Cruise Services and Berthing Support Staff - Portsmouth International Port

Description

INTRODUCTION Portsmouth City Council - the 'Council' - is inviting tenders on a separate and combined basis for the provision of 1) Cruise Services and 2) Berthing Support Staff at Portsmouth International Port (the 'Port'). The Port, which is the UK's largest municipal port, is wholly owned by the Council and does not operate as a separate legal entity. CONTRACT AWARD, DURATION & OPTIONS The Council is targeting to award the contracts for both services by 23rd January 2025 to allow for mobilisation and commencement of the services on 1st June 2025. The contracts for both services will run for an initial base term of 4 years. Each of the contracts may be extended by a further 6 years in increments to be agreed, subject to the agreement and performance of both parties. LOTTING STRATEGY & BIDDING OPTIONS Tenderers may submit bids for one, all or any combination of Lot options and may subsequently be awarded contracts for either or both services. SUMMARY SCOPE - LOT 1 - CRUISE SERVICES The successful operator will be required to provide a range of services to the cruise calls that arrive at the Port throughout the year, which are either a tourist or turnaround call. These services are to be delivered via a concession type model as, other than for relatively minor ad-hoc services provided directly to the Port, the operator will engage directly with cruise operators to deliver the service requirements. The per annum value of the contract based upon current levels of demand is estimated to be between £250,000 - £350,000 exclusive of VAT. SUMMARY SCOPE - LOT 2 - BERTHING SUPPORT STAFF SERVICES The successful operator will be required to provide berthing support staff to supplement the Port's own directly employed Quay Assistants to cover direct labour staff absence and/or peaks in demand for berthing services. These services are delivered via a standard service contracting model with all requirements delivered directly for the Port who will subsequently pay the operator directly. The per annum value of the contract based upon current levels of demand is estimated to be between £130,000 - £250,000 exclusive of VAT. SUMMARY SCOPE - LOT 3 - COMBINED AWARD (CRUISE SERVICES & BERTHING SUPPORT STAFF) A single operator would be required to provide the requirements for both services in full. Due to the differences between the services and contacting models, the operator and the Council would still enter into separate contracts for each of the services. PROCUREMENT PROGRAMME & ADMINISTRATION The council run the procurement process in line with the following summary programme: • Contract notice published on FTS - 7th November 2024 • Procurement documents available on In-tend - 7th November 2024 • Site tour and presentation - 18th November 2024 10:30 • Deadline for requests for clarification - 28th November 2024 17:00 • Tender return deadline - 9th December 2024 17:00 • Award decision notified to tenderers - 10th January 2025 • Standstill period ends - 20th January 2025 23:59 • Contract award - 21st January 2025 • Mobilisation - 1st February 2025 • Commencement of services - 1st June 2025 The Council will administrate the procurement process using its e-sourcing system In-tend. The In-tend system can be accessed free of charge via the following web link: https://intendhost.co.uk/portsmouthcc/aspx/home SITE TOUR & CONDITIONS OF TENDERING Attendance at the site tour and presentation on Monday 18th November is a condition of tendering unless tenderers can evidence that they have already undertaken a tour of the site through participation in the prior soft market testing process in July or an existing incumbent supplier of these services to the Port. Requests to attend the site tour and presentation must be made via In-tend by no later than Friday 15th November 10:00. The site tour and system demonstration will commence at 10:30 and is expected to last for 1 hour. Lot 1: Lot 1 - Cruise Services INTRODUCTION The successful operator will be required to provide a range of services to the cruise calls that arrive at the Port throughout the year, which are either a tourist or turnaround call. These calls usually arrive at dawn and depart at dusk. The service requirements per cruise ship differ, this is usually due to the type of call and number of passengers. SUMMARY SCOPE The services are requested directly by the cruise line and/or its agents and could involve one or more of the following: • Baggage handling • Passenger assistance • Marshalling • Ship stores • Handling of waste The operator will be required to provide and maintain the relevant equipment needed to execute the services. The operator may be required to provide these services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days of the year, dependent on the cruise schedule. On an ad hoc basis, the operator may also be requested to carry out operations such as forklift operations and traffic marshalling for the Port. These service requirements delivered directly for the Port who will subsequently pay the operator directly. CONTRACTING & PAYMENT MODEL These services are to be delivered via a concession type model as, other than for relatively minor ad-hoc servicers provided directly to the port, the operator will engage directly with cruise operators to deliver services requirements. The operator