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Research & Insights

Clarifications

There are 134 clarifications for this DPS

14. Q1. In completing the 'Selection Questionnaire', at Q21 "Are you, or the group of economic operators (if applicable), proposing to use sub-contractors?", we have entered 'No', perhaps in error. Whether or not we propose to use subcontractors, and who those subcontractors will be, will depend on the nature of the work that is contracted under this framework agreement. Should we therefore have entered 'Yes' in response to Q21, and provided the details for the most likely subcontractors (given our experience of bidding under Framework RM6018)? Or, is it OK to not provide any sub-contractor details within the 'Selection Questionnaire' given it is unknown at this stage? If we should have entered sub-contractor details, will it now be sufficient to submit these on 'Attachment 5 - Additional Sub-Contractor(s).xlsx', given we cannot go back to Q21, having already completed the Selection Questionnaire? Either way, is it correct to assume we can use subcontractors in the future who we have not named in our bid? Q2. With regards to the contract example that is required, please can you confirm: Will prospective clients have access to this information? How many contract examples are required? Do the example contracts need to be complete, or can they be in progress?
Yes, you can use subcontractors in the future. You will need to go back into SRS and update your DPSQ and answer the prompt payment questions. This will push you back into assessing and the new answers will then be assessed and your application will then move forward. For assistance with your application should an issue arise, could you please liaise with the support service for Supplier Registration at: SRS service desk; +44 (0) 161 413 7982 Support@nqc.com
Answered
13/12/2021 16:04
13. -Qs 144-146 ask about our commitment to supporting skills and apprenticeships, and how we ensure that our suppliers support skills and apprenticeships. This is in the context of PPN 14/15, which refers to procurements of over £10m. We don't anticipate contracts valuing more than £10m from this Framework, and so please could you confirm the relevance of the questions in this context? In addition, please could you confirm whether the responses to these questions are pass/fail, i.e. grounds for exclusion/rejection? -Under the DPS terms, it states that a Management Levy is due to be paid to CCS for management of the framework. Please could you confirm the value of the levy, or the method of calculation, for the course of the agreement? -Clause 2.6 of the DPS Core Terms: is this clause necessary to include? Where our clients are looking for a procurement route we would of course point them in the direction of this Framework, but we do not believe that it should be the role of potential contractors to promote the Framework. Our clients have their own procurement routes in line with internal guidelines. -Clause 14.3 of the DPS Core Terms: we've not had a contract condition to send the buyer copies of government data every 6 months and this seems to us to be unnecessary and actually not good practice. What is meant by this clause? Is the spirit of this more about sending copies upon request? If so, can this clause be changed? -Supply chain visibility schedule: this states that the supplier shall "advertise on Contracts Finder all Sub-Contract opportunities arising from or in connection with the provision of the Deliverables above a minimum threshold of £25,000 that arise during the Contract Period" with a further clause that this only applies "after the Effective Date". The term "Effective Date" is unclear to us. Are we correct in interpreting this to mean that if we name specific sub-contractors in a tender submission for work under the framework then we do not need to advertise on Contracts Finder?
CCS can confirm that questions 144, 145 and 146 of the Selection Questionnaire are Pass/Fail and an answer must be provided. Please refer to DPS Schedule 5 and the appointment form for details as to the Levy amount and the mechanism by which it is determined and is to be paid. Although a bidder may not anticipate it, there is the potential for bidders to be awarded contracts that meet the threshold in PPN 14/15 and so must be compliant with the PPN. This question is part of the standard Selection Questionnaire and is relevant for every DPS competition. CCS can confirm that this is a standard clause within the Public Sector Contract and will not be amended. It states only that the Supplier will inform any Other Contracting Authority of the existance of this agreement, it does not ask the Supplier to promote the agreement nor turn down an order.
Answered
29/11/2021 14:27
12. Please ignore/delete question 9. Thanks!
This question is no longer applicable.
Answered
16/03/2022 13:24
11. On the SSQ, Part 1: Persons of Significant Control, I've encountered a problem. I've entered the details for 2 people who have Over 25% up to (and including) 50% shares - in fact they have 50% each. The form is asking for the details of a third PSC and there isn't one. As this is mandatory, I'm unable to progress any further. Could you advise how to deal with it, please?
Unfortunately, we are unable to assist with this particular query but would ask that you contact NQC for help in the first instance. For assistance with your application, could you please liaise with the support service for Supplier Registration at: SRS service desk; +44 (0) 161 413 7982 Support@nqc.com
Answered
29/11/2021 14:28
10. We are registered as a supplier for RM6018 and had understood from the August 2021 supplier webinar that we would not have to re-do the Supplier Questionnaire before moving to the Research and Insights specific questionnaire. However, when we log in through the supplier registration page and select "access as a supplier" and then "continue", we are invited to complete the Supplier Questionnaire. Should we go through and do it again, or does this indicate a problem? Note that we do have the option to "re-use an existing questionnaire".
