Prison Operator Services - HMP Dovegate

Description

The Ministry of Justice (the "Authority") operating through His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is seeking to run a procurement competition that intends to provide high quality, value for money custodial and maintenance services as part of the operation of HMP Dovegate. This notice launches the procurement competition for the provision of prison operator services for HMP Dovegate, under the Light Touch Regime of the Public Contract Regulations (2015). HMP Dovegate is a male Category B Reception, Training, Resettlement prison for over 18-year-olds located near Uttoxeter in Staffordshire. Accommodation at the prison is divided into the main prison (960 places) and the Democratic Therapeutic Community (200 places). In 2009 the addition of a further accommodation block and other facilities, saw the prison capacity increase to a maximum of 1,160 places. Prison Operator Services (also referred to as "prison management" in global markets) involves the provision of Operational Custodial Services and Facilities Management (FM) of prisons in England and Wales. Specifically, a Prison Operator Contract covers delivery of all operational custodial services (including but not limited to education, rehabilitation, training, work, security, resettlement) and FM services (hard and soft) that are required for a prison to hold prisoners, both safely and securely, while providing transformative services that reduce reoffending and maintain the prison to a high standard. The Authority has procured contracts for the operation of prisons to the private sector since the early 1990s and has long advocated a shared approach to prison operation that includes a mix of public, voluntary and private sector involvement. HMP Dovegate is currently a Private Finance Initiative funded prison, and the current contractual agreement will expire on 8h July 2026. The Ministry of Justice wishes to guarantee the safe and efficient transfer of services with minimal disruption to staff and prisoners, whilst ensuring the prison is modernised to enable it to be fit for the future. Details of the procurement can be found in the Invitation to Tender (ITT) documents which are structured into five volumes and are located in Ministry of Justice's e-Sourcing Portal (Jaggaer). Volume 1: Introduction, Instructions, Procurement Process and indicative timelines - providing instructions on the completion and submission of tenders. Volume 2: Bidder Response Criteria - providing details of the Response Criteria Bidders are required to cover in their Bids, together with guidance on completion of Bidder responses against each criterion. Volume 3: The Draft Contract. Volume 4: Evaluation Methodology - providing details of the evaluation methodology by which the Bid will be evaluated and the award criteria; and Volume 5: Data Rooms - containing details of the data and information that the Authority is making available to Bidders to assist them in the preparation of their Tenders. Additional information: The anticipated duration for the Contract will be 12 years from the operational services commencement date, with an option for a 3-year extension (1+1+1) and contains an option of a break clause at 6 years. The contract is based on the Cabinet Office's Model Contract. The Authority will manage the Contract through a range of Contract Delivery Indicators (CDIs) set out in Schedule 15 - Appendix 2, together with information provided by the successful Bidder as part of their bid submission which will form Schedule 7 (Contractors Proposal). Bidders who initially respond to this notice and successfully meet the Authority's minimum criteria stipulated in the Selection Questionnaire (SQ), will be taken through to the next stage of the competition, "soft dialogue engagement events'' as enabled for via the Schedule 3 of the Public Contract Regulations (2015) - Light Touch Restricted Procedure. As part of the Selection Questionnaire (SQ), Bidders will have to demonstrate that they have the credibility, capability and understanding of the key principles and approach required to deliver services at HMP Dovegate. The soft dialogue engagement events bring to life the aspects of the competition, giving Bidders the opportunity to talk to Authority's subject matter experts and will help Bidders to shape their submissions. Following these events, a final set of Tender documentation will be issued. The Ministry of Justice (the "Authority") intends to run this Competition via the Restricted Procedure using the Light Touch Regime as specified in PCR 2015. The Authority will conduct the procurement in accordance with the principles of equal treatment, transparency, non-discrimination, and proportionality. The Authority is inviting Bidders to respond to this notice and submit responses to the Selection Questionnaire (SQ). As part of the SQ stage, Bidders must submit a completed Financial Viability Risk Assessment (FVRA) template. In addition, it is the Bidders responsibility throughout the Competition to inform the Authority of any adverse movement in the baselines, which were established in the FVRA. Should the criteria set out in the SQ not be met, the Authority will exclude Bidders from the process. Further details of the Authority's approach are set out in the SQ. Following evaluation of the completed SQ, the Authority will invite down-selected Bidders to attend "soft dialogue engagement events", and thereafter Invitation to Submit Final Tenders (ISFT) will be issued. The award for prison operator services for HMP Dovegate will be based on a Bidders ability to satisfy the Authority that they have the capability and competency to deliver a safe and secure prison against the criteria in the ISFT Volumes. The award for this procurement competition will be based on the most economically advantageous tender. Please see the attachment for information on how to express an interest in this opportunity.