Clarifications
There are 31 clarifications for this DPS
37. For Part 1 - Supply Chain:
We use a variety of subcontractors for specialist works and these change dependent on location of works and availability. Please can you advise how many members of our supply chain you would anticipate we detail.
Please can you confirm how we are to answer 'The approximate % of contractual obligations assigned to the Sub-Contractor' when work volumes cannot be defined at DPS stage?
When answering this question, you can just include key subcontractors, as this can be updated at call off, and the %- perhaps give the % based on reactive, an approximation?
Answered
08/08/2024 08:50
36. Hello,
The FVRA states to ONLY Complete if you are a LIMITED or CHARITABLE/VOLUTARY COMPANY OR ORGANISATION. Which part of the FVRA Exactly is to be filled in as a Sole Trader?
Kind Regards
Please select Private Limited Company/Publicly Listed Company from the drop down as a Sole Trader will need to populate tab 1.1a.
Answered
30/01/2024 14:49
35. Hello, we have completed the SQ, but have not been directed to the DPSQ. Does the SQ go through an Assessing phase before being able to progress to the DPSQ?
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
30/11/2023 09:15
34. Hello,
Please could you provide some information on the number of cleaning call of contracts, type of cleaning work and contract value since the DPS commenced?
Thank you
CCS cannot advise guaranteed or committed spend or planned works through the DPS. However CCS do continually promote the DPS and work with eligible Buyers to raise awareness, as can suppliers. Also any pipelines will be advised to appointed DPS suppliers.
Answered
30/11/2023 09:15
33. Hello CCS,
We are looking to join this DPS. As a Sole trader, I am not on companies house and do not have a companies house number. Is it okay to put the number as '00000000'. We also do not hold Cyber Essentials which I understand is a must have. Is this something that we can get if accepted, or do we need to hold this before submitting our SQ? Thanks.
You should use 00000000 as your company number. Suppliers are required to confirm that they have Cyber Essentials Basic as part of the application process and if accepted, suppliers are required to submit certification. If you are unable to confirm that you have Cyber Essentials Basic you should wait until this is in place.
Answered
07/11/2023 14:10
32. Hello CCS
There appears to be a few discrepancies between the questions detailed within the bid pack and the questions detailed on the CCS SQ portal.
Please could you advise:
1.which questions are applicable for this RM6264 Framework?
2.What action to take where the portal requires a mandatory response to the questions detailed as not applicable?
Questions detailed within the Bid Pack but not displayed on the SQ portal:
136You have indicated that you propose to use sub- contractors if successful in this procurement. Please demonstrate how you have previously maintained healthy supply chains with your sub-contractor(s).
Evidence should include, but is not limited to, details of your supply chain management tracking systems to ensure performance of the contract and including prompt payment or membership of the UK Prompt Payment Code (or equivalent schemes in other countries)
173Upload documentary evidence for employer's (compulsory) liability insurance
174Upload documentary evidence for public liability insurance
175Upload documentary evidence for professional indemnity insurance
177Upload documentary evidence to support your commitment to developing and investing in skills, development and apprenticeships
178Upload documentary evidence to demonstrate the process that ensures your supply chain supports skills, development and apprenticeships in line with PPN 14/15
Questions detailed within the Bid Pack as not applicable but displayed on the SQ portal:
133 - 135 Relevant Experience
137 - If you cannot provide at least one example customer contract, in no more than 500 words please provide an explanation for this e.g. your organisation is a new start-up or you have provided services in the past but not under a contract.
147-149 Steel
150 - 154 Past Performance
New Section displayed on the SQ portal:
158 - 161 NHS Requirements - This is a new section on the portal which is not detailed within the bid pack.
Many thanks
1.which questions are applicable for this RM6264 Framework? The document 'READ FIRST R6264 DPS Needs' para 70 indicates questions which do not require a response. In addition suppliers are not required to respoind to question 137 of the selection questionnaire.
2.What action to take where the portal requires a mandatory response to the questions detailed as not applicable? The question responses are not taken into account. Or where possible use N/A.
