below. Bidders should note that the Institute reserves the right to vary the selection procedure to support continued competition, avoid unnecessary bidding costs, and adhere to subsequent technical or legal guidance, or for other reasons, at their sole discretion. The evaluation of ITT responses will consist of two stages as outlined below: Stage 1 - Preliminary Compliance Review Stage 2 - detailed evaluation of:- (a) Quality (b) Cost and Affordability Stage 1 Preliminary Compliance Review The information supplied in the ITT response by each Bidder will be checked for completeness and compliance with the requirements of the ITT before responses are evaluated. The preliminary compliance review will check that submissions: Administration Page 9 of 32

10 answer all questions (or explain satisfactorily if considered not applicable); and are made in the format, medium and quantity requested. Where in the opinion of the Institute a response is non-compliant, the Bidder may be disqualified. In this event, further evaluation of the ITT will not be undertaken, and the Bidder will not be taken any further in the Procurement of this scheme Stage 2 Detailed Evaluation (a) Quality (80%) At this stage Bidders will be evaluated against their responses in respect of quality of product and suitability for our study. Bidders will be evaluated against their answers to questions grouped in the categories below. The criteria and weightings for this stage of the evaluation will be:- Category Allocated Points Organisational quality assurance and standards 10 Understanding of Requirements 30 Technical & Functional Requirements 30 Experience of providing similar services and how 10 this will benefit performance on this project (b) PRICE (20%) Cost and Affordability Financial offers will be assessed to determine cost and affordability. The criteria and weightings for this stage of the evaluation will be:- Best value 20 points For the quality score, where a provider score 30 out of 80 points available then the weighted percentage for quality will be 30/80 x 80 =30% scored. The same principle will be applied to the price criterion where for example the provider score 10 out of 20 points available then the applicable percentage for that provider will be 10/20 x 20 = 10%. In arriving at the points scored for pricing the institute will evaluate quoted price on the basis of the cheapest price scoring 20 points and the rest on proportion of the difference with the cheapest (as explained in the table below): Administration Page 10 of 32

11 Rank Price quoted Points Allocated Explanation /10 x 20 = /15 x 20 = /18 x 20= 11 The amount of funding available for this contract is 92,225 (including VAT).. Tenderers are asked to cost the project to the specification provided to allow costs to be compared. If they are not able to deliver the specification for the budget, they are welcome to suggest ways in which the costs of the project could be reduced. However, in the event that it is necessary to reduce the specification of the project, this will be done by the Scientific Leadership Team in consultation with the study s funders. Bidders are asked to specify clearly the range of assumptions over which their price quoted for this work remains valid, in particular in relation to the number of samples to be processed. The tender document must provide absolute clarity in relation to the applicability of VAT charges. Tenderers should indicate whether or not VAT is chargeable and the rate at which it is chargeable. In the event that VAT is not chargeable, the tenderer must provide a clear explanation of the basis of VAT exclusion and record any uncertainties which exist regarding the application of VAT to the tender price, in particular in relation to possible future changes in VAT legislation Stage 3 Selection Following evaluation, the bidder scoring the highest points will be awarded the contract. Bidder Debrief Following contract award the Institute will provide appropriate feedback to unsuccessful Bidders. Administration Page 11 of 32

12 4 PROCUREMENT RULES 4.1 General All documentation and communication shall be in English. By signing the ITT response each Bidder Member warrants that, save as disclosed in writing to the IOE with the bid, any information supplied by it remains true and that it has: Not passed a resolution, nor is it the subject of an order by the court, for the company s winding-up otherwise than for the purposes of bona fide reconstruction or amalgamation, nor has it had a receiver, manager or administrator on behalf of a creditor appointed in respect of its business or any part thereof, nor is it the subject of proceedings for any of the above procedures nor is it the subject of similar procedures under the law of any other states; Not been convicted of a criminal offence relating to the conduct of its business or profession; Not commissioned an act of grave misconduct in the course of its business or profession; Fulfilled its obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions under the laws of England and Wales or the country in which it is established; Fulfilled its obligations relating to the payment of taxes under the laws of England and Wales or the country in which it is established; Not made any material misrepresentation in providing any of the information required in relation to the above; and Not disclosed, copied, reproduced or distributed and will not disclose, copy, reproduce or distribute any information contained in this document or supplied by the IOE, or any advisor to any third party at any time except for the purpose of enabling a response to the ITT to be prepared. Bidders must comply and ensure that their ITT response complies with the provisions set out in the ITT. If any waiver or variation of these provisions is made in writing by the Director of The Institute of Education, this will be binding. Any such waiver or variation will be notified to the Authorised Representative of Bidders. Otherwise, no agent or any other servant or representative of the IOE has the authority to vary or waive any of these provisions on behalf of the IOE. Any bid which fails to comply with the provisions of the ITT and any amendments and/or supplementary information issued subsequent to it, shall be liable to be disqualified and the provisions of this ITT shall apply. 4.2 Bidder Eligibility Regulation 57 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ( Regulation 57 ) sets out the grounds on which an economic operator must normally be deemed ineligible to tender for, or be awarded a public contract. The IOE reserves the right to reject Bidders if they fall within one of the ineligibility criteria set out in Regulation 57. Administration Page 12 of 32

