Published date: 21 October 2024

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 25 November 2024, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Repair, maintenance and associated services related to roads and other equipment - 50230000

Location of contract

England

Value of contract

£1,000,000,000 to £2,000,000,000

Procurement reference

KENT001-DN745967-39942646

Published date

21 October 2024

Closing date

25 November 2024

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

1 May 2026

Contract end date

30 April 2040

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Competitive procedure with negotiation (above threshold)

Anyone may ask to participate, but only those who are pre-selected will be invited to submit initial tenders and to negotiate.

This procedure can be used for procurements above the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No


Description

Kent County Council (the "Council") is seeking to appoint a service provider ("Service Provider") to deliver a highways term maintenance contract (the "Contract"). The Council's highway term maintenance services are delivered through the Council's existing contract ("Current HTMC"), which expires on 30 April 2026. The Council intends to enter into the new Contract by November 2025 to allow sufficient time for implementation and to ensure service continuity from the expiry of the Current HTMC. The initial term of the Contract is expected to be 14 years (168 months) (plus a six (6) month mobilisation period during which Task Orders will be issued under the Contract for the initial term). There will be an option to extend the Contract up to a maximum aggregate of 7 years (84 months). Please note that it is expected that TUPE may apply to the new Contract.

Further information about this procurement can be found in the Project Information Memorandum ("PIM") and the SQ, which are available through the Kent Business Portal. Please note that a 'request to participate' is by completion and return of the Selection Questionnaire ("SQ") by the stated deadline of 25 November 2024 - 1200hrs. The draft scope, Contract, and Invitation to Tender ("ITT") are being released two weeks after the initial SQ documents to ensure Candidates focus their time and efforts on the SQ during the initial weeks of the Selection Stage.

The Council intends to invite the top four (4) scoring Candidates from the Selection Stage to participate in an introductory meeting and submit an Initial Tender. At the Initial Tender Stage, the Council intends to further shortlist Tenderers from four (4) to three (3). The three (3) shortlisted Tenderers will be invited to discuss and negotiate the draft Contract, leases and scope and will be offered the opportunity to provide a mark-up of those documents as part of the Detailed Tender Stage. The Council will consider all proposed amendments and comments from Tenderers at the Detailed Tender Stage prior to issuing a final version of the draft Contract, scope and leases to all Tenderers, against which final Tenders are to be submitted. Tenderers will be required to confirm acceptance of the final version of the draft Contract, which will be evaluated on a "Pass/Fail" basis.

The Council will identify the most economically advantageous tender ("MEAT") using the Price per Quality Point evaluation method, subject to the Tenderers passing any minimum requirements (e.g. "Pass/Fail" and/or minimum quality scores).

The Council currently anticipates that the Service Provider will provide all the fleet. However, the Council is exploring the option of either buying or leasing the gritting fleet and/or buying the gritting salt directly; this is still to be determined, and further details will be provided at the Initial Tender Stage.


About the buyer

Contact name

Craig Merchant

Address

County Hall
Maidstone
ME14 1XQ
United Kingdom

Email

craig.merchant@kent.gov.uk

Website

http://www.kent.gov.uk