Yes, please use the option 're-use existing questionnaire'. Should you encounter any difficulties with this option, please liaise with the support service for Supplier Registration at: SRS service desk; +44 (0) 161 413 7982 Support@nqc.com
Answered
29/11/2021 14:25
9. Government procurement regulation requires suppliers to provide a Carbon Reduction Plan in order to be eligible to undertake contracts worth more than £5 million. Is a Carbon Reduction Plan therefore only required when bidding for a contract worth more than £5 million within this DPS, rather than as an initial requirement for a place on this DPS?
In accordance with the Guidance on adopting and applying PPN 06/21, CCS can confirm that should a bidder not provide a Carbon Reduction Plan, their bid will fail unless the reason that the bidder is unable to provide a Carbon Reduction Plan is that the bidders organisation is less than 12 months old. If a bidding organisation is less than 12 months old and can confirm their commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050 and that they will publish a Carbon Reduction Plan as soon as possible (providing details as to when it will be published), then under these circumstances, their bid will not fail. In all other circumstances, a bidder must provide a Carbon Reduction Plan in order to be appointed to the DPSQ. For clarity, the question applies to all bidders to the DPS, regardless of the size of the bidder, because there is potential for contracts to meet the threshold of £5m annual value. The Carbon Reduction plan must include the bidder's current carbon footprint and its commitment to reducing emissions to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2050. SME bidders may find the list of potential resources & tools at the end of the FAQ document useful in establishing their footprint to begin developing their plan.
Answered
24/11/2021 10:15
8. The guidance for the confirmation of works states "Example provided must relate to services delivered during the past three (3) years, prior to publication of the contract notice to be valid as evidence for this procurement (i.e. not started before October 2018)" Please can you confirm whether this means that the contract must have been signed after October 2018 or that the work must have been delivered after October 2018? Thank you
CCS can confirm that the example provided must relate to services that have been delivered during the past three years, for example after October 2018. The question does not ask for an example that had the contract signed at a specific point in time.
Answered
29/11/2021 14:25
7. We have read the documents in the bid pack. We can't find any reference to a deadline by which an interested supplier would need to request to participate. Can you clarify?
CCS can confirm that there is no tender submission deadline and that suppliers are able to submit an application throughout the life of the DPS.
Answered
16/11/2021 10:13
6. Please can you explain the difference between the three contract examples requested in questions 133, 134 and 135 on the Selection Questionnaire and the contract example requested at question 56 of the Research Insights questionnaire. Do we need to provide three contract examples for questions 133, 134 and 135 and then choose one of those contract examples to expand upon in question 56 (on the RI questionnaire)? Is my understanding correct that we only need to provide a Letter of Confirmation for the example in question 56 and not for the examples in 133, 134 and 135?
CCS can confirm that a response to the contract examples requested in the Selection Questionnaire are not required from Bidders. Bidders must respond to question 56 of the Research & Insights DPSQ and a letter of confirmation of works should also be provided at question 58 of the DPSQ.
Answered
16/11/2021 10:13
5. Please can you confirm how many contract examples should be provided in the SQ - is it two (Q133 & Q134)? Presumably the contract example required for the DPSQ (Q55) can be the same as one of the examples provided in the SQ?
CCS can confirm that a response is not required for questions 133, 134 and 135 of the Selection Questionnaire. Rather, a bidder should provide details of their contract example at questions 55 through and including 58 of the DPSQ
Answered
12/11/2021 11:33
4. Please can you confirm that, as per the CCS Standard Selection Questionnaire, Q128 should only be answered if the answer to Q127 is 'No' & should be left blank if the answer to Q127 is 'Yes'?
CCS Can confirm that Question 128 should only be answered if you have selected 'No' to Question 127 on the Selection Questionnaire and can be left blank if you have answered 'Yes' to Question 127.
Answered
12/11/2021 11:33
3. Q6 in the standard questionnaire does not allow for non-UK postcodes. Please advise what to enter in the postcode field for a parent company that is not UK-based.
Please enter the equivalent of a UK postcode for your organisation's Immediate Parent Company. This will not cause any issues with your DPS application
Answered
16/11/2021 10:12
2. Do we need to complete questions 150 - 154 in the DPS questionnaire?
CCS can confirm, as set out at paragraph 73 of the DPS needs document, that questions 150 - 154 of the Selection Questionnaire do not need to be answered
Answered
04/11/2021 15:18
1. Questions 147 - 149 relate to steel. Do we need to answer these?
CCS can confirm, as set out at paragraph 73 of the DPS needs document, that questions 147, 148 and 149 of the Selection Questionnaire do not need to be answered
Answered
04/11/2021 15:18

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