13 Rejection under Regulation 57 (1) is normally mandatory when an economic operator has been convicted of any of the following offences: a) Conspiracy within the meaning of Section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 where that conspiracy relates to participation in a criminal organisation as defined in Article 2(1) of Council Joint Action 98/733/JHA; b) Corruption within the meaning of Section 1 of the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889 or Section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906; c) The offence of bribery; for the purpose of this clause, the meaning of adequate procedures and foreign public official and whether a person is associated with another person shall be determined in accordance with section 7(2) of the Bribery Act 2010 (and any guidance issued under section 9 of that Act), section 6(5) and 6(6) of that Act and section 8 of that Act respectively. d) Fraud, where the offence relates to fraud affecting the financial interests of the European Communities as defined by Article 1 of the Convention relating to the protection of the financial interests of the European Union, within the meaning of :- e) (i) The offence of cheating the Revenue; (ii) The offence of conspiracy to defraud; (iii) Fraud or theft within the meaning of the Theft Act 1968 and the Theft Act 1978; (iv) Fraudulent trading within the meaning of Section 458 of the Companies Act 1985; (v) Defrauding the Customs within the meaning of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 and the Value Added Tax Act 1994; (vi) Destroying, defacing or concealing of documents or procuring the extension of a valuable security within the meaning of Section 20 of the Theft Act 1968; (vii) An offence in connection with taxation in the European Community within the meaning of Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 1993; or (e) Money laundering within the meaning of the Money Laundering Regulations 2003; or (f) Any other offence within the meaning of Article 45(1) of Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 as defined by the national law of any relevant State For the purposes of this Procurement and on the basis of the grounds in Regulation 57 Part 1 a Bidder may be deemed to be ineligible to tender where: (a) your organisation has violated applicable obligations referred to in regulation 56 (2) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in the fields of environmental, social and labour law established by EU law, national law, collective agreements or by the international environmental, social and labour law provisions listed in Annex X to the Public Contracts Directive as amended from time to time; (b) your organisation is bankrupt or is the subject of insolvency or winding-up proceedings, where your assets are being administered by a liquidator or by the court, where it is in an arrangement with creditors, where its business activities are suspended or it is in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure under the laws and regulations of any State; (c) your organisation is guilty of grave professional misconduct, which renders its integrity questionable; Administration Page 13 of 32

