Defence Online

Type of document: Contract Notice
Country: United Kingdom

Notice Type:MOD Contract Notice

GB-Blandford: Land Systems Reference Centre – LSRC
Region Codes: UKK22

Section I: Contract Title
1. Contract Title: GB-Blandford: Land Systems Reference Centre – LSRC
2. Section (DIO only):

Section II: Identification Numbers
1. MOD Contract Notice Nr: ISSASDT/0020

Section III: Relevant Dates
1. Deadline for Expression of Interest: 28/03/2018
2. Proposed/Estimated ITT Issue Date: 25/04/2018
3. Proposed/Estimated ITT Return Date: 18/07/2018
4. Proposed Issue Date of Contract: 26/11/2018
5. Proposed Completion Date of Contract: 31/03/2024

Section IV: Issuing Branch / Organisation Details
1. Notice Address
Ministry of Defence, Information Systems and Services, ISS Commercial Sourcing Team
MUSTANG Building, MOD Corsham, Westwells Road, Corsham, SN13 9NR, United Kingdom
Tel. 0191266651, Email: ISSComrcl-NEHub-C2-02@mod.uk, URL:
Contact: John Witherspoon

Section V: Product / Service Descriptor Code
1. Industry Codes:
72000000 – IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support.

Section VI: Summary of Requirements / Description of Work, Goods and Services
1. Summary of Requirements / Description of Work: IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a requirement for an external supplier to provide services to enable the operation of a test and reference facility. This facility supports MOD operations worldwide. The services required will primarily be delivered within the Land Systems Reference Centre (LSRC), Blandford Camp, Dorset.

The LSRC is a purpose-built test facility that entered service in 2000 and is currently managed through a Combined In-Service Facilities Management, Operations, Upgrades and Support (CIFMOUS) contract. It provides the MOD’s through-life ‘System of Systems’ Test & Reference service through an appropriate test, integration and transition capability that assures release packages for introduction onto the Defence Network and in support of operations and exercises.

The LSRC has the capability to test applications and application upgrades on reference systems to assess their impact on other applications and the network as well as the network’s impact on the application. LSRC testing is integral to the Defence ICT service release and assurance process prior to the Release & Deployment of new or updated infrastructure, hardware and application software, and the assessment of how these capabilities perform and behave on a representation of the full operational environment.

The supplier will provide a number of flexible services, operating under an appropriate quality management system. These will provide a range of functions covering:

• Testing Services: Test definition, execution and management using authority provided tools and equipment; testing services support Release & Deployment, Application Characterisation, Mission Rehearsal, In-Service Support, Interoperability and Integration testing, Consultancy, Bespoke and Off-Site testing.

• Service Management: Governance & General Administration, Information Security, Confidentiality & Management, Configuration Management & Maintenance of Technical Documentation, Training, Training Support & Technical Advice, Financial Management & Continual Service Improvement, Resource Management, Change Management, Support Management.

• Hard Facilities Management: Property related services including Building Structure & Fabric, Indoor Climate & Utilities, Outdoor Equipment & Utilities. User related services including Fixtures & Fittings.

• Soft Facilities Management: Property related services including Grounds & Landscaping, Cleaning & Waste. User related services including Management of Site Services, Security, Safety, Health, Environmental & Fire.

Security

Delivery of the LSRC services will require the supplier to process, store and transmit classified Authority information, up to and including information classified at SECRET UK Eyes Only. Without limiting the Security Aspects Letter (SAL), a draft of which will be provided for information with the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ), a contract will not be awarded in respect of this procurement for the provision of the LSRC services unless:
(a) the successful supplier’s contracting entity is:
(i) registered and operating in the UK;
(ii) an operator of a facility with List X status where the applicant proposes to site elements of the required service outside the confines of the LSRC – (further information on List X status available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/security-requirements-for-list-x-contractors); and
(iii) an entity with at least 50% of its directors (or equivalent) who are both UK nationals and resident in the UK.
(b) where required by the SAL, a member of the successful applicants personnel who will be involved in the provision of the LSRC services is:
(i) resident in the UK;
(ii) a UK national (and, if designated as one of the roles detailed in the SAL, not a dual-national); and/or
(iii) a holder of SC or DV clearance (as applicable).
Where a potential supplier of LSRC services intends to draw on the capability of more than one party, those other parties (including any of their personnel) may also need to meet the conditions set out above.
The cyber risk level of the contract has been assessed as “Moderate”, in accordance with the Defence Cyber Protection Partnership Cyber Security Model. Due to the nature of the work involved the supplier is required to be certified against the Government Cyber Essentials Scheme and as such, gain CES+ certification against a Moderate cyber risk profile. Registration for the scheme and a sample Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) can be found at:
Cyber Essentials – OFFICIAL SITE
www.cyberaware.gov.uk
The Cyber Essentials documents are FREE to download and any organisation can use them to put essential security controls in place.
The Cyber Essentials Risk Assessment Reference (RAR) will be issued with the Invitation to Tender (ITT) documents

Scope

The core term of the LSRC contract will be up to 5 and a half years subject to the exact start date, (bidders may therefore be expected in their pricing to present costs that cover different contract core terms). There is also the possibility of two, separate, additional one-year extension options. The core term will include a transition period from the existing incumbent to the new supplier.

The estimated annual contract value is circa £6.4M. The Authority will, as a part of the PQQ evaluation (further details of this process is contained in section XII below) assess the economic and financial standing of potential suppliers of the LSRC services. If a potential supplier does not meet a financial qualification standard set out in the PQQ (for example the estimated annual contract value for the procurement must not exceed twenty-five per cent. (25%) of a supplier’s annual turnover), the supplier may fail to meet the applicable standard and be automatically disqualified from further participation in the procurement.

