1. NEPO Aggregates and Concrete Framework Agreement Tender Guidance Information 11.11.2016

2. Contract References
This opportunity will be published under the six digit contract reference number
and NEPO Tendering Portal ID number A2ZE-86EGIO
Contract Service
Details of each Contract
Six digit Council Contract Reference Number and Portal Contract ID number (as per NEPO portal)
The Supply of Aggregates and Concrete to local authorities within the North East.
A Framework Agreement for the Supply of Aggregates and Concrete with 76 Lots over five geographical areas.
Newcastle City Council’s contract reference
NEPO Framework reference number: A2ZE-86EGIO l

3. Lotting Structure
Please see below the Lotting Structure for this contract opportunity.
Tenders may submit a tender response to bid for one or more of the Lots on the Framework Agreement.
There will be 5 (five) geographical areas which will support 11 councils detailed below:
Lots Durham North (County Council of Durham)
Lots Durham East (County Council of Durham)
Lots Durham South (County Council of Durham)
Lots Teeside – (Darlington Borough Council, Hartlepool Borough Council, Middlesbrough Borough Council, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and The Council of the Borough of Stockton-On-Tees)
Lots Tyne and Wear – (Newcastle City Council, Council of the City of Sunderland, Borough Council of Gateshead, The Council of the Borough of North Tyneside and The Council of the Borough of South Tyneside) l

4. How to tender for the opportunities
A contract notice will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). It will display the contract and NEPO Electronic Tendering Portal reference numbers where you can view this contract opportunity
All Tender documentation will only be published on the NEPO
Electronic Tendering portal at website -
In order to be considered for the opportunity, please register your details free of charge on the above NEPO Electronic Tendering Portal. Once registered you can express an interest in contract opportunity and download the tender documentation
You can register your details on the NEPO Electronic Tendering Portal by entering the ‘Suppliers Area’ and following the registration instructions
If you are experiencing a problem please read the reference guides by clicking the icon
If you still have no solution to your problem then please contact: PROACTIS Supplier Support - by or by telephone on l

5. All timescales are subject to change.
W/C – OJEU notice will be published
W/C 14 or – Tender Documents will be published on the NEPO Electronic Tendering Portal
W/C – Deadline for the return of all tender documents (via NEPO Electronic Tendering Portal)
W/C – Evaluation Process
W/C – Newcastle City Council will announce its intention to award the Framework Agreement and adhere to the 10 day Alcatel standstill period
W/C – Contract Award
W/C – Contract dispatched and Supplier Pre-Start Event / Training in relation to Call-Off procedure
– Framework Agreement (Contract) start
All timescales are subject to change. l

6. Procurement Documents utilising the OPEN PROCEDURE
ITT Part 1 - Introduction and organisation’s guide to the process;
ITT Part 2 - Instructions and details of Contract;
ITT Schedule 1 Specification
ITT Schedule 2 Part 1 – Framework Particulars
ITT Schedule 2 Part 2 – Framework Agreement
ITT Schedule 2 Part 3 – Call-Off Terms and Conditions
ITT Schedule 3 Form of Tender
ITT Schedule 3a - Pricing schedule Lots 1-15 Durham (North)
ITT Schedule 3b - Pricing schedule Lots Durham (East)
ITT Schedule 3c - Pricing schedule Lots Durham (South)
ITT Schedule 3d - Pricing schedule Lots Teesside
ITT Schedule 3e - Pricing schedule Lots Tyne and Wear
ITT Schedule 4 Certificate of non-collusion and non-canvassing
ITT Schedule 5 Framework Agreement Rebate Form
ITT Schedule 6 Selection Questionnaire l

7. Procurement Documents OPEN PROCEDURE
The SQ document will be based on the Crown Commercial Services model and asks about different aspects of an organisations business as follows:
PART 1 - Supplier information
PART 2 (Section 2) - Grounds for mandatory exclusion
PART 2 (Section 3) - Grounds for discretionary exclusion
PART 3 Selection Questions
SECTION 4 Economic and Financial Standing
SECTION 5 Group /Consortium information
SECTION 6 Technical and Professional Ability
SECTION Modern Slavery Act
SECTION Project Specific Questions
SECTION 8.1 Insurance
SECTION 8.2 Environmental Management
SECTION 8.3 Health and Safety
SECTION 8.4 Skills and apprentices
SECTION 8.5 Equality legislation
The Council uses the above information to assess the suitability of an
organisation to deliver the contract. l

8. Procurement Documents SELECTION QUESTIONNAIRE (SQ)
Consortiums
If you are bidding on behalf of a proposed consortium, you must provide:
Full details of all consortium members;
the lead member of the consortium who will be contractually responsible for delivery of the contract (if a separate legal entity is not being created); and
if the consortium is not proposing to form a legal entity, full details of the proposed arrangements within a separate Appendix
Please note each member of any consortium and/or sub-contractor(s) delivering any part of the services under this Framework Agreement (Contract) must answer all sections of the SQ as part of a single composite response to the Lead Authority i.e. each member of the consortium is required to complete the form. l

