Multi-Supplier Framework Agreement for Management Systems Audit Services, Services Relating to Dispute/Claims Advice and Cost Estimation and Quantification Services

Transport Scotland, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, has identified a need to procure services to support the delivery of infrastructure projects across Scotland. The services that have been identified include undertaking audits of Transport Scotland’s contractors' management systems (including their subcontractors) on works contracts, the provision of ad-hoc advice relating to project claims & disputes and cost estimation and quantification services.

Transport Scotland in the capacity as Contracting Authority is seeking to procure a framework to meet these requirements, comprising of three lots;

Lot 1 - Management Systems Audit Services

Lot 2 - Services Relating to Dispute/Claims Advice

Lot 3 - Cost Estimation and Quantification Services

The purpose of this procurement is to establish a Framework Agreement for the provision of management systems audit services. Framework Suppliers appointed to the Framework Agreement may be called upon, through the award of call-off contracts, to provide suitably experienced and qualified personnel to support Transport Scotland and provide services in relation to the audit of the management systems of contractors and consultants for works and services contracts. This service will include but not be limited to auditing of the following management systems: BS EN ISO 9001, BS EN ISO 14001 and BS EN ISO 45001, together with other key areas associated with contracts to which those contractors or consultants are appointed.

Transport Scotland will manage the procurement process on behalf of the Scottish Ministers. The Framework Agreement will be competitively procured through a Restricted Procedure in accordance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. This is a two-stage procedure comprising a pre-qualification stage (Single Procurement Document (SPD)) and a tender stage.

Following completion of the procurement process, the Framework Agreement will be entered into between the Scottish Ministers and the successful tenderers appointed as Framework Suppliers.

Section II.2.9 of this Contract Notice describes the criteria for selecting the limited number of candidates to be invited to tender. Detailed information regarding the tender process and award criteria will be provided to economic operators shortlisted for the tender stage.

The Framework Agreement and any call-off contracts awarded under it shall be based upon the NEC4 conditions of contract.

To be considered for the pre-qualification stage, economic operators are required to complete and submit an SPD in accordance with this Contract Notice and the Supplementary Information Document (SID), which can be accessed via the Additional Documents section of the Public Contracts Scotland portal (www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk).

Economic operators will be evaluated in accordance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 on the basis of the information provided within their SPD submissions.. Economic operators who initially meet but then subsequently fail to meet the selection criteria, prior to contract award, shall be excluded.

Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

A maximum of nine 9 suppliers will be appointed to the Framework Agreement. Appointments will be made on a Lot-by-Lot basis as follows:

Lot 1 – up to 3 suppliers;

Lot 2 – up to 3 suppliers;

Lot 3 – up to 3 suppliers.

Economic operators may bid for one, multiple, or all Lots. The total number of suppliers appointed across all Lots will not exceed nine (9)

Requirements relating to the disclosure and management of conflicts of interest are set out in the SPD and the relevant SID. Economic operators should refer to those documents when completing their submission

Please refer to the Supplementary Information Documents for further additional information.