Framework for Outdoor Educational Equipment & Structures for Schools across Northern Ireland

Education Authority Northern Ireland (EANI) wishes to establish a Framework for the provision of Outdoor Educational Play Equipment which may include the design, supply, delivery and installation of such equipment. This Framework may also include post installation inspection, annual inspections, on-going maintenance and repairs to equipment where required. This Framework is intended for projects of relatively low complexity and the value of individual projects (call-offs) will typically be less than £30,000.

This Prior Information Notice contains details of 5 potential lots. Please note that this lot structure is subject to change and represents initial procurement plans which have been devised prior to engaging with the market.

The estimated Framework value represents an approximate total spend over a 4 year period. Total spend will largely be influenced by the curriculum and funding which is available to schools across NI over the next 4 years and therefore this figure is an estimate only.

This Framework will be available for use by all Schools and Educational Facilities across Northern Ireland.

Market Engagement

EANI wishes to engage with the market to establish the level of market interest and to gather information that would be beneficial for the tendering process. In the first instance, EANI intends to engage with the market via a Market Engagement Questionnaire. EANI would also like to offer interested parties (who submit a completed questionnaire) an opportunity for a one to one pre-market engagement conversation. This will be arranged in due course and will be conducted via MS Teams.

Suppliers who wish to participate in the market engagement exercise should complete the pre-market engagement questionnaire. Further information including the questionnaire can be downloaded from CfT Documents. The questionnaire must be completed and returned via the Messaging function within the CFT (Reference - 4198517) no later than 3pm on Wednesday 20th April 2022.

The purpose of the Market Engagement questionnaire is to gain an understanding of the latest developments in the provision of Outdoor Educational Play Equipment. Market Engagement will assist EANI the Education Authority (EA) in understanding the market prior to publishing an Invitation to Tender. Any information gathered through market engagement may inform internal business planning and any possible subsequent procurement process however it will NOT be appraised in any future tender evaluation exercise.

There are no formal tender documents to be completed (at this stage) other than the questionnaire. Any information gathered will NOT be considered in any future tender evaluation exercise. Participation or non-participation in this pre-procurement market engagement shall not prevent any supplier/provider participating in a potential procurement process nor is it intended that any information supplied shall place any supplier/provider at an advantage in any forthcoming procurement process. For the avoidance of doubt, this stage of the project is not part of a formal procurement process and there is no commitment, at this stage to carrying out such a process.