RFP No. 01/CSD/LESCO

Outsourcing of Meter Reading


CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTORaTE
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RFP No. 01/CSD/LESCO /

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.Instructions To Bidders

2.Definitions

3.Introduction

4.Statement of Purpose

5.General Information

6.Primary Objective:

7.Information Access

8.Scope of Work

9.Terms & Conditions

10.Eligibility Criteria

11.Evaluation Criteria

12.Clarification of Bids

13.Rejection of Bids

14.Canvassing

15.Termination of Contract

16.Penalties and Recovery of Penalties

17.Force Majeure

18.Payments

19.Arbitration/Resolution of Disputes

20.Mailing Address

21.BID FORM

ANNEXURE-“A”

ANNEXURE-“B”

ANNEXURE-“C”

Annexure-“D”

Annexure-“E”

LAHORE ELECTRIC SUPPLY COMPANY OFFICE OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

RFP FOR METER READING IN (03)THREEOPERATION SUBDIVISIONS

1. / Name of Bidder
2. / Issuing Authority
3. / Pre-Bid ConferenceDate & Time / 01-02-2017 at 14:30 hrs
4. / Place / office for submission of RFP / O/O Manager Commercial
Room No. G-11 LESCO H/Q
5. / Closing Date & Time of RFP / 10-02-2017 at 14:30 hrs
6. / Bid Opening DateTime / 10-02-2017 at 15:00 hrs
  1. Instructions To Bidders
  1. The bidder shall carefully study the terms and conditions laid down in the RFP notice and these RFP documents. The bidder shall submit with their offer all required certificates, information’s and securities without which the offer shall not be acceptable.
  2. Each Sub Division is an independent unit therefore rate of meter reading per connection will be quoted separately. However evaluation will be carried out on the basis of total quoted rate for all three Sub Divisions.
  3. The bidder shall avoid conditional, incomplete and confusing offers; as such offers shall be liable to be rejected. The offers shall be clearly worded, self-explanatory, completed in all respect and rates shall be quoted in complete understanding of the scope of work defined in the bid documents. No chance shall be allowed to the bidders for making post bid clarifications.
  4. Rates shall be clearly offered on the prescribed page (Bid Form) of the schedule of rates provided in the RFPdocument and over-writing etc. shall be treated as disqualification.
  5. Bidder will himself be responsible for ensuring that bid is submitted in accordance with the instructions stated herein. Any bid not submitted by the deadline, under the circumstances that are beyond the control of the bidders, will not be accepted.
  6. All proposals submitted should be in accordance with what has been clearly outlined in the RFP. Once a bid proposal has been submitted it will be considered as final.
  7. Once Company/Firm have completed the proposal, signature of a duly authorized individual of Company must be affixed on bids, to acknowledge the fact that Company/Firm have read the RFP thoroughly and have completed the proposal within the stipulated guidelines.
  1. Definitions
  1. LESCO: Means a utility / entity engaged in the business of distribution of electric power as licensed by NEPRA.
  1. CONTRACTOR: Means a contractor whose bid on the prescribed bid documents has been accepted by the Employer and shall include his legal and personal representatives, successors and permitted assigns.
  1. BATCH: Means a group of consumers assigned against a certain area, labeled with a batch number.
  1. CP-21 (C): Meter Reading List for General Consumers.
  1. CP-34 (C): Meter Reading List for Consumers having maximum demand indicator (MDI) Meters.
  1. SANCTIONED LOAD:Where applicable means the maximum of the demand obtained in any month measured over successive periods each of 30 minutes duration except in the case of consumption related to Arc Furnaces, where “Maximum Demand” shall mean the maximum of the demand obtained in any month measured over successive periods each of 15 minutes duration.
  1. BILLING MONTH: Unless otherwise defined for any particular tariff category, means a billing month of 30 days or less reckoned from the date of last meter reading.
  1. BILLING SCHEDULE: Means the schedule notified by LESCO IT Center as per which, the meter readings will be taken and submitted to IT Center.
  2. ISSUE DATE: Means a date, mentioned in billing schedule, as per which the bills are printed.
  1. DUE DATE: Means a date, mentioned in billing schedule, as per which the consumer has to pay the bill without late payment surcharge.
  1. PREMISES: Means the building / site / location where Electric Power is required consumed.
  1. CONSUMER: Means a person or his successor-in interest who purchases or receives electric power for consumption and not for delivery or resale to others, including a person who owns or occupies a premise where electric power is supplied.
  1. CONSUMER MAILING ADDRESS: Means the address specified in the consumer’s Application and Power Supply Contract form for the purposes.
  1. CONSUMPTION: Means the amount of electricity used and measured over a given period of time.
  1. METER: Means a device that registers the quantity of electrical energy over a period of time.
  1. RURAL AREA: Means the area falling within the jurisdiction of all rural local bodies including without limitation Union Councils, Tehsil Councils and Zila Councils.
  1. URBAN AREA: Means the area falling within the jurisdiction of all urban local bodies or development authorities including without limitation Town Committees, Municipal Committees, Municipal Corporations, Metropolitan Corporations and Cantonment Boards.
  1. LATE PAYMENT SURCHARGE: Means a penalty of 10% levied on the amount of energy charges.
  1. Introduction
  1. Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has decided to outsource the Meter Reading activity in two urban and one Rural Sub Divisions as a Pilot Project. LESCO is one of the biggest electricity distribution companies in Pakistan with more than 4.19 million customers. LESCO serves / distributes electricity in Civil Districts of Lahore, Kasur, Okara, Nankana and Sheikhupura.LESCO comprises of the following seven distribution Operation Circles as detailed below:

