Clarifications

For those questions that are not applicable, please leave blank.

CCS does not require all sub-contractors to be disclosed. You need only disclose those sub-contractors who directly contribute to your ability to meet your obligations under the DPS Agreement (including under any Contract), regardless of size as there is no minimum size of sub-contractor. Furthmore, there is no requirement to specify sub-contractors supplying general services to you (such as window cleaners etc.) that only indirectly enable you to perform the DPS Agreement.

Part 3 (NHS Requirements) Q158 - Q161 are not applicable and suppliers are not required to provide a response, as detailed in the DPS Needs document at point 36.

If your organisation does not have a parent company, please select 'No' to question Q.130.

This should be left blank and unchecked as it is not applicable to your organisation

CCS can confirm that this question relates specifically to this procurement - RM6018 Research Marketplace DPS.

If your organisation does not comply with the Modern Slavery Act criteria, please provide full details in the explanation comment box provided at question 139 of the 'Standard Selection Questionnaire'. In this instance your response would not be deemed as non compliant.

CCS can confirm the minimum financial threshold credit score is 51 or above, as detailed in the DPS Need document at point 24.

CCS can confirm that suppliers will be invited to a call for competition by customers in accordance with their project service requirements. Customers select their service requirements from the filters within the DPS and as detailed in Attachment 2 - RM6018 Research Services Matrix of the bid pack. Suppliers who are successfully appointed to the RM6018 Research Marketplace DPS don't search for opportunities, they must be invited by a customer via a competition process.

Please refer to the DPS Needs document - Updating Answers in the Selection Questionnaire, Dynamic Purchasing System Questionnaire (DPSQ) section, which forms part of the bid for RM6018.

Please refer to the DPS Needs document, section referenced 'Updating Answers in the Selection Questionnaire' for full details of how to update your service offerings during and following appointment to the RM6018 Research Marketplace DPS.

CCS can confirm that customers project requirements will be determined by the customer at competition stage and will not include any material changes to the Contract terms in accordance with PCR2015.

CCS can confirm that DPS Agreement and Contract Terms IPR clauses are standard term and will remain unchanged.

In accordance with clause 7.55 - 7.57 of the DPS Agreement, suppliers are required to have in place cyber essentials basic certification by the award of their first contract under the DPS Agreement. Please refer to the link below for further information re obtgaining cyber essentials certification: https://www.cyberessentials.ncsc.gov.uk/getting-certified/ Customers will request copies of suppliers certificates prior to award of a contract under the DPS and in accordance with the obligations as set out in the DPS Agreement. If a supplier fails to provide the required certification, this may be deemed as a breach of contract and may result in a contract not being awarded.

For further information in respect of 'Management Levy' Please refer to clause 6.1 - 6.9 of the DPS Agreement.

CCS can confirm the all bidders requesting to participate in the RM6018 Research Marketplace DPS, must complete Attachment 1a and 1b - Letter of Confirmation of Works to support the contract examples they provide as part of their Selection Questionnaire submission. CCS can confirm that this is a mandatory requirement for all bidders in accordance with the selection criteria for RM6018 Research Marketplace DPS.

CCS can confirm there are no Research Marketplace DPS specific CPV codes, therefore suppliers should select the CPV codes relevant to their Organisations services/products.

CCS can confirm that your organisations application will not be rejected if you answer 'NO' to question 155. In accordance with clause 7.55 - 7.57 of the DPS Agreement, suppliers are required to have in place cyber essentials basic certification by the award of their first contract under the DPS Agreement. Please refer to the link below for further information re obtaining cyber essentials certification: https://www.cyberessentials.ncsc.gov.uk/getting-certified/ Customers will request copies of suppliers certificates prior to award of a contract under the DPS and in accordance with the obligations as set out in the DPS Agreement. If a supplier fails to provide the required certification, this may be deemed as a breach of contract and may result in a contract not being awarded.

CCS can confirm the Contract Terms contained within the bid pack for RM6018 Research Marketplace DPS, set out the approach for all government departments. The terms and conditions should therefore remain unchanged and/ or should not be replaced. Both suppliers and customers provide a legally binding electronic signature as part of the sign up process for the RM6018 Research Marketplace DPS, which includes compliance with the contract terms. Therefore, any such changes and/or replacement of the contract terms may be deemed as a breach of the terms and conditions and failure to comply with the Public Contract Regulations 2015.

Please refer to clause 9.12.5 for reasonable time periods to remedy material defaults, which states if the Supplier commits a Default, including a material Default, which in the opinion of CCS is capable of remedy not remedied such Default to the satisfaction of CCS within twenty (20) Working Days (or such other period as may be specified by CCS) from the date CCS sent a written notice of Default to the Supplier.