The pdf documents offer a guide and will be reviewed to ensure they align with online questionnaires. In all instances, the questions on the online questionnaire supersede the pdfs and should be responded to as applicable.
Answered
07/11/2023 14:09
31. In relation to RM6264, since we are not required to provide contract examples for questions 133-135, does that also mean we do not need to answer question 137 ('If you cannot provide at least one example customer contract, in no more than 500 words please provide an explanation for this e.g. your organisation is a new start-up or you have provided services in the past but not under a contract.')?
A response is not required to questions 137 of the selection questionnaire and the guidance document will be updated to reflect this.
Answered
06/10/2023 16:44
29. Dear CCS
We have 7 clarifictions on the contract schedules please:
1.Can the Authority/Buyer please confirm whether "Further Competition TUPE Risk Premium" or "Further Competition Fixed Fee TUPE Risk Premium apply to this opportunity? Otherwise, bidders will not have a mechanism for TUPE true-up once awarded a call off contract.
2.Can the Authority/Buyer please confirm whether Redundancy Surcharge will apply for this opportunity? The DPS does not contain a route for the bidder to recoup redundancy costs for ETO nor for client-drive changes of scope.
3.Can the Authority/Buyer please confirm that Non-Core Terms will not apply to this opportunity?
4.Can the Authority/Buyer please confirm that the bidders will not be required to provide a Guarantee for the DPS nor for any Order Contracts? If this is still a requirement, please confirm whether CCS will be satisfied with the highest UK parent company for international groups of companies.
5.Can the Authority/Buyer please confirm whether the CCS standard mechanism of "Earn Back" for Service Credits will also apply on this occasion?
6.Will the Authority/Buyer be able to amend p. 6.3 of Schedule 5 to ensure that Data Validation and Asset Verification Audit is undertaken and completed during the 6 months after the service start date rather than during mobilisation?
7.Can the Authority/Buyer please confirm whether the bidders will be able to decline an Exempt Order Contract?
"1.Can the Authority/Buyer please confirm whether ""Further Competition TUPE Risk Premium"" or ""Further Competition Fixed Fee TUPE Risk Premium apply to this opportunity? Otherwise, bidders will not have a mechanism for TUPE true-up once awarded a call off contract. 1. Further Competition TUPE Risk Premium and/or Further Competition Fixed Fee TUPE Risk Premium do not apply to this agreement, any specific TUPE arrangements would be specified by the Buyer at order stage.
2.Can the Authority/Buyer please confirm whether Redundancy Surcharge will apply for this opportunity? 2. The DPS does not contain a route for the bidder to recoup redundancy costs for ETO nor for client-drive changes of scope. Redundancy Surcharge does not apply for this agreement, any specific Redundancy arrangements would be specified by the Buyer at order stage.
3.Can the Authority/Buyer please confirm that Non-Core Terms will not apply to this opportunity? 3. Non-Core Terms do not apply to this agreement.
4.Can the Authority/Buyer please confirm that the bidders will not be required to provide a Guarantee for the DPS nor for any Order Contracts? If this is still a requirement, please confirm whether CCS will be satisfied with the highest UK parent company for international groups of companies. 4. Suppliers may be required to provide a guarantee as part of the Financial Viability Risk Assessment on a case by case basis. In addition a Buyer may request a Guarantee at Order stage following the process detailed in Joint Schedule 8
5.Can the Authority/Buyer please confirm whether the CCS standard mechanism of ""Earn Back"" for Service Credits will also apply on this occasion? 5. Service Levels will be developed and specified by Buyers at the Order stage as per DPS Order Schedule 14
6.Will the Authority/Buyer be able to amend p. 6.3 of Schedule 5 to ensure that Data Validation and Asset Verification Audit is undertaken and completed during the 6 months after the service start date rather than during mobilisation? 6. If the Buyer deemed this requirement to be amended this would be carried out by the Buyer at the Order stage.