9. Procurement Documents SELECTION QUESTIONNAIRE (SQ)
Supplier Information (Part 1)
Required for information only
Set out the details about your organisation
Grounds for Mandatory Exclusion (Part 2 Section 2) and Discretionary Exclusion (Part 2 Section 3)
Demonstrates that you are not in breach of the EU Public Contract Regulations 2015, for example if you have any convictions you need to declare them
If you confirm you or your organisation have been convicted of any of the offences or acts, the Council reserves the right to disqualify you from the process at this point in the evaluation
Evaluated on a pass/fail basis l

10. Procurement Documents SELECTION QUESTIONNAIRE (SQ)
Economic and Financial Standing (Part 3 - Section 4)
Demonstrates your level of economic and financial capacity
Your organisation will need to confirm that you have met the terms of all of your financial agreements and obligations or provide a satisfactory bankers’ reference
Evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis l

11. Procurement Documents SELECTION QUESTIONNAIRE (SQ)
Technical and Professional Ability (Part 3 section 6)
Section 5 – Gives details around the type of economic operator you are e.g. consortium etc.
Section 6 - Demonstrates specific questions relating to technical and professional ability with regards the subject matter of this contract. l

12. Procurement Documents SELECTIION QUESTIONNAIRE (SQ)
Insurance (Section 8.1)
You will need to self-certify whether you already have, or can commit to obtain, prior to the commencement of the Framework Agreement (Contract), the levels of insurance cover indicated in the tender documents
Compliance with Equality Legislation (Section 8.5)
You will be asked if there has been any finding of unlawful discrimination made against your organisation
You will be asked if there has been a complaint upheld following an investigation by the Equality and Human Rights Commission or its predecessors (or a comparable body in any jurisdiction other than the UK), on grounds or alleged unlawful discrimination?
These questions will be scored on a pass/fail basis l

13. Procurement Documents SELECTION QUESTIONNAIRE (SQ)
Health and Safety (Section 8.3)
Your Organisation will need to confirm that you comply with current legislation
Your Organisation will need to confirm that you have arrangements in place to comply with Health and Safety and Fire Safety legislation
If the restricted procedure is used then the slides need to be changed. l

14. Procurement Documents SELECTION QUESTIONNAIRE (SQ)
General Feedback
Don’t assume we know your organisation, write as if to a new customer, give us sufficient detail
Tell us about the work you do with the Councils of the North East region
Present your information clearly, don’t hide documents or information
Answer each question directly within the designated box for that particular question taking account of the word limit and if attachments are allowed
Appendices will only be considered if they are relevant to a specific question and they have been asked for. Please reference accordingly if they are asked for in our tender documentation
References
Give references for information and clarification purposes
These should relate to the experience of similar contracts given under technical and professional ability (Section 6)
Where possible don’t give referees within in North East Councils l

15. Procurement Documents Invitation to Tender (ITT)
Tender Submission
Please note tender document titled “Summary instructions and details of Contract” contains a checklist for Tenderers to consider
If Tenderers do not provide within their tender submission, all of the itemised documents requested within the checklist, it may cause the tender submission to be deemed non-compliant and not be considered
The Specification (ITT Schedule 1) gives detail around the requirements of this Framework Agreement
The Tender Response (ITT Schedule 1a), here you are given questions to answer to see if you can fulfil the requirements stated within the specification, questions are weighted accordingly l

16. Procurement Documents Invitation to Tender (ITT)
Terms and Conditions of Contract
Will consist of the Framework Agreement which will incorporate a call off contract
Form of Tender ITT Schedule 3 - (Including)
My/our response to the issues raised in Section 5 of the ITT (including ITT Schedule 1a – Tender response form)
The completed Pricing Schedules applicable to the Lots for which you are tendering
A signed Certificate of Non Collusion and Non Canvassing (ITT Schedule 4) 
A signed rebate form (ITT Schedule 5)
We will require you to sign and return these forms along with your tender response
Electronic signatures will be accepted
Failure to complete and return these documents may result in your tender being deemed non-compliant l

17. Procurement Documents Questions and Answers
For audit trail purposes all queries relating to the published tender information must be raised electronically via the NEPO Electronic Tendering Portal, within the Discussion Area. Newcastle City Council as the Lead authority, will respond through this system so it is visible to all Tenderers where appropriate
Please note that our responses to any queries or clarification requests will be circulated to all Tenderers unless the Lead Authority deems it to be Supplier specific
Please leave sufficient time to allow the Lead Authority to respond to your questions and raise your queries no less than four working days before the tender return date
Please ensure you allow sufficient time to upload your tender submission to the NEPO Electronic Tendering Portal, as a one-second delay over the deadline results in the system deeming your submission as a late tender submission. This may result in your tender not being considered l

18. Procurement Contact
The Procurement Officer responsible for the procurement activity is Chris Rush, Telephone: ;
Please remember for audit purposes all questions regarding the tender must be raised via the NEPO Electronic Tendering Portal through the Discussion Area and not to Chris’s personal .
Please remember to give yourself enough time to upload your tender submission. l