Acquisition of Heavy Goods and Specialist Vehicles

The Association of North East Councils Trading as the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) in partnership with The Procurement Partnership Limited (TPPL), is seeking to establish a multi-supplier, multi lot Framework Agreement for the Acquisition of Heavy Goods and Specialist Vehicles for use by contracting authorities throughout the United Kingdom.

The purpose of the prior information notice (PIN) is to provide advance notice to the marketplace of the tendering opportunity and intentions of NEPO to hold market consultation activities with suppliers to help shape the future Framework Agreement. NEPO are not advertising this PIN as a mechanism to reduce future procurement timescales.

NEPO intends to publish a soft market testing questionnaire via the Open eTendering system. The questionnaire will be used to assess interest in the tendering opportunity and to gain information and insight from the market to help shape the future NEPO224 Framework Agreement design. The soft market testing questionnaire will be made accessible via the Open eTendering system on 18/04/2024 with a submission deadline of 12 p.m. on 02/05/2024.

Suppliers wishing to access and complete the soft market testing questionnaire must first register on the eTendering system using the following link https://www.open-uk.org.

Guidance for how to create an account search for opportunities and respond are included on Page 4 to 15 within the Supplier's Hub. If you require further support, please email [email protected].

In addition, NEPO intends to hold a group market consultation meeting on 17/05/2024. Suppliers wishing to register attendance must do so in writing to Michelle Graham ([email protected]) no later than 5 p.m. on 16/05/2024. The Market Consultation session will be no longer than 60 minutes and NEPO intends to conduct these sessions virtually through online meeting platform applications.

NEPO anticipates this virtual meeting session will take place via Microsoft Teams. The time of the appointments will be confirmed following the registration deadline. Suppliers wishing to attend the virtual market consultation meetings should be capable of meeting the requirements under any of the applicable lots.

Attendance at market consultation is optional and does not provide suppliers with an advantage in any future related procurement. Attendance also does not constitute as an intention to tender for any future related procurement. Please note the above dates may be subject to change depending on availability and supplier uptake.