Clarifications
There are 120 clarifications for this DPS
21. Could you please provide the Supplier Code of Conduct and
Government Buying Standards
The Supplier Code of Conduct and the Government Buying Standards can be found at www.gov.uk.
Answered
22/06/2020 10:01
20. Can you please refer back to previous question and answer. I am referring to Part 3: CESG Cyber Certifications questions and not Part 3 Cyber Essentials
Question asked : Re: Selection Questionnaire 113 Part 3: CESG Cyber Certifications q163. Which of the following CESG cyber certifications is your organisation planning to apply for? Please tick all that apply...
My organisation does not intend to apply for 2 of the CESG cyber certifications . Can I therefore leave these 2 blank as there is no N/A functionality for this section?
Previous Answer : There is no 'N/A' functionality for these questions as you are required to select Cyber Essentials Certificate and/or Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate as you must provide a copy of this to CCS at award of the first contract. Please refer to 'DPS Schedule 9 - Cyber Essentials Scheme' paragraph 2.1
Suppliers must have a valid Cyber Essentials Certificate and/or Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate in place, and shall provide a copy of this to to CCS at award of the first contract. Alternative certifications will not be be accepted.
Answered
16/03/2020 16:18
19. Would alternatives to Cyber Essentials / Cyber Essentials Plus such as externally accredited ISO 27001 certification be accepted by the Authority instead?
Suppliers must have a valid Cyber Essentials Certificate and/or Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate in place, and shall provide a copy of this to to CCS at award of the first contract. Alternative certifications will not be be accepted.
Answered
05/03/2020 09:46
18. This has not been answered - can you please clarify?
Can you clarify Attachment 5 ( Group of Economic Operators) and Attachment 4 ( Additional Sub Contractors) do not need to be submitted at SQ stage if we are proposing to enter into this as a Sole Bidder?
As stated within our previous response, Attachment 5 (Group of Economic Operators) should be completed if you have more than 10 Economic Operators that you are detailing within the Selection Questionnaire (SQ). If you are not detailing more than 10 Economic Operators within the SQ then you do not need to complete and submit this document.
Attachment 4 (Additional Subcontractors) should be completed if you have more than 35 Subcontractors that you are detailing within the Selection Questionnaire (SQ). If you are not detailing any more than 35 Subcontractors within the SQ you do not need to complete and submit this document.
Answered
28/02/2020 14:13
17. Further to your clarification on this question: Point 72 There are questions in the Selection Questionnaire that are not applicable for this RM6173 Automation Marketplace procurement, therefore please note, a response is NOT required to the questions as detailed below: Part 1: (Contract Example 1) - Q133 Part 1: (Contract Example 2) - Q134 Part 1: (Contract Example 3) - Q135 Can you confirm you do not require contract examples at this SQ stage
I can confirm there are no questions the require Bidders to provide a Contract Example.
Can you please confirm what we would need to put into these fields so that we can move on to the next questions?
As per the RM6173 Automation Marketplace DPS Needs document, there are questions in the Selection Questionnaire that are not applicable for this DPS. Questions 133, 134 and 135 do not require a response.
Answered
22/06/2020 09:58
16. Can you clarify Attachment 5 ( Group of Economic Operators) and Attachment 4 ( Additional Sub Contractors) do not need to be submitted at SQ stage if we are proposing to enter into this as a Sole Bidder?
Furthermore, you acknowledge that Sub Contracting arrangements may change over time, will you allow Sole Bidders to add Subcontractors at a later date?
Attachment 4 (Additional Subcontractors) should be completed if you have more than 35 Subcontractors that you are detailing within the SelectionQuestionnaire (SQ). Detail the first 35 in the SQ and any additional Subcontractors over 35 must be recorded on this Attachment 4.
Attachment 5 (Group of Economic Operators) should be completed if you havemore than 10 Economic Operators that you are detailing within the Selection Questionnaire (SQ). Detail the first 10 in the SQ and any additional over 10 must be recorded on this Attachment 5.
Suppliers can obtain new subcontractors if a contract is live. However, they must fulfil their contractual obligations in accordance with Joint Schedule 6 (Key Subcontractors). Clause 1.3 relates specifically to when a supplier wishes to enter into a new Key Sub-contract or replace a Key Subcontractor, and the requirement to obtain the prior written consent of CCS and the Buyer.
Answered
20/02/2020 16:14
15. Can you please provide a copy of the Terms of Use that Suppliers agree to at the start of the SQ process "DPS Supplier Terms"
The portal did not allow a download of this key legal document- if any other documents were available for download in that section, please also distribute
There is not a downloadable version, you can however view this from the platform directly via the Terms of Use link at the bottom of the page on SRS (or https://supplierregistration.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/terms-of-use) after agreeing to the DPS Supplier T&Cs.
Answered
05/03/2020 09:45
14. Read First Selection Questionnaire - Not Applicable questions- 7.2
There are questions in the Selection Questionnaire that are not applicable for this RM6173 Automation Marketplace procurement, therefore please note, a response is NOT required to the questions as detailed below
Evidence submission stage for the following questions
[Q166 - Q172];
[Q174];
[Q176]; and
[Q179 - Q185]
Can you please clarify a) what sort of evidence you are referring too and b) where these questions are on the Selection Questionnaire - I cannot see them. Our Questionnaire finishes at 163.