In addition to assessing potential suppliers’ economic and financial standing, the Authority will expect full financial transparency.

Full guidance on how the selection will be made pursuant to the PQQ will be given in the PQQ document.
2. Main Place of Performance or Delivery: Dorset CC
3. Can a supplier bid alone for only a part of the contract?: No
Section VII: Reverse Auction
1. Reverse Auction: No. A Reverse Auction, conducted using electronic means, will not be used as part of the procurement process for this requirement.

Section VIII: Estimated Value of Requirement
1. Estimated Value of Requirement: Category C: 20M – 100M GBP

Section IX: QA Standards
1. QA Standards: Other
2. If Other please specify: Would be expected to work to ISO 9001,17025 and 27001standards
Section XII: Additional Information
1. Additional Information:
Exemption and security requirements relating to the procurement

This procurement is exempt from the application of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR) and the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 (DSPCR) pursuant to Regulation 7(1)(a) of the DSPCR and Article 346(1)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in order to protect UK essential security interests. The obligations, rights and remedies under the PCR and/or DSPCR therefore do not apply to this procurement.
Accordingly, participation in the procurement is also subject to certain security requirements. Without limiting the security conditions set out in the PQQ or the SAL, a potential supplier will need to meet UK Government security and information handling requirements in accordance with the Government Security Classifications Policy (described further below). Members of a potential supplier’s bid team will also be subject to certain security clearance requirements, including requirements relating to nationality and holding a valid UK Government security clearance. Further information will be set out in the PQQ and SAL. Information about the types of personnel security clearance and the process for obtaining these can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmg-personnel-security-controls.

Confidentiality requirements

In order to effectively manage the security interests during the procurement process the Authority will require interested suppliers to enter into a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) prior to accessing the PQQ, and any additional information about the LSRC procurement, including the ITT. The process is as follows:
• Applicants should request a copy of the NDA by email to the email address below
• Register their interest by signing by hand (digital signatures will not be accepted) a copy of the NDA and returning:
o an electronic scanned copy of the signed NDA by e-mail to the MoD e-mail address ISSComrcl-NEHub-C2-02@mod.uk; and
o the original signed hard copy of the signed NDA to the postal address at section IV above – For the Attention of Mark Brownlee
• The NDA should be returned no later than Tuesday 27th February 2018. All applicants who have returned an acceptable scanned copy of a correctly signed NDA by e-mail by that date will be granted access to the PQQ and the Supporting information on Wednesday 28th February 2018 via a DCO access code, supplied by MoD, all documentation will be held in the ‘supporting information’ section of this contract notice on DCO.
• Applicants returning an NDA after the 27th February 2018 will reduce the time available for their review and completion of the PQQ.
• Following receipt of the original signed hard copy of the NDA, the Authority will countersign and return the NDA to the applicant by post to the address provided by them.
• On accessing the PQQ, the supplier should complete the PQQ in accordance with the instructions set out therein. Any clarification questions which a supplier may have in relation to the PQQ will be managed in accordance with the process (including timescales and deadlines) detailed in the PQQ.
• The deadline for applying to the procurement by submitting a PQQ response is Wednesday 28/03/2018 12:00 Noon
• Details regarding how selection will be made are contained within the PQQ. At the date of this Contract Notice, the Authority intends to select up to a maximum of ten bidders to participate in the next phase of the procurement.

Any questions regarding this process should be submitted via e-mail to ISSComrcl-NEHub-C2-02@mod.uk

Other Information

Suppliers interested in working with the MOD should register on its Supplier Information Database (SID), available at www.contracts.mod.uk. The SID is a catalogue of potential suppliers available to all MOD procurement staff, and is the main supplier database used by MOD. Please note that the registration and publication of a company profile on the SID does not mean or imply that the supplier has in any way been vetted or approved by the MOD. Suppliers wishing to compete for a contract opportunity must respond to any specific call for competition by submitting a separate expression of interest in accordance with the instructions in the contract notice.

From 2 April 2014 the Government is introducing its new Government Security Classifications Policy (GSC) to replace the current Government Protective Marking Scheme. A key aspect of this is the reduction in the number of security classifications used. All suppliers to the Department are encouraged to make themselves aware of the changes as it may impact on this Requirement. The link below to the Gov.uk website provides information on the new GSC.

The Authority reserves the right to amend any condition related to security of information to reflect any changes in national law or government policy. If any contract documents are accompanied by instructions on safeguarding classified information (e.g. a Security Aspects Letter), the Authority reserves the right to amend the terms of these instructions to reflect any changes in national law or government policy, whether in respect of the applicable protective marking scheme, specific protective markings given, the aspects to which any protective marking applies, or otherwise.

Applicants are to note that the Authority has engaged external consultants to support the procurement. These external consultants are being managed by the Authority and have roles throughout the procurement process, both in drafting the procurement documentation, including selection criteria, and in evaluating applications. Appropriate Ethical Walls and Conflict of Interest regimes are in place.

Participants in the procurement may be required to sign up to Ethical Wall requirements and provide a Conflict of Interest declaration.

This contract may be open to use by other government departments (OGDs) requiring test and reference services for their relevant technology projects in the same way that internal MoD customers will access the LSRC. OGDs will only be permitted to use this contract where in the essential interests of its security they are unable to advertise their requirement in OJEU.

Electronic Trading – the Authority has a mandatory requirement for electronic trading using the Contracting, Purchasing and Finance (CP&F) electronic procurement tool. All payments for the provision of LSRC services under the any contract awarded shall only be made via CP&F. You can find details on CP&F at

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