14 (d) your organisation has entered into agreements with other economic operators aimed at distorting competition; (e) your organisation has a conflict of interest within the meaning of regulation 24 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 that cannot be effectively remedied by other, less intrusive, measures; (f) the prior involvement of your organisation in the preparation of the procurement procedure has resulted in a distortion of competition, as referred to in regulation 41, that cannot be remedied by other, less intrusive, measures; (g) your organisation has shown significant or persistent deficiencies in the performance of a substantive requirement under a prior public contract, a prior contract with a contracting entity, or a prior concession contract, which led to early termination of that prior contract, damages or other comparable sanctions; (h) your organisation (i) has been guilty of serious misrepresentation in supplying the information required for the verification of the absence of grounds for exclusion or the fulfilment of the selection criteria; or (ii) has withheld such information or is not able to submit supporting documents required under regulation 59 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015; or (i) your organisation has undertaken to (aa) unduly influence the decision-making process of the contracting authority, Or (bb) obtain confidential information that may confer upon your organisation undue advantages in the procurement procedure; or (j) your organisation has negligently provided misleading information that may have a material influence on decisions concerning exclusion, selection or award. In particular (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing) if the Bidder, or any Relevant Organisation, makes a misrepresentation in any part of its dealings with, or responses to the Institute, such Bidder may be disqualified (see this ITT). 4.3 Canvassing and Contacts Subject to this ITT, Bidders and Relevant Organisations shall not in connection with this Procurement: Offer any inducement, fee or reward to any officer or employee of the IOE or any person acting as an advisor to the IOE in connection with this Procurement; or Do anything which would constitute a breach of the Prevention of Corruption Acts as amended by the bribery act 2010; or Canvass any of the persons referred to above in connection with this Procurement; or Except as expressly authorised by the IOE and subject to the provisions of the section below, contact any officer or employee or agent of the IOE about any aspect of this Procurement including (without limitation) for the purposes of discussing the possible transfer to the employment of the Bidder of such employee or officer for the purpose of this procurement or for soliciting information in connection with this Procurement. Subject to this ITT, no attempt should be made to contact the Institute of Education project team office by telephone, nor to contact the Institute of Administration Page 14 of 32

15 Education or the IOE advisers or other bodies as part of the procurement process. Any enquiries made to persons other than the IOE project team will be regarded as prima facie evidence of canvassing. 4.4 Confidentiality and Non-collusion The ITT is intended for the exclusive use of the Bidder and is provided on the express understanding that the ITT and the information contained in it, or in connection with it, will be regarded and treated as strictly confidential. The ITT may not be reproduced in whole or in part nor furnished to any persons other than the Bidder save for the purposes of: Taking legal advice in connection with completing an ITT response; and/or Obtaining information from Relevant Organisations or funders where required expressly by the ITT or otherwise where necessary, and relevant to the Bidder s ITT response; and/or Obtaining the input from any other parties that Bidders demonstrate will provide information relevant to their bid, subject always to the Institute of Education prior written consent to such disclosure (which it can withhold in its absolute discretion) and provided that in, each case, Bidders obtain from such parties prior to such disclosure, confidentiality undertakings of at least equivalent strength to this section. Upon written request from the Institute of Education, Bidders shall promptly provide evidence to the Institute of Education that such undertakings have been provided. Bidders must not disclose to, or discuss any aspect of this ITT, or their bid, with any other Bidder. Any such collusion with another Bidder may constitute an infringement of the Chapter 1 prohibition contained in Section 2(1) of the Competition Act 1998 and the Bidder shall also be liable to disqualification, in which case the provisions of Section 4.8 of this ITT shall apply. 4.5 Conflicts of Interest The IOE requires that all actual or potential conflicts of interest are resolved to the IOE satisfaction prior to the submission of bids. In the event that any actual or potential conflict of interest comes to a Bidder s attention following the submission of its bid, that Bidder should immediately notify the IOE. Without limitation, such conflicts of interest may be perceived by the IOE to arise in circumstances where: A Relevant Organisation or any person employed or engaged by or otherwise connected with a Relevant Organisation is carrying out, or has carried out, any work for the IOE in the last six (6) months; or A Relevant Organisation (or its advisers or any person employed or engaged by it) is potentially providing services for more than one prospective Bidder in respect of this Scheme or this Procurement process; or A Relevant Organisation employs or engages, or has employed or engaged any person currently or formerly employed or engaged by or otherwise connected with the IOE. A conflict of interest shall not be deemed to arise solely by virtue of a person's employment or engagement by the IOE. Administration Page 15 of 32

