Contract notice
Directive 2014/24/EU - Public Sector Directive
Directive 2014/24/EU
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Accountant in Bankruptcy
1 Pennyburn Road
Kilwinning
KA13 6SA
UK
Telephone: +44 3002002600
E-mail: amanda.dowse@aib.gov.uk
Fax: +44 3002002601
NUTS: UKM93
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.aib.gov.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00233
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at:
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Provision of Insolvency Services
Reference number: AiB/2021/7
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79211000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Provision of Insolvency Services to Accountant in Bankruptcy
(Note: The ‘Estimated total value’ stated 11.1.5 is the total value for the initial 2 year period of the contract plus the options to extend to maximum of an additional 2 years (2+1+1).
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
5 200 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1
II.2.1) Title
Lot 1 - North Eastern Scotland & Highlands & Islands and Parts of Eastern Scotland
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79211000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM50
UKM76
UKM61
UKM62
UKM63
UKM64
UKM65
UKM71
UKM72
UKM77
UKM66
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This contract will be a framework contract consisting of three geographic lots. The Authority intends to appoint two Contractors for each Lot.
Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) has a requirement for the provision of insolvency services for the administration of allocated sequestration cases where The Accountant is appointed trustee. The services will be required across the whole of Scotland. The requirement will be split into three geographic Lots. The Authority intends to appoint two Contractors for each Lot. The contract shall be for two years with two separate options to extend for a further year.
Cases will be allocated automatically by the case management system (BASYS) to a specific provider in each of the regional Lots dependent on the ranking of the provider in each region.
Accountant in Bankruptcy is an Agency of the Scottish Government in terms of the Scotland Act 1998. The Chief Executive is also The Accountant in Bankruptcy (The Accountant), who is an independent statutory officer appointed under Section 199 of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016.
AiB requires the services of providers to administer bankruptcy cases where The Accountant has been appointed Trustee. The providers will be expected to carry out the functions of the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016. They will be appointed to act on behalf of The Accountant. The Accountant will remain the Trustee throughout.
An Operating Manual guidance detailing the bankruptcy administration process will be provided.
AiB requires all sensitive data to be handled and stored in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018. AiB requires evidence of technical facilities in place to enable receipt and administration of all cases.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 55
Price
/ Weighting:
45
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
2 107 940.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 24
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
2 x 12 month extension periods available at discretion of AiB.
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
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) 2015.
Lot No: 2
II.2.1) Title
Lot 2 - Parts of South Western Scotland
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79211000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM82
UKM95
UKM83
UKM81
UKM84
UKM63
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This contract will be a framework contract consisting of three geographic lots. The Authority intends to appoint two Contractors for each Lot.
Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) has a requirement for the provision of insolvency services for the administration of allocated sequestration cases where The Accountant is appointed trustee. The services will be required across the whole of Scotland. The requirement will be split into three geographic Lots. The Authority intends to appoint two Contractors for each Lot. The contract shall be for two years with two separate options to extend for a further year.
Cases will be allocated automatically by the case management system (BASYS) to a specific provider in each of the regional Lots dependent on the ranking of the provider in each region.
Accountant in Bankruptcy is an Agency of the Scottish Government in terms of the Scotland Act 1998. The Chief Executive is also The Accountant in Bankruptcy (The Accountant), who is an independent statutory officer appointed under Section 199 of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016.
AiB requires the services of providers to administer bankruptcy cases where The Accountant has been appointed Trustee. The providers will be expected to carry out the functions of the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016. They will be appointed to act on behalf of The Accountant. The Accountant will remain the Trustee throughout.
An Operating Manual guidance detailing the bankruptcy administration process will be provided.
AiB requires all sensitive data to be handled and stored in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018. AiB requires evidence of technical facilities in place to enable receipt and administration of all cases.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 55
Price
/ Weighting:
45
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
1 765 080.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 24
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
2 x 12 month extension periods available.
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
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) 2015.
Lot No: 3
II.2.1) Title
Lot 3 Title - Parts of South Western Scotland and Parts of Eastern Scotland
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79211000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM73
UKM91
UKM75
UKM78
UKM92
UKM93
UKM94
UKM63
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This contract will be a framework contract consisting of three geographic lots. The Authority intends to appoint two Contractors for each Lot.
Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) has a requirement for the provision of insolvency services for the administration of allocated sequestration cases where The Accountant is appointed trustee. The services will be required across the whole of Scotland. The requirement will be split into three geographic Lots. The Authority intends to appoint two Contractors for each Lot. The contract shall be for two years with two separate options to extend for a further year.
Cases will be allocated automatically by the case management system (BASYS) to a specific provider in each of the regional Lots dependent on the ranking of the provider in each region.
Accountant in Bankruptcy is an Agency of the Scottish Government in terms of the Scotland Act 1998. The Chief Executive is also The Accountant in Bankruptcy (The Accountant), who is an independent statutory officer appointed under Section 199 of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016.
AiB requires the services of providers to administer bankruptcy cases where The Accountant has been appointed Trustee. The providers will be expected to carry out the functions of the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016. They will be appointed to act on behalf of The Accountant. The Accountant will remain the Trustee throughout.
An Operating Manual guidance detailing the bankruptcy administration process will be provided.
AiB requires all sensitive data to be handled and stored in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018. AiB requires evidence of technical facilities in place to enable receipt and administration of all cases.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 55
Price
/ Weighting:
45
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 24
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
2 x 12 month extensions.