As these questions are not applicable to this DPS you are not required to provide any evidence. Visibility of these questions is determined by answers to previous questions, therefore, as they are not applicable the evidence questions [Q166 - Q172]; [Q174]; [Q176]; and [Q179 - Q185] are not visible.
Answered
05/03/2020 09:43
13. Buyers Needs 1.2
Upon application to join the DPS, bidders are required to indicate which product and Services they are able to bid for. It is therefore essential that bidders select the exact elements relevant to their Service offering in order to be invited to the relevant competitions.
Where on the Selection Questionnaire do we indicate which product and Services we are able to bid for?
You are required to select which services your organisation is able to provide within the DPSQ, at Questions 65 - 69.
Answered
28/02/2020 14:11
12. Selection Questionnaire 113 Part 3: CESG Cyber Certifications
163. Which of the following CESG cyber certifications is your organisation planning to apply for? Please tick all that apply
My organisation does not intend to apply for 2 of the CESG cyber certifications. Can I therefore leave these 2 blank as there is no N/A functionality for this section
There is no 'N/A' functionality for these questions as you are required to select Cyber Essentials Certificate and/or Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate as you must provide a copy of this to CCS at award of the first contract. Please refer to 'DPS Schedule 9 - Cyber Essentials Scheme' paragraph 2.1
Answered
20/02/2020 16:13
11. Can you clarify the management levy % that Suppliers will have to pay upon submission of Spend reports against this DPS
The Supplier will pay, excluding VAT, 1% of all the Charges for the
Deliverables invoiced to the Buyer under all Order Contracts. Please refer to 'DPS Appointment Form v1.0'.
Answered
28/02/2020 14:08
10. What is your anticipated time limit for submission of proposals at Call off level?
The timescales to submit a response to an opportunity will vary for each individual call-off and will be determined by the buyer. There is no set timescale for this.
Answered
09/03/2020 11:02
9. When is submission due?
You state that this will be open to buyers from 16/3 ?
Normally DPS's have a 5 year window, I understand Suppliers can join at any time
The Selection Questionnaire will be open for all Bidders to complete for the duration of the DPS, details on the duration of the DPS can be found at paragraph 1.1 of 'RM6173 Automation Marketplace - Buyer Needs v1.0'
Answered
20/02/2020 16:12
8. Selection Questionnaire Part 3: Skills and Apprentices
Guidance: Public procurement of contracts with a full life value of £10 million and above and duration of 12 months and above should be used to support skills development and delivery of the apprenticeship commitment
Can you confirm that this section needs to be answered? There is no full life value of £10m- only a projected value throughout the course of the framework / call off's which may or may not total that amount
This question is essentially asking in the event that a call off contract reaches £10 million in value will you support apprenticeships and skills development as set out in detail in Policy Procurement Note 14/15.
Answered
05/03/2020 09:41
7. Read First. Point 72
There are questions in the Selection Questionnaire that are not applicable for this RM6173 Automation Marketplace procurement, therefore please note, a response is NOT required to the questions as detailed below:
Part 1: (Contract Example 1) - Q133
Part 1: (Contract Example 2) - Q134
Part 1: (Contract Example 3) - Q135
Can you confirm you do not require contract examples at this SQ stage
I can confirm there are no questions the require Bidders to provide a Contract Example.
Answered
20/02/2020 16:12
6. Selection Questionnaire 132- Would you be able to obtain a guarantee elsewhere (e.g. from a bank)?
If answers to 130 and 131 are Yes, what do you advise for 132 as there is no option for a N/A
You are still required to confirm 'yes' or for Q132, even if your answers to Q130 and Q131 are also 'yes'. If you cannot obtain a guarantee elsewhere please select 'No'.
Answered
20/02/2020 16:11
5. Selection Questionnaire 113
Can you confirm that you have paid, or have entered into a binding arrangement to pay, any outstanding tax payments or social security contributions, including any accrued interest and/or fines (if applicable)?
it is N/A so do I tick or not tick the "I confirm box"?
Yes, you are required to select 'I confirm' unless you do have any outstanding payments.
Answered
20/02/2020 16:09
4. in the bid pack, there is no 'schedule 3' in the DPS schedules. is this correct?
many thanks
DPS Schedule 3 (Pricing) is NOT USED. The buyer will determine the price model at competition stage.
Answered
20/02/2020 16:08
3. We understand that we must complete an SQ and then a DPSQ as part of the application process. You have provided a sample SQ but not the DPSQ. We would like to understand the detail of what is required of us at DPSQ. Please can you provide the DPSQ in either CSV or PDF format. Thanks.
We can confirm that the Automation DPS Bid Pack has now been updated to contain a PDF copy of the Selection Questionnaire and DPSQ.
Answered
13/03/2020 13:54
1. Could the Authority please confirm the timelines to complete the Selection Questionnaire.
The Selection Questionnaire will be open for all Bidders to complete for the duration of the DPS, details on the duration of the DPS can be found at paragraph 1.1 of 'RM6173 Automation Marketplace - Buyer Needs v1.0'
Answered
20/02/2020 12:02