16 4.6 Bidder Changes Bidders are subject to an ongoing obligation to notify the IOE of any material changes in their financial or other circumstances. This includes, but is not limited to, changes to the identity of Relevant Organisations or sub-contractors or the ownership or financial or other circumstances thereof and solvency of the Bidder. The IOE should be notified of any material change as soon as it becomes apparent. Failure to notify the IOE of any material changes or to comply with any of these provisions may lead to a Bidder being liable for disqualification (in which case the provisions of Section 4.8 shall apply). If a Bidder wishes to change a Relevant Organisation from those recorded in the Bidder s response to the ITT, details must be submitted to the IOE not later than five (5) business days prior to the ITT Bid submission deadline. The Institute of Education reserves the right to refuse to allow such a change and to disqualify any Bidder from further participation in the procurement process in the event that such a change is made, in which case the provisions of Section 4.8 of this ITT shall apply. In exercising its absolute discretion to either refuse or allow such a change, the IOE may take into account whether such change is material to the delivery of the Services. In the event that the IOE is prepared to consider such a change, further evaluation of the Bidder, including its Relevant Organisations, is likely to be required and may result in the IOE refusing to allow the change. 4.7 Changes to the Procurement Process Bidders are reminded that the IOE, at its discretion, reserves the right to vary the procurement process in order to support continued competition, avoid unnecessary costs associated with a Bid and adhere to technical, legal or commercial guidance issued subsequent to the ITT. The IOE reserves the right to: Change dates and times for each stage of the procurement process; and Modify any aspect or stage of the procurement process itself and/or to introduce additional steps or stages into the procurement process in order to maximise VfM solutions and/or procurement efficiencies. The Institute of Education shall notify the Bidders Authorised Representative of any such changes. 4.8 Disqualification of Bidders Bidders, or the Recommended Bidder, acting in contravention of the provisions set out in this ITT or any other information provided by the IOE may, at the sole discretion of the IOE, be disqualified from further participation in this Procurement (without prejudice to any other civil or legal remedies available and without prejudice to any criminal liability which such conduct by a Bidder may attract). For the avoidance of doubt, disqualified Bidders will be excluded from any further participation in the procurement process and in no circumstances will the IOE be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by the disqualified Bidder Administration Page 16 of 32

17 and/or its Relevant Organisations as a result, directly or indirectly, of such disqualification. 4.9 Bidders Advisors Bidders will be responsible for obtaining all information and independent advice that they consider necessary for the preparation of their respective bids. Bidders must make their own independent assessment of this service procurement after making such investigation and taking such professional advice as they deem necessary Bidders Authorised Representative All correspondence relating to this Procurement will be addressed to the Bidders Authorised Representative. The Authorised Representative must have full authority to represent the Bidder and attend any meetings on the Bidder s behalf. The IOE may, at any time, request documentary proof of such authority Availability of Information to Bidders Any information additional to the ITT which the IOE deems necessary for a Bidder to be issued with, will be sent to each Bidder s Authorised Representative. It is the Bidder s responsibility to notify the IOE of any change to the Authorised Representative s name or other contact details. Bidders may request that, for convenience, electronic correspondence be copied to individuals other than their Authorised Representative, but the IOE accepts no liability for this and will consider all information sent to the Authorised Representative to have been received by the Bidder. Where a Bidder intends to use sub-contractors to provide any of the Services, it will be the responsibility of the Bidder to provide such sub-contractors with all necessary information (subject to the provisions relating to confidentiality). 5 CONTRACT AWARD 5.1 Overview Bidders are reminded, that the IOE may vary the procurement process in order to support continued competition, avoid unnecessary costs associated with a Bid and adhere to technical, legal or commercial guidance issued subsequent to the ITT Service Commencement Following contract award and in accordance with the successful Providers mobilisation plan, the IOE and Provider/Installer will work together towards service commencement at the contractually agreed date. 5.3 Right not to Award a Contract The IOE reserves the right in its absolute discretion not to appoint a Recommended Bidder, or where a Recommended Bidder has been appointed, not to award a Contract. In exercising such right, the IOE may consider whether Bidders have failed to provide technically acceptable solutions with a fixed price on agreed contractual terms which offer VfM and are affordable. Administration Page 17 of 32

18 6 INSTRUCTIONS ON COMPLETING THE ITT 6.1 Overview Bidders are advised to carry out the following steps when compiling their ITT response:- Carefully read this ITT; Compile the required responses to this ITT; and Submit their bid in accordance with this section. 6.2 Content of Bid Compliant Bid A bid shall only be Compliant where it: Complies with all of the provisions of this ITT; Includes responses to all questions set out in this ITT; and Is in the required format set out below. Bidders who do not submit a Compliant bid may, at the sole discretion of the IOE be liable to disqualification Information Provided in Bids In evaluating bids, the IOE will only consider information provided in response to this ITT. Bidders should not assume that the IOE has any prior knowledge of the Bidder, its practice or reputation, or its involvement in existing services, projects or procurements. All relevant information required to support the bid should be included in the Bidder s response. Only Documents specific to the bid and provided to the Institute of Education will be considered as part of the bid. General corporate material and non-specific supporting documentation will not be considered. Bidders are responsible for the accuracy of all information concerning Relevant Organisations submitted within their Bid. 6.3 Format of Bid Bidders are requested to send their bids to the IOE mail box tender@ioe.ac.uk; All documentation must include the following header The Institute of Education Analysis of blood samples - Tender All bids must be marked with the Bidder s Name; Electronic responses must be in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) or Microsoft Word ( ). Administration Page 18 of 32

