Original Tender Description
Bright Futures Educational Trust is inviting you to tender for the provision of an Entrance Test and associated services to be delivered the Trafford Grammar School Consortium. The Trafford Grammar School Consortium comprises 5 schools: Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Sale Grammar School, Stretford Grammar School and Urmston Grammar School. Whilst the schools share the same entrance examination, each is its own admissions authority and would be a separate signatory to the contract. One of the schools in the Consortium; Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, is part of Bright Futures Educational Trust. The Trust is acting as the lead contracting authority for this procurement. The full scope of the services required is detailed in the Specification which is included as Appendix A within the Tender Pack. The contract will be for 3 years with the option to extend for 2 further periods of 1 year up to a maximum of 5 years in total. The Contract has a total maximum estimated value of £550,000 excl VAT. A conflicts assessment has been prepared and revised. PROCUREMENT PROCESS In respect of application of the Procurement Act 2023 and Procurement Regulations 2024 the Customer considers that the object of the contract is concerned with ‘light touch services’ and due to the estimated value falling below the current statutory threshold of £663,540 (inc. VAT) for light touch contracts, the procurement is 'below threshold'. Subsequently, the Customer's position is that the procurement process is not classed as a 'covered procurement' and the contract is not classed as a 'public contract' under the Procurement Act 2023. Please note that schools are exempt from the rules governing regulated below-threshold contracts within the Procurement Act 2023. The Customer has therefore included for 'conditions of participation' which require tenderers to meet defined legal & financial standing and technical ability requirements pertaining to previous experience. To achieve this the Customer has reviewed and amended the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) developed by the Government Commercial Function for use on below threshold procurement processes. In order to complete and return the PSQ, the Customer requires interested suppliers to register their details on the Central Digital Platform and upload and/or check that their core Supplier information on the Central Digital Platform is all up to date and accurate. Further details regarding how to access and complete the PSQ are provided within the documentation provided. Whilst the procurement is not a 'covered procurement', the Customer is undertaking the procurement process in general accordance with the 'open procedure', however this does not imply that the Customer is bound by any legal requirements of the Procurement Act 2023 and Procurement Regulations 2024 which only apply to 'covered procurements' and 'public contracts'. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Manchester:-Education-and-training-services./6795EWT8AN To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/6795EWT8AN