will receive payment directly from the cruise operators, or their local agent, in line with rates agreed with the port. The successful operator will be required to honour the hourly rates submitted within their tender response for services provided to both cruise operators, their agent representatives and, on occasion, to the port. These rates may only be varied by agreement with the council in line with the provisions set out within the contract terms. CONTRACT AWARD, DURATION & OPTIONS The Council is targeting to have awarded the contract by 23rd January 2025 to allow for mobilisation and commencement of services on 1st June 2025. The contract will run for an initial base term of 4 years. The contract may be extended by a further 6 years in increments to be agreed, subject to the agreement and performance of both parties. ESTIMATED CONTRACT VALUE & DEMAND The per annum value of the contract is based upon current levels of demand that is estimated to be between £250,000 - £350,000 exclusive of VAT. Demand for the services will be determined by the cruise schedule and the requirements of each cruise call. The associated contract value will be determined by the demand and the agreed rates between the operator and the Port. It is anticipated that the cruise calls will vary year on year and may vary dynamically within a particular year. It should be noted that the value of the contract may be subject to significant increases should the Port significantly expand its cruise offer over the term of the agreement. Conversely, values could also significantly decrease should the level of cruise activity at the Port decrease over the term. Whilst the operator will benefit from the status of being the Port's endorsed supplier for the delivery of cruise services at the Port, the Council cannot provide any further on-going guarantees in respect of cruise operator take up, associated service demand levels and associated contract value. The Council will also not guarantee any underwriting of losses in the event that demand for services significantly reduces. INFLATION The value of the contract will also be impacted by inflationary increases which the Council has modelled at 2% year on year against the upper per annum value estimate in order to calculate the total value figure required for the Find a Tender Service Contract Notice. However, it should be noted that inflation estimates are non-binding and impose no upper or lower contract value variation caps. The contract includes for annual uplift review in line with relevant indices of CPI and relevant change of law impacts. Any increases will not be automatic, will require provision of supporting evidence and will be capped at CPI % increase other than for higher increases evidenced due to relevant change of law. Additional information: PROCUREMENT PROCESS & APPLICABLE REGULATIONS The Council will undertake the procurement process in accordance with the regulations that apply to the 'Open Procedure' as set out within the Public Contracts Regulations (2015). Whilst aspects of the Lot 1 Cruise Services requirements run on a concession type model the Council does not consider that the contract falls under the full definition of a public concession contract under the Concession Contracts Regulations (2016) as: • Demand will be driven by the Port establishing arrangements with cruise operators in the first instance, meaning that the operator will have limited ability to significantly influence demand • The pricing for services provided to cruise operators will be determined at tender and may only be varied over the term of the contract with the express agreement of the Council. • The Port may also pay the operator directly for ad-hoc services following a standard service contract model. • The procurement also includes for the award of a separate contract for Lot 2 Berthing Support Staff which will be let on a standard service contract model. The Council's position therefore is that the procurement procedure and management of the resulting contracts falls under the scope of the Public Contract Regulations (2015) as opposed to falling under the scope of the Concession Contracts Regulations (2016). Lot 2: Lot 2 - Berthing Support Staff INTRODUCTION The successful operator will be required to provide berthing support staff to supplement the Port's own directly employed quay assistants to cover direct labour staff absence and / or peaks in demand for berthing services. SUMMARY SCOPE Under the instruction and supervision of the Port's Berthing Master, the operator's support staff may be required to undertake the following services: • Mooring and un-mooring of a vessel when they arrive and depart the Port • Linkspan and gangway watches • Configuring linkspan structures and gangways to accommodate the vessel's requirements • A variety of external cleaning services cross the Port's external grounds These services are normally carried out between 0530 and midnight which is when the vessels usually arrive and depart between, though occasionally due to late sailings and ad-hoc requirements, for example, there may be a requirement between midnight and 0530. The operator may be required to provide the support staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days of the year. The Port will provide the operator with a forecast of requirements seven days in advance and will confirm final requirements