19 7 ADMINISTRATION 7.1 Interpretation In the ITT, except where the context otherwise requires: Words importing one gender include all other genders and words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa; Enactment means any statute or statutory provision (whether of the United Kingdom or elsewhere), subordinate legislation (as defined by s.21(1) Interpretation Act 1978) and any other subordinate legislation made under any such statute or statutory provision; A reference to any enactment shall be construed as including a reference to: o Any enactment which that enactment has directly or indirectly replaced (whether with or without modification); and o That enactment as re-enacted, replaced or modified from time to time, whether before, on or after the date of the ITT. The Table of Contents, Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations, the headings to the sections and sections of the ITT and any Appendices and Annexes hereto are for ease of reference only and shall not affect the construction of the ITT; The Appendices and Annexes of the ITT form part of the ITT and will have the same force and effect as if expressly set out in the body of the ITT; In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of the ITT and any previously issued documents, the provisions of the ITT shall prevail; and The ITT shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law. 7.2 Costs and Expenses All Bidders, Relevant Organisations, funders and any of their respective advisers shall be responsible for all costs incurred by them in connection with all stages of this procurement. Under no circumstances will the IOE or any of their respective advisers be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by a Bidder, its Relevant Organisations, funders and/or their respective advisers arising directly or indirectly from the procurement process or termination thereof, including, without limitation, any changes or adjustments made to the procurement process or documentation or disqualification of a Bidder. 7.3 Freedom of Information The IOE is commissioned to open government and meeting its legal responsibilities under the FOIA. Accordingly, any information created by or submitted to the IOE (including, but not limited to, the information contained in this ITT, clarification questions and responses, and the minutes of meetings between all or any of the Bidders and the Institute of Education) may need to be disclosed by the IOE in response to a request for information. Any persons may make a request for information at any time before or after Contract signature. The IOE may also decide to include certain information in the relevant publication scheme maintained under the FOIA. In making a submission, each Bidder (and each Relevant Organisation) therefore acknowledges and accepts that the information contained therein Administration Page 19 of 32

20 may be disclosed under the FOIA, either without consulting the Bidder or following consultation with the Bidder and having considered its views. Bidders must clearly identify any information supplied in response to this ITT, which they consider to be confidential or commercially sensitive and attach a brief statement of the reasons why, including details of the harm which may result from disclosure and the time period applicable to the sensitivity. Where it is considered that disclosing that information in response to an FOIA could cause a risk to the procurement process or prejudice the commercial interest of any Bidder, the IOE may wish to withhold such information under the FOIA exemption. However, Bidders should be aware that even where a Bidder has indicated that information is commercially sensitive, the Institute of Education is responsible for determining in its absolute discretion whether such information is exempt from disclosure under the FOIA or whether or it must be disclosed. Bidders should therefore note that the receipt by the Institute of any information marked confidential or equivalent does not mean that the Institute of Education accepts any duty of confidence by virtue of that marking, and that the IOE has the final decision regarding the disclosure of any such information in response to a request for information. 7.4 Copyright The copyright in this ITT is vested in the IOE. The ITT may not be reproduced, copied or stored in any medium without the prior written consent of the IOE other than strictly for the purpose of preparing a Bid. 7.5 Disclaimer The information contained in this ITT is presented in good faith and does not purport to be comprehensive or to have been independently verified. Neither the IOE, nor any of their advisers accept any responsibility or liability in relation to its accuracy or completeness or any other information which has been, or which is subsequently, made available to any Bidder, Relevant Organisation, funders or any of their respective advisers, orally or in writing or in whatever media. Bidders, their Relevant Organisations, funders and their respective advisers must therefore take their own steps to verify the accuracy of any information which they consider relevant and are not entitled to rely on any statement or representation made by the IOE or any of their advisers. 7.6 Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations Term Authorised Representative Bid Bidder Description A Bidder s Bidder/ or Bidder s authorised representative named on the ITT Receipt Form submitted in accordance with Section of this ITT and whose role is described in Section 4.10 of this ITT A Bidder/ or Bidder s submission in response to the ITT which is a Compliant Bid A single operating organisation/person that has been invited to participate in the ITT stage and which is bidding for the this procurement Administration Page 20 of 32

