South Gloucestershire Council – Pre-Qualification Questionnaire
Pre-Qualification Questionnaire
for
Provision of Local Healthwatch Service within South Gloucestershire
JL005
DEADLINE FOR RETURN:
12.00 noon BST on 16 October 2012
Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)
Notes for Suppliers
1. The purpose of this questionnaire is to assist South Gloucestershire Council in deciding which suppliers to invite to tender for provision of the Local Healthwatch Service.
2. Any invitation to tender based on this questionnaire does not imply any representation by South Gloucestershire Council as to your financial stability, technical competence or ability in any way to carry out the Services.
3. Please note that whenever used in this questionnaire, the term “Organisation” refers to a sole trader, partnership, incorporated company, co-operative etc. as appropriate.
4. Unless instructed otherwise when answering the questions, please give details that specifically relate to your Organisation, not the whole of the group if your Organisation forms part of a group.
5. Any information and/or documents submitted in response to this questionnaire must relate to the applicant only - the applicant being the organisation which it is proposed will enter into a formal contract should their bid be successful. If you are submitting a bid on behalf of a consortium of organisations, the lead partner in the consortium is required to complete this PQQ with their information. However, the Authority reserves the right to require the other members of the consortium to complete a PQQ or to provide the Authority with such information as requested.
6. Please answer every question, continuing on a separate sheet of paper if necessary, clearly cross-referencing each additional sheet with the relevant question number.
7. This questionnaire must be fully completed even if you have previously submitted a questionnaire to South Gloucestershire Council.
8. You may be asked to clarify your answers or provide more details.
9. Please do not include general marketing or promotional material for your Organisation, either as answers to any of the questions, or for any other reason.
10. Organisations not based in the UK should attempt to answer each question, substituting where relevant the appropriate regulatory bodies legislation/codes of practice, etc, that are applicable within their domestic jurisdiction. Copies of any relevant UK legislation referred to in this questionnaire may be obtained from the Office of Public Sector Information www.opsi.gov.uk
11. The Council intends to select between 3 - 5 Organisations to tender. However, if fewer companies than this remain then the Council may proceed to the tender stage if it judges that there is still sufficient competition.
12. It is the responsibility of your Organisation to send copies of the reference request form at Annex 2 to suitable references and ensure they are returned to South Gloucestershire Council by close of business on 05 October 2012.
13. Please supply one printed copy of your completed PQQ together with an electronic copy in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat format on CD-ROM. Deadline for return of completed PQQ is 12 noon on 16 October 2012.
How the PQQ will be Evaluated
1. The following will be treated as grounds for exclusion without further consideration:
An answer of Yes to any question in the section entitled Grounds for Exclusion without an explanation being provided which allows the Council (in its absolute discretion) to disregard the issue.Refusal to comply with the Council’s insurance or performance bond requirements as applicable.
A preliminary independent financial assessment of the Organisation which in the Council’s view presents an unacceptable risk having regard to the nature and value of the contract.
Failure to comply with the Council’s equal opportunities requirements
Failure to complete the Declaration (Annex 1)
2. Financial assessment
Limited companies and PLC companies will be assessed based on the audited accounts requested at 4.7 (and 4.10 if applicable), and financial information obtained from Equifax.
Sole traders will be assessed based on the audited accounts requested at 4.7.
Registered Charities will be assessed based on the audited accounts requested at 4.7 and financial information obtained from the Charity Commission
Partnerships, limited liability partnerships, Industrial & Provident Societies, Corporations by Royal Charter and Housing Associations will be assessed based on the audited accounts requested at 4.7 and, where a registration number for the Organisation has been provided, financial information obtained from Dun & Bradstreet
The outcome of the above assessments, the answers to 4.1 to 4.5, and an assessment of the audited company/group accounts will be used to decide your Organisation’s financial capability in relation to the financial value of the contract being tendered. Bidders may find it beneficial to check their Organisation’s report from Equifax or Dun & Bradstreet in advance to avoid disappointment
3. Equalities
All organisations are required to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty as described in Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality Act 2010 (specific duties) regulations 2011.