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
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) 2015.
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:
Not applicable
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria:
Current Ratio requirement
Required Levels of Insurance
Minimum level(s) of standards required:
Q.4B.4, and 4B.4.1 – Tenderers must demonstrate a Current Ratio of 1.0 or above, based on their most recently published accounts. The Current Ratio shall be calculated as follows: net current assets divided by net current liabilities. The Tenderer must submit with their SPD response a copy of, or a link to, their most recently published annual accounts or equivalent to demonstrate they can evidence a Current Ratio of 1.0 or above. If the Tenderer does not meet this requirement then their bid may be set aside and take no further part in the competition, unless the Tenderer can provide further relevant information which The Purchaser considerers appropriate to demonstrate that the Tenderer does not/would not represent an unmanageable risk should it be appointed to the framework. This information may include, but is not limited to, audited financial accounts for the last three financial years, or forms of assurance such as a Performance Bond and/or a Parent Company Guarantee if applicable.
Q.4B.5.1a/b, 4B.5.2 and 4B.5.3 - It is a requirement of this contract that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commence of any subsequently awarded contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below:
Question 4B.5.1 Employer's (Compulsory) Liability Insurance - minimum GBP 5,000,000
Question 4B.5.2 Public Liability Insurance – GBP 5,000,000
Question 4B.5.3 Professional Indemnity Insurance – GBP 5,000,000
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria:
Technical and Professional Qualifications
Relevant Experience
Minimum level(s) of standards required:
Q4C3 and Q4C3.1 Tenderers will be required to confirm educational and professional qualifications held by staff- In order to manage the administration of the caseload there must be a minimum of one Joint Insolvency Examination Board qualified insolvency practitioner, plus one additional staff member with a Certificate of Proficiency and Personal Insolvency qualification allocated to the contract. There is a requirement in the ITT to provide a short CV for each team member detailing their specific qualifications and experience.
Q.4C.1.2 – The Tenderer is required to provide relevant examples to demonstrate that they have held contracts of a similar nature to those described in the Contract Notice and Invitation to Tender, including any examples of Public Sector Experience within the last 3 years. A minimum of 1 and maximum of 3 examples should be provided.
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.1) Information about a particular profession
Participation is reserved to a particular profession: Yes
Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision:
not applicable
III.2.2) Contract performance conditions
As set out in the specification and the operating manual
III.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement with several operators.
Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement: 6
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2021/S 000-014545
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
28/01/2022
Local time: 12:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 12 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
28/01/2022
Local time: 12:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published:
2 to 4 years.
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic payment will be used
VI.3) Additional information
SPD Selection Criteria
Should a Tenderer fail on any selection criteria at SPD stage then their bid may be set aside and may not be taken forward to be evaluated in the Technical Criteria Evaluation stage.
Part II Sections A - D - Information only
Part III Sections A-D - Pass/Fail
Part IV - Part IV – Selection Criteria
Q.4B.4, and 4B.4.1 – Pass/Fail
Q.4B.5.1a/b, 4B.5.2 and 4B.5.3 - Pass/Fail
Q.4C.1.2 – Pass/Fail
The response to Q4C.1.2 shall be evaluated as a whole as per the ‘Evaluation Criteria for Selection Stage’ detailed below. Should the response to Q4C.1.2 result in a moderated mean average score below ‘2 – Acceptable’ then the bid may be set aside and may take no further part in the competition.
Evaluation Criteria for Selection Stage is included within the Instructions for Tenderers document.
Q4C.4 Tenderers must provide details of the environmental management measures they will use when performing the contract. A scored question on Climate Emergency is included in the ITT.
Q4C.6 Tenderers must provide details of the proportion of the contract they intend to subcontract.
Part IV D - Information on quality assurance schemes and/or environmental standards – Information only
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=670862.
The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.
Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.
A sub-contract clause has been included in this contract. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2363
Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see: https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-procurement/
A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows:
There is a technical question included within the ITT - Q.11 Community Benefits
The Purchaser as an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government supports the commitment of Scottish Ministers to contribute to the social, economic & environmental well-being of the people of Scotland. The SG has five objectives that underpin its core purpose of creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through increasing sustainable economic growth;
- Wealthier and Fairer: enabling businesses and people to increase their wealth and more people to share fairly in that wealth,
- Healthier: Helping people to sustain and improve their health, especially in disadvantaged communities, ensuring better, local and faster access to healthcare,
- Safer and Stronger: Helping local communities to flourish, becoming stronger, safer places to live, offering improved opportunities and a better quality of life,
- Smarter: Expanding opportunities for people in Scotland to success from nurture through to life-long learning, ensuring higher and more widely-shared achievements and
- Greener: Improving Scotland’s natural and built environment and the sustainable use and enjoyment of it.
Tenderers should present a Community Benefit proposal detailing how, in the event that you should be successful in being appointed to the Framework, you will address the following Community Benefit themes:
- Targeted recruitment and training for “disadvantaged” persons unemployed for over 6 months;
- Work placement and employment opportunities for young people, including apprenticeships, and graduate schemes;
The proposed plan for community benefits will become part of the Framework Agreement.
(SC Ref:670862)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Kilmarnock Sheriff Court
Kilmarnock
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
20/12/2021