No. / Operation Circles / Divisions / Sub Divisions under Operation Circles / No. of Customers in Operation Circles for
Dec - 2016
1. / North Lahore Circle / 5 Divisions / 28 Sub Divisions / 656,804
2. / Central Lahore Circle / 5 Divisions / 31 Sub Divisions / 681,651
3. / Eastern Lahore Circle / 4 Divisions / 23 Sub Divisions / 516,603
4. / Okara Circle / 4 Divisions / 23 Sub Divisions / 517,491
5. / South-Eastern LHR Circle / 4 Divisions /26 Sub Divisions / 633,542
6. / Sheikhupura Circle / 5 Divisions / 30 Sub Divisions / 655,099
7. / Kasur Circle / 5 Divisions / 30 Sub Divisions / 531,762

Name of 03-Sub Divisions to be outsourced along with number of customers is as under:-

No. / Name of Sub Division / Related Division / Related Circle / No of Consumers Ending Dec-16 / No. of Sub Batches/ Meter Readers
1. / Sira-e-Mughal / Phool Nagar / Kasur Circle / 11004 / 6/8
2. / NiazBaig / Allama Iqbal Town / Central Circle / 17989 / 8/10
3. / Multan Road / Allama Iqbal Town / Central Circle / 10041 / 7/7
  1. Statement of Purpose
  1. Presently customers in LESCO are complaining against overbilling, delayed billing and consequently late delivery of Electricity Bills. Further, customers complain that meter readers do not take meter reading on the premises. Moreover, they lack accuracy of reading when compared to image/snap of meter reading. LESCO desires to enhance customer services and to overcome all complaints of customers regarding meter reading and billing.
  2. Lahore Electric Supply Company invites proposals from biddersfor Meter Readingin specified Sub Divisions. The successful bidder will perform the meter reading activity along with other necessary activities like meter reading through mobile phones by taking snaps of reading of every kind required for billing, tagging of snaps with meter reading data, processing and preparation of obtained reading and snaps printable on electricity bills on the prescribed formats (CP-21C and CP-34C, attached at Annexure-A and B) of all batches within scheduled period, not more than 12 hours of taking reading, ready for follow up and preparation for printing of Electricity Bills.

Types of meters installed in the system

  1. Single Phase PC Meters
  2. Three Phase PC Meters
  3. Single Phase Static Meters
  4. Three Phase Static Meters
  5. Digital Static Meters (Single Reading)
  6. Digital Static Reading (TOU)
  1. Peak Hours
  2. Off Peak Hours
  1. LT Type CT Operated Three Phase TOU Meters
  2. HT Type CT/PT Operated Three Phase TOU Meters
  3. Electromechanical Meters
  4. Needle based Meters etc.
  1. General Information
  1. For the purpose of Meter Reading LESCO has divided its customers in following Batches:
  1. General Customers (Domestic + Commercial) upto 5 KwFrom Batch 1-15
  2. General Customers (Domestic + Commercial) above 5 KwFrom Batch 41-44
  3. Industrial Customers over 5 upto 25 Kw Batch 46
  4. Industrial Customers up to 5 KwBatch 20
  5. Tubewell Customers upto 5 Kw Batch 19
  6. Tubewell Customers over 5 KwBatch 45
  7. Customers above 25 Kw Batch 24
  1. LESCO issues Schedule of Meter Reading and Billing of above batches on Monthly Basis.However for this project the special schedule can be issued by the Customer Services Directorate.
  2. For information of Bidders, Specimen of Reading List of Customers up to 5 Kw and above 5 Kw i.e. CP-21 (c) and CP-34(c).
  3. For information of bidders, Tariff codes being used in Meter Reading List is placed at Annexure-C
  1. PrimaryObjective:
  1. Taking Meter Reading along with snaps shots of all types of readings strictly as per Meter Reading Schedule notified by LESCO. However the billing schedule can be altered by Customer Services Directorate in special cases and in such circumstances the bidder will be obliged to perform meter reading according to revised schedule.
  2. The Meter Reading and the snap shots will be taken using Mobile Devices which will be provided by LESCO alongwith software. Only LESCO provided software and mobile devices can be used for meter reading.
  3. Redressal of complaints of Wrong Reading.
  4. To ensure timely and accurate Meter Reading.
  5. To Maximize customers satisfaction
  6. Ensuring 100% visit of Meter Reader at site on scheduled date
  7. 100 % adherence to Meter Reading Schedule.
  8. To ensure 100% matching ratio of Mobile Meter Reading.
  9. 100% Accuracy of the data and the lists prepared by successful bidder.
  1. Information Access
  1. All data relating to LESCO Customers will be the property of Lahore Electric Supply Company. Successful bidder shall be responsible for protection of the data collected from any LESCO office.
  2. The information provided by LESCO, is to be considered strictly proprietary to LESCO. This information is not to be shared with individuals outside of Company / Firm unless LESCO has specifically provided written consent allowing said individuals access to this information.
  1. Scope of Work