21 Term Bidder Guarantor Bidder Member Commencement Date Compliant Bid Contract Contract Manager Contract Year CSFs FOIA / Freedom of Information Act ITT Clarification Question Template ITT Receipt Form Provider Relevant Organisation Services Description An organisation providing a guarantee, indemnity or other undertaking in respect of a Bidder s, or a Bidder Member s, obligations A shareholder or member or proposed shareholder or member in, or controlling entity of, the Bidder and / or that shareholder s or member s or proposed shareholder s or member s ultimate holding company or controlling entity Means the date on which the Contract comes into effect and Services commence pursuant to clause 3.3 of the Contract A Bid as described in Section of this ITT A form of contract to be entered into between the Institute of Education and the Provider for the provision of the Services Means the individual designated as a contract manager Means a period of twelve months commencing on the Commencement Date and on each successive anniversary of the Commencement Date and ending on the day before each successive anniversary of the Commencement Date Critical Success Factors The Freedom of Information Act 2000 and any subordinate legislation made under that Act from time to time, together with any guidance and / or codes of practice issued by the Information Commissioner, the Department of Constitutional Affairs, the Office of Government Commerce and the Institute of Education in relation to such legislation or relevant codes of practice to which the Institute of Education is subject The document to be used by Bidders when submitting a clarification question. The template document is contained in Annex B to this ITT The form to be used by Bidders to confirm their intention to submit an ITT response, to notify the Institute of Education of their Authorised Representative. The template form is contained in Annex A to this ITT The successful Bidder who enters into a contract with the Institute of Education to design the new website An organisation(s) or person connected with a response to an ITT and / or connected with a bid submission including (without limitation): the Bidder; the Provider; each Bidder Guarantor, and each Bidder Member. The services being procured for and on behalf of the Institute of Education in this ITT Staff Means all individuals employed or engaged by the Provider/installation company in the provision of the Services or in any activity connected with the provision of the Services. VfM Value for Money which is the optimum combination of wholelife cost and quality (fitness for purpose) to meet the overall service requirement Administration Page 21 of 32

22 Annex A ITT Receipt Form annex A.doc Annex B ITT Clarification Question Template clarification template.xls Administration Page 22 of 32

23 8 SERVICE SPECIFICATION 8.1 Introduction and overview The Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) at the Institute of Education (IoE), University College London, is seeking tenders from laboratories to analyse blood samples collected from participants in the 1970 British Cohort Study Age 46 Survey. It is expected that the contract will commence on the 1 st October 2015 and end on 1 st January This specification aims to include all of the information necessary for potential bidders to prepare tenders for the Age 46 Survey efficiently and cost the project accurately and comparably. It does not assume any prior knowledge of the study The 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70) is a continuing multi-disciplinary longitudinal study which incorporates people (referred to as cohort members ) living in England, Scotland and Wales who were born in a particular week in Since 1970 there have been eight attempts to re-contact and gather information from the whole cohort (at ages 5, 10, 16, 26, 30, 34, 38 and 42). From the original focus on the circumstances and outcomes of birth, the study has broadened in scope to map all aspects of health, education and social development of the cohort as they passed through childhood and adolescence. In latter follow-ups, the information collected has covered their transitions into adult life, including leaving full time education, entering the labour market, setting up independent homes, forming partnerships and becoming parents. Recently, the study has primarily been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The Age 46 survey is jointly funded by the ESRC and the Medical Research Council (MRC). More information about BCS70 is available on the Centre for Longitudinal Studies website: BCS70 is one of four national birth cohort studies in Great Britain. CLS also runs two of the other studies: the National Child Development Study (NCDS) and the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS). In addition CLS now runs Next Steps, previously known as the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England, which follows a cohort born in The BCS70 Age 46 Survey will take the form of a major biomedical survey which will involve home visits from a nurse who will conduct an interview, administer a series of measurements and assessments and take whole blood samples. The nurses will work for NatCen Social Research, a research agency appointed by competitive tender to conduct fieldwork on our behalf The home visits will take place across the whole of Great Britain (including north of the Caledonian Canal in Scotland and the outlying islands, i.e. Isle of Man, the Channel Isles, Scilly Isles and the Scottish Islands) It is anticipated that approximately 12,200 cohort members will be invited to participate in the Age 46 survey and that approximately 9,400 will agree to a home visit. The main stage of data collection will take place between July 2016 and December In addition, a dress rehearsal will take place with a sub-sample of 200 study members between January and February Bidder Response Section Page 23 of 32

