Aerial Dispersant Spray (ADS) Service

Description

Further to a Prior Information Notice (PIN) reference: 2023/S 000-007002 issued on the 10th of March 2023, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) (the Authority) is undertaking this procurement to appoint a suitably capable and experienced provider to deliver the Authority's Aerial Dispersant Spray Service following the expiry of the current contract. The purpose of the procurement is to contract for an aviation service for the application of oil spill dispersant that best meets the MCA's statutory obligations with respect to responding to and mitigating the impacts of marine oil spills. This will include aviation assets capable of carrying and applying large quantities of dispersant to an oil slick within a rapid timeframe to anywhere within the United Kingdom's (UK) Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and to be able to sustain such an operation over an extended period of time. The solution to be procured must be compliant with both aviation regulatory environments, environmental regulations and industry best practice for aerial dispersant operations. The procurement will be operated in line with the Competitive Procedure with Negotiation under the Public Contracts Regulation 2015 (Regulations) and will use an output-based specification, supported by detailed scenarios and conversations with industry to inform a market-tailored solution, ensuring the most appropriate assets are provided and situated at the most suitable location(s) in the UK to meet the MCA's commitments. Furthermore, the procurement will include specific provisions to address training and innovation needs, dispersant logistics for an initial load and operational resilience and capability that will deliver a service that is an improvement on the current provision. This procurement will also take the opportunity to utilise a contract which aligns with the current best practice for public procurement. Lot 1: The information previously shared as part of the market engagement activities will be superseded by the procurement and contract documentation which is now available in connection with this contract notice. Only the information shared pursuant to this contract notice should be relied upon by suppliers deciding whether to participate in this procurement. This opportunity will be operated in line with the Competitive Procedure with Negotiation under the Public Contracts Regulation 2015 (Regulations). Following on from the publication of this Contract Notice, the procurement will be structured in the following stages: The Selection Stage : the Authority invites expressions of interest by completion of the Selection Questionnaire (SQ). The Initial Tender Stage : the Authority intends to shortlist the top four (or more, in the event of a tie) compliant SQ responses to this Invitation to Tender Stage (ITT). The Negotiation Stage : all Tenderers submitting a compliant Initial Tender will be invited to negotiate with the Authority. Invitation to Submit Final Tenders : following conclusion of the negotiations, the Authority will issue an Invitation to Submit Final Tenders to identify the preferred bidder. Tenderers should access the procurement documentation, inclusive of SQ in full via the Authority's e-sourcing portal Jaggaer, which provides more information on the procurement process. In addition to the SQ, the e-sourcing portal will provide the following information: a) Key Commercial Principles for which the Authority is seeking feedback on. b) Technical information containing relevant information such as level playing field information and background documents. c) Draft Invitation to Tender documents. The Authority reserves the right to change the ITT documentation and that an updated version of the ITT will be available at ITT stage for the down-selected Candidates to complete via the e-sourcing portal.