Sealed bids are invited from Bidderhaving NTN / STN numbers registered with FBR. Brief outline of the scope of project is as under:

  1. The Successful bidder will be responsible for Meter Reading against Customers Having Sanctioned Load up to 25 KWor as decided by LESCO.
  2. The meter reading list and the Meter Readingschedule will be available on the mobile devices provided by respective Sub Division for recording the meter reading.
  3. Record Meter Reading in the provided mobile device along with snaps shots and other data information / discrepancies of all types of meters and customers, strictly as per Meter Reading Schedule notified by LESCO through the software on the mobile devices.
  4. The Successful bidder will be responsible for the Meter Reading within 24 Hrs after having received the meter reading data required for Meter Reading.
  5. Successful bidder will be responsible:
  6. To get the data downloaded in his Mobile Devices from the office of Assistant Manager (OP) / Assistant Manager (CS);
  7. Record the readings and snap shots in mobile devices;
  8. Submit the same to Assistant Manager (OP);
  9. Get the electronics signature of the Assistant Manager (OP); and
  10. Handover all reading / billing data to Assistant Manager (CS) for the purpose of billing.
  11. He will also collect any printed reports generated in the RO office and handover the same to the office of Assistant Manager (OP).
  12. He will also be responsible for submission of discrepancies to Assistant Manager (OP) concerned at the time of submission of batch.
  13. The following types of discrepancies will be noted by the meter reader and recorded using the software during the Meter Reading. This list of discrepancies may be modified in the software provided by LESCO from time to time.