All organisations must provide an equality, equal opportunities or equality and diversity policy in respect of the protected characteristics of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership , pregnancy and maternity race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation, that covers at least:
· recruitment, selection, training, promotion, pay, discipline grievance and dismissal
· discrimination, harassment, and victimisation, making it clear that these are disciplinary offences within the firm
· identification of the senior position with responsibility for the policy and its effective implementation
· How the policy is communicated to staff.
· How the organisation ensures equality in recruitment practices, such as open recruitment methods including the use of job centres, careers service or press advertisements.
· How the policy is regularly reviewed including how the review process impacts upon the development of policy and practice
· Regular monitoring of the numbers of job applicants from different ‘protected characteristic’ groups, including how the monitoring process impacts upon the development of policy and practice.
· Regular monitoring of service-users from different ‘protected characteristic’ groups in relation to access to services, satisfaction with services and complaints including how the monitoring process impacts upon the development of policy and practice
In addition to an equality, equal opportunities or equality and diversity policy the organisation is required where indicated to provide supplementary documentation information or evidence to support their answers.
4. Pre-Qualification Questionnaires from Organisations that are not excluded as above will be ranked by total score and a shortlist of the highest scoring Organisations will be invited to tender. Organisations must score a minimum of 50% in scored sections 4, 6, 7, 8,10 and 12 in order to be invited to tender.
Section / Weighting1. Details of your Organisation / For information only
2. Ownership of Your Organisation / For information only
3. Grounds for Exclusion / This section must be compliant or the organisation will be excluded
4. Economic and financial standing / 30%
5. Insurance profile / This section must be compliant or the organisation will be excluded
6. Technical or professional ability / 40%
7. References / 9%
8. Quality Assurance / 10%
9. Health & Safety / PASS / FAIL
10. Environmental Management / 1%
11. Equalities / PASS / FAIL
12. Business Continuity planning / 10%
Submission of Completed PQQ
Please return this form to:
Name / Janice Llewellyn – Assistant Commissioning & Contracts ManagerAddress / South Gloucestershire Council, P.O. Box 2083, The Council Offices, Castle Street, Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, BS35 9BR
No later than:
Date / 16 October 2012Time / 12:00 noon BST
Please supply one printed copy together with an electronic copy in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat format on CD-ROM
If you have any queries about this form, please contact:
Name / Janice Llewellyn – Assistant Commissioning & Contracts ManagerTelephone / 01454 868208
E mail /
We anticipate that all suppliers submitting a questionnaire will be notified of the outcome of their application by:
Date / 2 November 20121 / Details of Your Organisation
1.1 / Name of the Organisation in whose name the tender would be submitted:
1.2 / Trading name if different from that given in 1.1
1.3 / Address for correspondence
1.4 / Telephone Number
1.5 / Fax Number
1.6 / E-Mail Address
1.7 / Website Address (if applicable):
1.8 / Registered Office Address (if different from 1.3 above)
1.9 / Contact name for enquiries about this bid:
1.10 / Job Title of person named in 1.9
1.11 / Address of individual named in 1.9:
1.12 / Telephone Number of individual named in 1.9:
1.13 / Fax Number of individual named in 1.9:
1.14 / E mail Address of individual named in 1.9
1.15 / Company Registration Number (if applicable):
1.16 / Charities or other Registration number (if applicable). Please specify registering body:
1.17 / Date of Registration:
1.18 / Registered address if different from 1.3
1.19 / VAT Registration Number:
1.20 / Is your Organisation:
(Please tick one) / a) Public Limited Company
b) Limited Company
c) Partnership
d) Sole Trader
e) Other (please specify)
1.21 / Is your Organisation a not-for-profit organisation / YES / NO
1.22 / Are you applying as the lead company in a consortium of organisations? / YES / NO
1.23 / If you answered YES to Q1.22, please confirm
· who the organisations making up the consortium are?