7.Can the Authority/Buyer please confirm whether the bidders will be able to decline an Exempt Order Contract? 7. All suppliers have the right to decline when invited to bid, with the requirement that they let the buyer know the reason for the decline. This also applies to Exempt Order Contracts. "
Answered
04/08/2023 14:30
28. good afternoon,
Q54. Attachment 3a - sheet 1.1a shows error in Lead Financial Input at bottom of Immediate Parent Section. We can confirm that we do not have any Immediate Parent Company nor Ultimate Parent Company.
Can kindly confirm whether to attach the document
Document 'RM6264 - Attachment 3 - Financial Viability Risk Assessment Instructions v2.0' refers: On the tab 'Bidder Instructions' make sure you select the correct company/organisation type for the Lead Bidder from the dropdown provided, (row 39) before completing the Attachment 3a. Please ensure you only complete the tabs relevant to your organisation type.
● 1.1a Lead financial Input - only complete if you are a Private Limited Company/ Publicly listed company template
● 1.1b Lead financial Input - only complete if you are Not for profit/Voluntary organisation
You should then attach the document to your application.
Answered
17/07/2023 16:30
27. Can you confirm Attachment 3a is the correct document - the agreement name listed on tab 2.1 - cell H13 has the agreement name listed as Low Value FM & Services DPS
We can confirm that this is the correct document for use.
Cell H13 is a free text cell, please type the correct name of the Commercial Agreement in cell H13
Answered
10/07/2023 13:39
26. Re Carbon Net Zero for RM6264 Dynamic Purchasing System Facilities Management & workplace Services
Questions 136-142
The pre amble to these questions states that "Public procurement of contracts with an annual contract value of £5,000,000.00 and above should take into account suppliers' carbon reduction plans and commitment to Net Zero by 2050."
This contact is worth circa £200k PA at best and as such why are these questions relevant for this contract. Not answering them is not an option as it is not possible to move on with the questionnaire.
Carbon Reduction Plans are a requirement of the DPS as per READ FIRST RM6264 - DPS Needs document within the bid pack. Para 44 (j) refers: (We may reject your bid or exclude you from the competition at the selection stage for any of the following reasons) a supplier that selects £500,001+ at Q133 of the DPSQ and are unable to provide a link to your most recently published Carbon Reduction Plan or do not provide sufficient evidence that remedial action has taken place.
This means that suppliers selecting contracts with a value of £500,001+ pa will be prompted to attached their Carbon Reduction Plan in order to comply with the requirements of 'Procurement Policy Note 06/21: Taking account of Carbon Reduction Plans in the procurement of major government contracts'.
Documents RM6264 DPS Joint Schedule 5 - Corporate Social Responsibility and RM6264 DPS Schedule 1 - Specification within the bid pack also offer more information regarding carbon reduction plans.
Answered
13/06/2023 16:37
25. Statutory obligations / compliance services - For the miscellaneous surveys, audits and Testing services please can you expand on the type of surveys/audits that fall under this.
The surveys and testing will be miscellaneous and as per RM6264 DPS Schedule 1 - Specification v1.0 further details of the services will be provided by the buyer in the order procedure.
Answered
25/05/2023 08:52
24. Smart FM solutions including Computer Aided Facility Management (CAFM) - Please can you confirm if the services requirement includes the provision of the FM delivery of soft, TFM and Hard Services or if this is for the CAFM system which supports these services.
This is for the provision of Smart FM solutions including Computer Aided Facility Management (CAFM). If a supplier wishes to deliver other FM services, the corresponding service should be selected.
Answered
25/05/2023 08:52
23. 1. We have recently been successfully appointed onto this DPS. Is there any way we can identify potential clients or clients who have expressed an interest in procuring through this DPS?
2. Is there an appointed CCS Framework Manager who we can liaise with?
The Commercial Agreement Manager is Helen Caulfield. Meetings with suppliers are being scheduled and once a pipeline is established, it will be circulated to all suppliers throughout the lifetime of the agreement.
Answered
19/04/2023 15:04
22. Good morning,
In regards to Q147 & 148, are both of these questions relevant to the procurement (supply or production) of steel or not?
Also, do these need to be answered in regards to getting onto the
DPS Facilities Management and Workplace Services?
Thanking you in advance.