Sr.No. / Type of Discrepancy (to be verified from Mobile Set)
1 / Bond / terminal cover seal is broken or missing
2 / Hole in meter / ATB meter body
3 / Meter / ATB open showing sign of tempering
4 / Joint connected before meter
5 / Terminal cover missing
6 / Unmetered service meter missing
7 / Direct hook / illegal supply
8 / Meter hanging loose/tilted/physically un-balance
9 / Meter glass broken / discolored
10 / Meter dead
11 / Meter brunt
12 / Meter sticking
13 / Meter digit upset
14 / Meter running reverse
15 / Meter connected but temporarily / permanently disconnect
16 / Meter found but no record exist
17 / Meter shifted / dislocated
18 / Meter mounted high
19 / CT/PT damage
20 / Premises lock
21 / Investigation for change of tariff
22 / Any other sign of theft
23 / Meter serial number mismatch with on meter read
24 / Strip open
25 / Security slip not pasted/tore
26 / Service cable inside premises
27 / Out of design / T&P meters
28 / More connected load than sanctioned
29 / Screen wash
30 / Meter inside premises
31 / Meter not found
  1. Meter Readings will be of following types:
  1. Normal Reading
  2. TOU Meter Reading (Peak Hours Reading & Off-Peak Hours Reading)
  3. MDI Meter Reading (KWh Reading, Kvarh Reading, MDI Reading)
  1. In case of receipt of any complaint about wrong Reading, Assistant Manager (OP) may directthe bidder to perform additional meter reading / verification.
  2. The successful bidder will nominate an employee as focal person at Sub Division Level/ for redressal of complaints through Assistant Manager (Op) concerned.
  3. All meter readings / discrepancies noted and snaps taken by the Bidderwill be audited by LESCO. In case of any differences detected by LESCO staff against the reading / discrepancies noted or not reported by the company, the Penalty under Section of 17 of this contract shall become applicable.
  1. Terms Conditions
  1. General Terms & Conditions
  1. This RFP is governed by General Conditions of contract for purchases by WAPDA dated 12-08-1984 (amended to date) and latest purchases procedure of PPRA – 2004 amended to date.
  2. Method of Procurement: Single stage one envelope procedure as per PPRA Clause-36(a) shall be adopted for open competitive bidding. Each bid shall comprise one single envelope containing financial proposal and technical proposal.
  3. The bidder will have to quote the bid for all the three Sub Divisions for full quantity. In case of quoting for one / two sub divisions, offer will be rejected.
  4. The quoted price, exclusive of applicable percentage of sales tax shall be firm and final and not subject to escalation for any reason what so ever. The conditional prices shall not be accepted.
  5. Bid Bond / Security: In order to be considered, the RFP must be accompanied by bid security equal to 5% of the total amount quoted (for one year) by the bidder valid for 180-days after the date of bid opening in the form of Bank Draft or Pay Order drawn on a schedule Bank of Pakistan or in lieu thereof a Bank / Bid Guarantee issued by a Schedule Bank of Pakistan on the specified Proforma. In case, the bidder withdraws his bid / offer during the period ofbid validity or successful bidder fails to furnish the required Performance Bond / Security or sign the Contract Agreement/ Acknowledgment of the Purchase Order, the amount of Bid Bond / Bid Security will be forfeited in favour of LESCO. The Bid Security from any Insurance Company will not be acceptable in any case and Bid will be liable for rejection (Annexure-D).
  6. Performance Bond / Security: Successful bidder will have to submit a Performance Bond / Security in the shape of Bank Draft / Bank Guarantee from a Scheduled Bank of Pakistan on the prescribed form (valid for 12-months from the issuance of LOI) equal to 10% of the total value of annual contract (inclusive of amount of GST) within 7-days from the date of issue of LOI. In case of any further delay,bid security will be forfeited. Bank Guarantee shall be furnished on non-judicial stamp paper of value as prescribed by the Government. The Performance security shall be furnished with the acceptance of Letter of Intent and before the formal issuance of the Purchase Order. Bid Guarantee & Performance Bond be furnished on Non judicial Stamp Paper of value Rs 100/-. However, WAPDA Bonds, as security in lieu of tender/bid guarantee/earnest money or performance bond as per procedure in vogue, are also acceptable (Annexure-E).
  7. SEALING & MARKING OF BIDS:
  1. The bidder shall seal the original and each copy of the bid in an inner envelope, duly marking the envelope as “Original” or “Copy”. The inner envelope shall then be enclosed in an outer envelope. In the event of discrepancy between them the Original shall prevail.
  1. The inner and outer envelopes shall be:

a)addressed to the purchaser at the following address.

b)Customer Services Director, LESCO Limited, 22-A Queens Road, Lahore, RFP No. 01/CSD/LESCO and the words “DO NOT OPEN BEFORE _(Opening time)_ ON _(Opening date)_” shall be written on them.

c)In addition to above, the inner envelope shall indicate the name and address of the Bidder to enable the bid to be returned unopened in case it is declared “Late.”

  1. If the outer envelope is not sealed and marked, the purchaser will assume no responsibility for the bid’s misplacement or its premature opening.
  1. LATE BID:

Bidder will himself be responsible for ensuring that his bid is submitted in accordance with the instructions stated herein. Any bid not submitted by the deadline prescribed for submission of Bids will not be considered even if it becomes late as a result of circumstances beyond the Bidder’s control. Any bid received by the purchaser after the date and time of bid opening will be returned un-opened to such bidder.

  1. CLARIFICATIONS / AMENDMENT OF BID SCHEDULE:
  1. At any time prior to the deadline for submission of Bids, the purchaser may, for any reason, whether at its own initiative or in response to a clarification requested by a prospective bidder, modify the Bidding Documents by amendment.
  2. A pre Bid Conference will be held on the date and time mentioned at page 3 of this RFP for information/clarification regarding the Project. No further clarification/ information will be offered other than the proposed date. Interested bidders are required to confirm their attendance and send their queries through email at t least 72 hours before pre-bid conference. Representatives of only those prospective bidders who purchased the bidding documents will be allowed to attend the pre-bid conference.
  3. All queries will be answered during pre-bid conference and amendments to RFP will be issued for their clarification (if required) which will be integral part of this RFP.
  4. The amendment will be notified in writing to all prospective Bidders who have received the Bid schedule / Bidding documents and will be binding on them.
  5. In order to afford prospective bidders reasonable time in which to take the amendment into account in preparing their Bids, the purchaser may at its discretion extend the deadline for the submission of Bids.
  1. SUBMISSION OF BID: The complete offer in Triplicate (Original & Two Copies) should be filled as under:-

i)The original Bid and other enclosed documents shall be typed or written in indelible ink and shall be signed by the Bidder or a person or persons duly authorized to bind the bidder to the Contract. The letter of authorization shall be indicated by written power-of-attorney accompanying the Bid. All pages of the bid, except for un-amended printed literature, shall be initialed by the person or persons signing the Bid.