· Are they all ‘not-for-profit organisations?
§ what their respective roles will be?
§ that they have agreed to the formation of this consortium?
§ when the consortium was/will be formed?
§ that they have agreed to the submission of this PQQ?
§ if requested they will complete a similar questionnaire which may be taken into account in the overall evaluation of the consortium application? / YES / NO
YES / NO
1.24 / For how long has your Organisation been trading in the field to which this contract relates?
2 / Ownership of Your Organisation
2.1 / If your Organisation is a member of a group of companies please explain (with a diagram if necessary) its relationship within the group.
2.2 / Name of (ultimate) parent company (if applicable):
2.3 / Companies House Registration number of parent company (if applicable):
2.4 / Will the group or ultimate holding company guarantee your contract performance and provide a Parent Company Guarantee? / YES / NO
3 / Grounds for Exclusion
Please confirm that, to the best of your knowledge, the Organisation named above is not in breach of the provisions of Regulation 23 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006, as summarised below.
Has the Organisation (or its directors or any other person who has powers of representation, decision or control of such Organisation) been convicted of any of the following offences?
3.1 / Conspiracy within the meaning of section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 where that conspiracy relates to participation in a criminal organisation as defined in Article 2(1) of Council Joint Action 98/733/JHA;or / Yes / No
3.2 / Corruption within the meaning of section 1 of the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889 or section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906; or / Yes / No
3.3 / The offence of bribery; or / Yes / No
3.4 / Fraud, where the offence relates to fraud affecting the financial interests of the European Communities as defined by Article 1 of the Convention relating to the protection of the financial interests of the European Union, within the meaning of:-
· the offence of cheating the Revenue; or
· the offence of conspiracy to defraud; or
· fraud or theft within the meaning of the Theft Act 1968 and the Theft Act 1978; or
· fraudulent trading within the meaning of section 458 of the Companies Act 1985; or
· defrauding the Customs within the meaning of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 and the Value Added Tax Act 1994; or
· an offence in connection with taxation in the European Community within the meaning of section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 1993; or
· destroying defacing or concealing of documents or procuring the extension of a valuable security within the meaning of section 20 of the Theft Act 1968; or / Yes / No
3.5 / Money laundering within the meaning of the Money Laundering Regulations 2003; or / Yes / No
3.6 / Any other offence within the meaning of Article 45(1) of the Public Sector Directive. / Yes / No
3.7 / If you have answered Yes to any of the above, please give details below, including any action taken to resolve the situation.
Do any of the following statements apply to the Organisation or its directors or any other person who has powers of representation, decision or control of such Organisation?
3.8 / Being an individual he is bankrupt or has had a receiving order or administration order or bankruptcy restrictions order made against him or has made any composition or arrangement with or for the benefit of his creditors or has made any conveyance or assignment for the benefit of his creditors or appears unable to pay or to have no reasonable prospect of being able to pay, a debt within the meaning of section 268 of the Insolvency Act 1986, or article 242 of the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, or in Scotland has granted a trust deed for creditors or become otherwise apparently insolvent, or is the subject of a petition presented for sequestration of his estate, or is the subject of any similar procedure under the law of any other state. / Yes / No
3.9 / Being a partnership constituted under Scots law it has granted a trust deed or become otherwise apparently insolvent, or is the subject of a petition presented for sequestration of its estate. / Yes / No
3.10 / Being a company or any other entity within the meaning of section 255 of the Enterprise Act 2002 it has passed a resolution or is the subject of an order by the court for the company’s winding up otherwise than for the purpose of bona fide reconstruction or amalgamation, or has had a receiver, manager or administrator on behalf of a creditor appointed in respect of the company’s business or any part thereof or is the subject of the above procedures or is the subject of similar procedures under the law of any other state. / Yes / No