24 8.2 Organisational quality assurance and standards Tenderers are asked to provide details of their organisation s quality assurance processes and standards, including any accreditations e.g. to national or international standards. 8.3 Understanding of requirements Non-fasting whole blood samples will be collected from cohort members Before collecting blood samples, nurses will obtain consent from cohort members. There will be three levels of consent: 1) consent to provide a blood sample for a set of specified analyses 2) consent for the blood sample to be stored for future unspecified analyses 3) consent to extract DNA for storage and analysis. We anticipate that 94% (c. 8,800) will consent to providing a blood sample for a specified set of analyses, 91% (c.8,600) will consent for further unspecified analyses and 90% (c. 8,500) will consent to DNA extraction and storage Nurses will collect three tubes of blood (1 tube of serum and 2 EDTA tubes). One EDTA tube will be sent to the storage laboratory (where it will be processed to produce a buffy coat for future DNA extraction and 5 plasma aliquots for future analyses. The serum tube and remaining EDTA tube will be posted to the appointed analysis laboratory. The serum tube will be used to analyse total and HDL cholesterol. The EDTA tube will be used to measure glycated haemoglobin (Hba1c) The samples will be posted to the lab within 24 hours. Before being posted the samples will be packaged appropriately, labelled with the respondents serial number, and details of consents collected enclosed. The fieldwork contractor will also supply confirmation of consent In total, samples from 8,800 individuals will need to be analysed between January 2016 and December An estimated monthly breakdown is provided below in Table 1. Bidder Response Section Page 24 of 32

25 Table 1: Number of cases providing samples estimated monthly breakdown Month Jan Feb Mar-16 0 Apr-16 0 May-16 0 Jun-16 0 Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total 8800 N 8.4 Technical and Functional Requirements The appointed laboratory will be required to: Receive the blood samples which will be sent by nurses via post Record details of samples (number and types) received on a weekly basis and confirm these with the fieldwork contractor Process the serum tube to separate cells by automated centrifugation. Measure total and HDL cholesterol once confirmation of consent supplied by fieldwork contractor Measure Hba1c using the blood from the EDTA tube once confirmation of consent supplied by fieldwork contractor. Provide results of analyses to fieldwork contractor, including data on quality control (eg, coefficients of variation from assays, etc) on a weekly basis. Report results of samples that markedly deviate from the normal clinical range to survey doctor on a weekly basis Record full details of processing and provide details to fieldwork contractor on weekly basis: o Date and time sample arrives at lab o Date and time of processing Bidder Response Section Page 25 of 32

26 o o Date and time of measurement If applicable, why the sample cannot be processed As noted above, the main stage of data collection will take place between July 2016 and December The main stage of data collection will be preceded by a development phase in which CLS will be working with the fieldwork contractor to develop protocols for each aspect of the planned study. The development phase began in February 2015 and will run through to June During this time the lab will be required to liaise with the Centre for Longitudinal Studies and the fieldwork contractor to develop the protocols for the delivery of blood samples to the lab for analysis. The development phase will involve a pilot study which will seek to evaluate all aspects of the planned survey including protocols for the collection of blood samples, the sending of samples to the lab and procedures for logging details, and reporting results. This pilot study will take place in January/February 2016 and will involve a sub-sample of approximately 200 study members It is possible that additional funding will be obtained which will permit further analytes to be measured using the serum tube including C-reactive protein and triglycerides. If so, costs for additional analytes would be agreed with the laboratory after appointment Tenderers are asked to provide details of how each of the requirements listed above will be met. They are asked to describe their sample management processes and to describe how they will ensure that the quality of the measurements taken will be maximised. 8.5 Experience of supplying to similar surveys and how this will benefit performance on this project Tenderers are asked to supply evidence of their experience of providing similar services to similar studies. Bidder Response Section Page 26 of 32