In accordance with the DPS needs document in the bid pack for RM6264, There are questions in the Selection Questionnaire that are not applicable for this RM6264 Facilities Management and Workplace Services 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
●Part 3: (Steel) Q147 - Q149
●Part 3: (Supply Chain) Q150 - Q154 Evidence submission stage for the following questions
●Q166 - Q172;
●Q176; and
●Q179 - Q185
So for any questions listed above no response is required. If any of the questions laid out in your clarification question DO require a response, please could you contact support@nqc.com and they will be able to help you complete your application. I hope this helps.
Answered
03/04/2023 15:09
21. Good afternoon,
Please could someone advise as to whether Q150 to Q154, are relevant to the RM6264 Facilities Management & Workplace Services DPS and if they need to be answered or not?
If so, please could someone provide some clarification on what is required and if other evidence could be provided than performance certificates?
Thanking you in advance for your assistance.
In accordance with the DPS needs document in the bid pack for RM6264, There are questions in the Selection Questionnaire that are not applicable for this RM6264 Facilities Management and Workplace Services 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
●Part 3: (Steel) Q147 - Q149
●Part 3: (Supply Chain) Q150 - Q154 Evidence submission stage for the following questions
●Q166 - Q172;
●Q176; and
●Q179 - Q185
So for any questions listed above no response is required. If any of the questions laid out in your clarification question DO require a response, please could you contact support@nqc.com and they will be able to help you complete your application. I hope this helps.
Answered
03/04/2023 15:09
20. Regarding your response (clarification 2530).
We had assumed these supporting documents were not required at this stage, but our SQ is still at the stage of 'assessing' with the SQ evidence required note on it. So we are now unable to amend our SQ submission or provide any further documents, but our SQ has not been progressed beyond SQ stage either.
Could this be reviewed so we can provide the supporting documents as part of the next DPS SQ stage?
I have contacted you directly in order to support you to resolve this issue
Answered
03/04/2023 15:17
19. Re Question: 2529
We have been asked to provide the following evidence:
✔Audited accounts for the last two years
✔Parent company accounts
✔Parent company guarantee
✔Employer's (Compulsory) Liability Insurance
✔Public Liability Insurance
✔Professional Indemnity Insurance
✔Product Liability Insurance
✔Skills and Apprentices - documentary evidence to support supplier's commitment to developing and investing in skills, development and apprenticeships
✔Skills and Apprentices - documentary evidence to demonstrate supplier's process that ensures their supply chain supports skills, development and apprenticeships in line with PPN 14/15
✔Suppliers' Past Performance - a list of relevant principal contracts for goods and/or services provided in the last three years
✔Suppliers' Past Performance - a certificate for each principal contract for goods and/or services provided in the last three years
✔Suppliers' Past Performance - past performance information for any sub-contractors (or consortium members) who the supplier will rely upon to perform the contract
•A statement of the turnover
•Profit & loss account
•Current liabilities and assets
•Cash flow for the most recent year of trading for the organisation.
In accordance with the DPS needs document in the bid pack for RM6264,
There are questions in the Selection Questionnaire that are not applicable for this RM6264 Facilities Management and Workplace Services 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
●Part 3: (Steel) Q147 - Q149
●Part 3: (Supply Chain) Q150 - Q154
Evidence submission stage for the following questions
●Q166 - Q172;
●Q176; and
●Q179 - Q185
So for any questions listed above no response is required.
If any of the questions laid out in your clarification question DO require a response, please could you contact support@nqc.com and they will be able to help you complete your application.
I hope this helps.
Answered
27/03/2023 17:04
18. We have been asked to provide SQ evidence documents, but can see no way on the portal to upload the information. How are we to respond?
What documents are these? Once known I will be able to advise further. Thanks
Answered
24/03/2023 11:49
16. We are not bidding as a group of operators but are being requested in relation to questions 58 and 59 to add a Financial Risk Assessment for each group of operators. The only options are yes and no (NA is not available). Can you please advise how to proceed. Thanks
Please select 'No' to these questions as they are not relevant to your organisation.
Answered
09/02/2023 14:41