by midday the day before the services are required. CONTRACTING & PAYMENT MODEL These services are delivered via a standard service contract model with all requirements delivered directly for the Port who will subsequently pay the operator directly. The successful operator will be required to honour the hourly rates submitted within their tender response for services provided to both cruise operators, their agent representatives and, on occasion, to the port. These rates may only be varied by agreement with the council in line with the provisions set out within the contract terms. CONTRACT AWARD, DURATION & OPTIONS The Council is targeting to have awarded the contract by 23rd January 2025 to allow for mobilisation and commencement of services on 1st June 2025. The contract will run for an initial base term of 4 years. The contract may be extended by a further 6 years in increments to be agreed, subject to the agreement and performance of both parties. ESTIMATED CONTRACT VALUE & DEMAND The per annum value of the contract based upon current levels of demand that is estimated to be between £130,000 - £250,000 exclusive of VAT. The value may be subject to significant reductions or increases over the term of the contract dependents upon both demand levels and any changes to the Port's workforce strategy. The Council can only provide a broad non-binding range for the value of the contract as the Port cannot accurately predict: • When the operator will be required to provide support staff to cover it's own staff absences and / or • When there will be peaks in demand for berthing services that will require the operator to provide support staff to supplement the Port's existing direct labour force Whilst the operator will benefit from being the Port's preferred supplier for delivery of supplementary berthing support staff at the Port, the Council cannot provide any further on-going guarantees in respect of service demand levels and associated contract value. The Council will also not guarantee any underwriting of losses in the event that demand for services significantly reduces. INFLATION The value of the contract will also be impacted by inflationary increases which the Council has modelled at 2% year on year against the upper per annum value estimate on order to calculate the total value figure required for the Find a Tender Service Contract Notice. However, it should be noted that inflation estimates are non-binding and impose no upper or lower contract value variation caps. The contract includes for annual uplift review in line with relevant indices of CPI and relevant change of law impacts. Any increases will not be automatic, will require provision of supporting evidence and will be capped at CPI % increase other than for higher increases evidenced due to relevant change of law. Lot 3: Lot 3 - Combined Award (Cruise Services & Berthing Support Staff) A single operator would be required to provide the requirements for both services in full (Lot 1 and Lot 2). Due to the differences between the services and contacting models, the operator and the Council would still enter into separate contracts for each of the services. In order to ensure that quality of service is not compromised the Council will only make a combined award for both services via Lot 3 in the following circumstances: • The preferred bidder for each of the separate lots (Lot 1 and Lot 2) is the same as for the combined lot (Lot 3) and the combined lot offer is equal to or improves upon those of the separate lot offers in terms of quality and/or cost • The preferred bidder for the combined lot (Lot 3) is different to the preferred bidder for one or more of the separate Lots AND 1) provides a financial saving compared to the overall cost of awarding to the preferred bidder for the separate lots AND 2) the preferred bidder for the combined lot (Lot 3) has achieved a quality score of which is equal to or higher than that achieved by EACH of the preferred bidders for the separate lots Additional information: PROCUREMENT PROCESS & APPLICABLE REGULATIONS The Council will undertake the procurement process in accordance with the regulations that apply to the 'Open Procedure' as set out within the Public Contracts Regulations (2015). Whilst aspects of the Lot 1 Cruise Services requirements run on a concession type model the Council does not consider that the contract falls under the full definition of a public concession contract under the Concession Contracts Regulations (2016) as: • Demand will be driven by the Port establishing arrangements with cruise operators in the first instance, meaning that the operator will have limited ability to significantly influence demand • The pricing for services provided to cruise operators will be determined at tender and may only be varied over the term of the contract with the express agreement of the Council. • The Port may also pay the operator directly for ad-hoc services following a standard service contract model. • The procurement also includes for the award of a separate contract for Lot 2 Berthing Support Staff which will be let on a standard service contract model. The council's position therefore is that the procurement procedure and management of the resulting contracts falls under the scope of the Public Contract Regulations (2015) as opposed to falling under the scope of the Concession Contracts Regulations (2016).