STC1161 - Automatic Access Control System (AACS) Software, Ongoing Support, Maintenance and Hardware

The authority is looking to engage with a contractor with the capability and capacity to lead, coordinate and deliver a new Automated Access Control System (AACS) Software package including the hardware platforms that support the software such as servers and terminals (but not door controllers or card readers). The future contract will include installation and commissioning of the new software, the ongoing support (including help desk / call centre support) and maintenance and repair of the new AACS software and related equipment for a period of 10 years. There will also be the option for a 1 year (12 months) extension. In scope will be the Parliamentary Estate including the Palace of Westminster and all outbuildings and any buildings added to the estate in the future. The new software will have sufficient capacity to cover all planned estate expansion.

Additional information: This procurement will be using the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011 (DSPCR). In-Tend e-Sourcing Portal: Suppliers must read through this set of instructions and follow the process to respond to this opportunity. The information and PQQ documents for this opportunity are available on the Parliamentary e-sourcing portal In-Tend. You must register on the In-Tend site to respond to this opportunity https://in-tendhost.co.uk/parliamentuk/aspx/Home

Please ensure you follow any instruction provided to you. The deadline for submitting your response(s) is detailed within this contract notice and the PQQ. PQQ submissions must be uploaded to the portal; electronic responses submitted via e-mail are not acceptable. Please ensure that you allow yourself plenty of time when responding to this opportunity prior to the closing date and time, especially if you have been asked to upload documents. If you are experiencing problems, please contact the PPCS Business Support team via email: [email protected] or call +44 (0)207 219 1600 for further assistance.

Please visit In-Tend (link above) for full details and to register your interest in this procurement.

To access the PQQ documents select the tender reference STC1161 in the 'current tenders' list, click on the 'view tender details' and express interest by clicking on the button provided.

If you need to register, your company details will be required, thereafter you will be issued with a username and password. If you have previously registered with In-Tend, please follow the link shown which will redirect you to the home page where you can log on using your existing username and password to collect the tender documents. If you have registered and forgotten your username and password, click on the 'forgotten password' link on the In-Tend homepage.

Please keep this username and password secure and do not pass it to any third parties. If you are experiencing problems, please contact the PPCS Business Support team via email: [email protected] or call +44 (0)207 219 1600 for further assistance.

You are advised to allow sufficient time when responding to this PQQ, and for the full uploading of documents, prior to the closing date of 12.00 noon UK time on 6th May 2022. Late submissions will not be accepted. If you are uploading multiple documents you will have to individually load one document at a time or you can opt to zip all the documents in an application such as WinZip or WinRAR.

As part of the PQQ process there is the requirement that a completed and signed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is submitted at the same time as your completed PQQ submission via correspondence on the portal.

Once the PQQ evaluation has been carried out and completed and if successfully down selected to proceed to the ITT stage (and on acceptable receipt of your completed and signed NDA and confirmation of security clearances - see below) a link will be sent via the portal to the selected tenderers to be able to access the ITT tender documents.

Baseline Personnel Security Standard and Parliamentary security clearances

If successful at PQQ Stage all personnel involved in the following ITT tender stage process must be UK Nationals, will be required to comply with the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) pre-employment checks and have obtained the Parliamentary security clearance Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) for the personnel who will have access to the Authority's data for the purpose to work on or have access to the ITT for this Contract. Please see the PQQ Guidance document on the requirements regarding the timelines on submitting clearance forms for CTC if successful at PQQ stage.

This will be in line with Cabinet Office guidance on BPSS and the Home Office guide on preventing illegal working. Further information is also provided in the e-tendering portal https://in-tendhost.co.uk/parliamentuk/aspx/BuyerProfiles, including guidance on obtaining security clearance (CTC) for personnel working on the Parliamentary Estate, having access to the Authority's IT network and/or data.

Some personnel who will be involved in the ongoing delivery of the future contract must be UK Nationals, cleared at Security Check (SC) level as a minimum. These personnel are those who will need to have privileged user access to the system. Only in exceptional circumstances will a waiver be given while SC is in the final process of initiation, and this will be on a case-by-case basis.

Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ):

The selection criteria in the PQQ contains both pass/fail questions and scored questions. A PQQ response that is deemed a "Fail" against any Pass/Fail question will be non-compliant. A breakdown of the scoring and weightings for the scored questions is detailed within the PQQ and PQQ Guidance document, this document also details the evaluation process for the PQQ responses.

All fully compliant PQQ responses will be evaluated, scored and then ranked. A maximum of four (4) potential suppliers (with compliant PQQs) with the highest total marks will be taken through to the next stage of the tender process where a link to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) will then be sent, via In-Tend, to the selected companies (subject to security clearances being confirmed).

The Authority also reserves the right to invite less than the maximum four (4) potential suppliers to ITT if there are less than the required maximum four (4) compliant PQQs received by the Authority. This is on the provision that those suppliers have all supplied a compliant PQQ.

Companies who are successful at the PQQ stage and are selected to participate in the ITT stage and wish to receive an ITT must have the capability to handle, store and manage documentation up to the classification of Highly Restricted.

Please note that clarification questions should be sent and will be answered through In-Tend.

Please check this system daily. The closing date for clarification questions to the PQQ is 28/04/2022 at 23:59hrs.

Invitation to Tender:

Full details of the requirement / specification will be provided with the ITT at stage 2 of the process. In addition, the Authority reserves the right to add items of similar nature to the contract during the lifetime of the contract.

Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : No