Project Evaluation Services Invitation to Tender (ITT ... · PDF fileInclude-IT Mersey Project Evaluation Services Invitation to Tender (ITT) Specification Registered in England and

Include-IT Mersey

Project Evaluation Services

Invitation to Tender (ITT) Specification

Registered in England and Wales as a Company

Limited by Guarantee No: 2832920

Registered Charity No: 1024546

Include-IT Mersey Project - Evaluation Specification (FINAL Aug-17) 2 of 19

CONTENTS

1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3

2 Overview ........................................................................................................................................ 3

3 Background..................................................................................................................................... 3

4 Project Details ................................................................................................................................ 3

4.1 Project Summary ..................................................................................................................... 3

4.2 People and Places ................................................................................................................... 6

4.3 Target Milestones ................................................................................................................... 7

4.4 Project Outcomes ................................................................................................................... 8

4.5 Wider Impact .......................................................................................................................... 8

4.6 The Partnership ....................................................................................................................... 9

5 Evaluation Requirements ............................................................................................................. 10

5.1 Terms of Reference ............................................................................................................... 10

5.2 Scope of Evaluation ............................................................................................................... 10

5.2.1 Qualitative methods ..................................................................................................... 10

5.2.2 Quantitative methods ................................................................................................... 10

5.2.3 Formative and Summative Evaluation .......................................................................... 10

5.2.4 Reports Submission Timetable ..................................................................................... 11

5.2.5 Conflicts of Interest ....................................................................................................... 11

6 Assessment/ Selection Process and Criteria ................................................................................ 12

6.1 Assessment Process .............................................................................................................. 12

6.2 Tender Requirements and Selection Criteria ........................................................................ 12

6.3 Scoring Methodology ............................................................................................................ 13

7 Contract Value and Payments ...................................................................................................... 14

8 Contract Award Milestones And How To Apply ........................................................................... 15

9 Terms and Conditions .................................................................................................................. 16

9.1 Submitting a Tender Response ............................................................................................. 16

9.2 Compliance ........................................................................................................................... 16

9.3 Tenderer Responsibilities ...................................................................................................... 17

9.4 Intellectual Property ............................................................................................................. 18

9.5 Warnings/ Disclaimers .......................................................................................................... 18

9.6 Waiver ................................................................................................................................... 19

9.7 Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................................ 19


1 INTRODUCTION

The Include-IT Mersey Partnership, through Sefton CVS as lead organisation, invites suitably

qualified and experienced applicants to conduct a longitudinal evaluation of the Include-IT Mersey

Project.

2 OVERVIEW

The main details of the project are:

Project Name: Include-IT Mersey

Geographical Area: Liverpool City Region: Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Wirral

Provision: Digital skills development and employment support

Target Audience: 750 digitally excluded and workless (unemployed or economically inactive)

LCR residents

Funder: Big Lottery Fund – Building Better Opportunities (ESF co-finance)

Value: £1,645,300

Project timescales: March 2017 to March 2019

Evaluation Contract: September 2017 to March 2019 (final report due 15 March 2019)

Contract Value: maximum of £40,000, inclusive of VAT

3 BACKGROUND

The Include-IT Mersey Partnership brings together representatives from the voluntary, community

and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, three Local Authorities (LAs) and eleven Housing Associations

(HAs) from the Liverpool City Region (LCR).

The Partnership has been awarded £1.6 million grant funding to deliver the Include-IT Mersey

digital inclusion project through the Big Lottery Fund Building Better Opportunities programme,

which is jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund and European Social Fund.

The project runs from March 2017 until March 2019.

4 PROJECT DETAILS

4.1 PROJECT SUMMARY Include-IT Mersey provides targeted, personalised digital skills development and employment

support to digitally excluded, unemployed/economically inactive residents of the Liverpool City

Region (LCR) to improve their basic ICT and online skills, confidence and access to digital

technologies, enabling them to overcome barriers resulting from a lack of digital skills.

Although the project’s primary focus is Digital Inclusion (DI), our delivery model is firmly set in the

context of skills/employment and will ultimately support participants to progress towards and in to

employment or further training, helping those furthest from the labour market to become more job

ready.


Our core delivery model involves:

1. Intelligent identification, referral and engagement, using robust data from the largest

network of Housing Associations across LCR;

2. Volunteer Digital Champions for localised community engagement and support;

3. Highly experienced/effective, locally based, ICT and employment support providers, with

extensive employer links;

4. Localised outreach delivery through a network of Delivery Partners (DPs), community

venues and Housing Associations;

5. Digital surgeries/ IT drop-ins, aligned to our training provision, run by experienced staff and

volunteers, to facilitate ongoing access to digital technologies, enabling participants to

practice and apply their new found skills during and after training.

The project provides individually tailored, flexible programmes of support that respond to specific

needs and barriers to Digital Inclusion, employment and training faced by participants.

Our delivery model and partnership is wholly geared towards targeting and supporting those at risk

of social exclusion. Our unique ability to intelligently target digitally excluded, workless residents

through sophisticated Housing Association data is a key component and USP of our model (Figure 1)

We will recruit and mobilise up to 150 volunteer Digital Champions (DCs) to provide the primary

thrust of our localised community engagement approach. Drawn from and based in local LCR

communities, housed in Delivery Partners, Housing Associations and other community

organisations, DCs are tasked with engaging, persuading and supporting participants in to locally

delivered ICT training and employment support.

Once engaged, participants are formally signed up to the project. Outreach delivery takes place in

accessible community venues. Small group sizes of between 5 and 8, and delivery by appropriately

qualified/experienced staff ensure that participants receive the levels of intensive support they

require.

Digital Champions support participants to learn at their own pace, only referring them into formal

group work when they feel comfortable to do so.

Interesting approaches to developing basic digital skills, finding the right ‘hooks’ to engage people,

such as, social media, shopping and entertainment, will lead into more targeted, employment

focused ICT delivery, such as, online job search, universal job match and CV builder. At this point,

wider employment/ skills support are offered, covering topics such as:

• Assets/strengths;

• Understanding recruitment and application processes, including on-line processes;

• CV/ application writing;

• Interview skills;

• Other PSD: presentation, confidence, timekeeping, inter-personal and communication skills,

teamwork, problem solving;

• Workplace behaviours, rights and responsibilities;

• Work experience, volunteering;

• Wider progression support.


Engagement activities – Community based tasters, fun days, etc supported by DPs & Digital Champions

Identification of eligible people, including priority groups.

Engagement activities: Stalls and tasters at community bases

and events, door knocking, 1:1 contact and trials with champions etcLearning Programme

Digital Skills

Using a Computer & Online Basics: keyboard & mouse, e-mail, internet basics

More Internet Skills: shopping, public services, banking & budgeting,

entertainment, social media,etc.

Finding a Job Online:Job search, on-line applications, UJM

Online Safety:Keeping your personal information secure online

etc.

Targetted progression supportTailored to individual’s progression aspirations

PROGRESSION

1:1 IAGPersonalised

job application support

Individual interview support

Visits to progression destinations – training orgs, FE, recruitment events etc

Participant Journey Project Activities

Employability training

Employability & Progression support

HA’s and Digital Champions

Digital Champions, community based partners,

HAs, ICT Training Partners

Who by

ICT/Employment support Training partners / Digital Champions

ICT/Employment support Training partners / Digital Champions

ICT Training delivery:

Learn My WayWider ICT support

1:1 coaching with DI champion

ICT Training PartnersSupported by

Digital Champions

Located at community based venues

Employability support – job search, CVs, applications,

confidence, etc.

Post-progression supportICT/Employment support

Training partners / Digital Champions

Sup

po

rt t

hro

ug

ho

ut

the

pa

rtic

ipan

t jo

urn

ey

by

Dig

ita

l ch

am

pio

ns

Dig

ital

Ch

amp

ion

s: R

ecr

uit

me

nt,

sig

np

ost

ing

to

tra

inin

g, o

n-g

oin

g s

up

po

rt a

nd

ma

nag

em

en

t

Leve

l of

par

tici

pa

nt

en

gag

emen

t in

cre

ases

as

con

fid

ence

gro

ws

Engagement activities – targeted engagement by HA’s, supported by Digital Champions

Acc

ess

to

Dig

ital

su

rge

ries

b

ased

in lo

cal

com

mu

nit

y b

ased

ve

nu

es

in t

arg

eted

geo

gra

ph

ica

l are

as

Enrolment on programmeInformal Initial Assessment

Barrier removal – e.g. childcare, transport support

Delivery Model - V3-March-17

Figure

1


The Good Things Foundation (UK Online) Learn my Way platform is central to ICT skills delivery,

enabling participants to both choose topics of personal interest and to continue learning outside

taught/ supervised sessions. Through volunteer DCs and local digital surgeries, participants will be

supported in the ongoing application and extension of their learning.

Participants benefit from a single, integrated pathway of support to help achieve their desired

outcomes. Key to our model is a focus on individual abilities, needs and aspirations, offering

personalised packages of support.

Benefits to the individual (participant) will include:

• Increased confidence, empowerment and inclusion through improved ability to use digital

media to job search, improve skills and engage with public services, as well as friends and

family.

• Renewed motivation to learn and progress in life; gaining what will, in many cases, be a first

qualification

• Greater confidence in self-ability to judge and combat risks associated with online activity

• Better access to digital technology/ services and support in convenient locations

• Improved digital skills leading to:

o Financial: budgeting capability, savings through online shopping and cheaper

communication

o Social: reduced isolation through social media; access to entertainment; ability to

pursue interests online

o Health: access to online health services/advice

• Employment benefits:

o Ability to search and apply online, work-related IT skills

o Improved employability and workplace ICT skills, increasing employment

prospects

o Work experience and volunteering opportunities as a pathway to employment

o Gaining employment

4.2 PEOPLE AND PLACES The project will support 750 eligible digitally excluded residents aged 18+ across the LCR LEP area,

with a targeted focus on those aged 45+ and others for whom digital exclusion is a key barrier to

progression. Our experience, backed up by local and national research, shows that digital exclusion

correlates with increasing age.

To ensure greatest impact and most efficient use of funding, we will primarily target delivery in areas

of greatest need. Comprehensive research has led to the prioritisation of specific areas:

Halton: Widnes (Kingsway/Appleton/Broad Heath), Runcorn (Halton Castle/Halton

Lea/Norton South/Grange)

Knowsley: Northwood (Kirkby), Longview (Huyton), Halewood, Stockbridge Village, Dovecot

Liverpool: Toxteth, Norris Green/Croxteth/Clubmoor, Speke-Garston, Kirkdale, Anfield,

Everton

Sefton: Linacre (Bootle), Dukes (Southport)

St Helens: Parr, Town Centre, Moss Bank

Wirral: Birkenhead/Tranmere, North Birkenhead, Rock Ferry, Seacombe


These areas have been selected by combining local Housing Association data concerning location of

digitally excluded tenants, with Indices of Multiple Deprivation rankings of LSOAs.

4.3 TARGET MILESTONES Project target milestones are as follows:

Project Milestone Targets

Outputs End

2017

End July

Q2 2018

End

2018

Total

Mar19

Total participants 283 539 750 750

Of whom:

Men 142 270 375 375

Women 142 270 375 375

Unemployed 142 270 375 375

Economically inactive 142 270 375 375

Aged 50+ 86 162 225 225

People with Disabilities (including learning

difficulties and long-term health conditions)

78 148 206 206

People from Ethnic Minorities 15 28 39 39

Results

Progress into education or training, on leaving

(within 4 weeks of end date)

14 58 107 128

Progress into employment, including self-

employment, on leaving 6 26 45 53

- Of which, those who were unemployed 4 15 24 27

- Of which, those who were inactive 2 11 21 26

Who were inactive, move to job search on leaving 16 52 84 101

Gain a qualification, or unit(s) towards a

qualification 67 214 343 428


4.4 PROJECT OUTCOMES The following table outlines the wider Project Outcomes along with Indicators of Change and

associated timescales:

Project Outcome Indicator of Change Timescale

375 participants, feel more

connected to their

community and local

services.

375 participants who didn’t feel connected to their community move to feeling connected to their community

375 participants who didn’t feel able to access local services move to feeling able to access local services

March

2019

March

2019

120 individuals across the LCR will gain improved confidence and skills through action as Digital Champion

volunteers.

120 volunteers show an improvement to their confidence as a result of the volunteering as a digital champion

120 volunteers feel that they have gained new skills as a result of volunteering as a digital champion

March

2019

March

2019

600 participants will have

improved wellbeing

through connecting with

people via the internet.

600 participants who didn’t use the internet regularly to connect with people move to using the internet regularly to connect with people

March

2019

4.5 WIDER IMPACT The project will contribute to LCR Employment and Skills Board priorities including: targeted

support, linked to local business needs; developing independent advice/guidance; preparing people

for work including employability training and support into work.

LCR Skills for Growth Priorities include developing both digital and employability skills. It also targets

tackling health-related worklessness in its aspirations for 2020 and recognises that older people

(esp. 40-64) ‘continue to be more likely to lack qualifications’.

We will contribute to tackling key LEP economic strategies – emphasising increased employability/

enterprise skills and reduced unemployment, particularly with people aged 45+. Expert and

impartial IAG will raise awareness of opportunities in LCR’s growth employment sectors.

We will ensure that the most socially excluded, e.g. those aged 50+, social housing residents, BME

communities and people with particular vulnerabilities, including learning difficulties, disabilities or

L-T health conditions (incl. mental health) can access the project by channelling engagement and

support resources as described above.

Local LCR communities themselves will benefit from:

• A more efficient/ effective, co-ordinated cross-sector, city region wide approach to Digital

Inclusion, resulting in sustainable neighbourhood-based Digital Inclusion support;

• Improved digital access, local support and facilities;

• Sustainable Digital Inclusion support through a network of volunteer Digital Champions;


• Improved community integration and cohesion through (re-)engagement of socially

excluded people;

• Improved information and choice re access to digital technologies, through a comprehensive

map of digital access points across the city region;

• The collective economic rewards of higher employment;

• Greater equality of opportunity for residents through improved access to relevant online

provision;

• Minimal environmental impact through locally based provision.

4.6 THE PARTNERSHIP The Partnership brings together Sefton CVS, a leading LCR VCSE sector infrastructure organisation,

with 22 Delivery Partners (19 VCSE sector providers, plus three Local Authorities) and 11 strategic

Housing Association partners; all high performing local providers with proven performance track

records in Digital Inclusion and employment support.

All Delivery Partners have committed to:

• Their individual partnership delivery roles, allocated volume of participants and associated

targets and funding levels;

• The Partnership Agreement and individual Service Level Agreements, specifying their

required roles and responsibilities in delivering the project.

Core project delivery roles include:

Role Who

Project, partnership and performance management; coordination

of marketing/ publicity; volunteer DC recruitment & support

Sefton CVS

Publicity - to attract and engage potential participants and

volunteers

All DPs, except Good Things

Foundation

Volunteer DC training. Good practice support for organisations

acting as local hosts to volunteer DCs

3 local CVS’/ Volunteer Centres

Digital /ICT training, IAG & employment support 18 local training/ employment

support providers

Digital Surgery provision Training/ employment support

providers

MI/ database support Good Things Foundation

Strategic Partners (Housing Associations) have no pecuniary interest in the project and, as such, are

not party to the full Partnership Agreement, but act as key enablers to the project, by:

• Providing local intelligence and data to assist Delivery Partners and volunteers in targeting

and engaging digitally excluded Housing Association residents;

• Acting as local host organisations for volunteer Digital Champions involved in the project;

• Supporting publicity and promotion of the project to their residents;

• Providing premises for the delivery of Project activities.


5 EVALUATION REQUIREMENTS

Sefton CVS, as the Lead Organisation, is procuring this work on behalf of the Include-IT Mersey

Partnership by means of a formal open competitive tender process. Procurement will be conducted

in accordance with the respective procedures and regulations of the Big Lottery Fund and European

Structural Investment Fund (ESIF).

5.1 TERMS OF REFERENCE To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness, impact and value for money of the project and its

delivery model on participants, partners and other stakeholders. Judgements are to be based on

project activities defined by inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes achieved during and

throughout the lifetime of the project. Where appropriate, reference should be made to

demographic and benchmark data.

5.2 SCOPE OF EVALUATION The appointed Evaluator is required to conduct independent research leading to regular and timely

recommendations that actively contribute to continuous quality improvement of the project, and to

gain a meaningful understanding of how the project is developing and progressing at key milestones

throughout its two year lifespan, including a final report on the success of the project.

5.2.1 Qualitative methods

Research should be tailored to encourage open and honest communication and feedback from

particular contributors, such as, participants, volunteers, delivery and strategic partners.

5.2.2 Quantitative methods

The appointed Evaluator will be provided with routine project management information for

interpretation and analysis in reference to relevant demographic and benchmark data, as

appropriate.

5.2.3 Formative and Summative Evaluation

During the lifetime of the project, two Formative Evaluation reports and one Summative (final)

Evaluation report are required by the timescales specified in the next section.

At the mid-point of each stage of the evaluation, an Interim Progress Report is required to provide

an update on progress with the evaluation process and key findings and to ensure that any

recommended priority improvement actions are addressed in a timely fashion.

The Summative (final) Evaluation report should, as a minimum, address the following questions:

What impact did the project have on the participants?

What impact did the project have on the Digital Champions?

What impact did the project have on partners and wider stakeholders?

What wider outcomes did the project achieve?

How did the project contribute to the ESF cross-cutting themes of Equality & Diversity,

Gender Equality and Sustainable Development?

How effective was the delivery model and partnership? Could it be improved and if so, how?


How effective was the volunteer Digital Champion model in engaging and supporting

participants? Could it be improved and if so, how?

Were there any barriers to project success, if so, how did it overcome them and adapt?

Did the project achieve its stated outcomes? If so, how and why? If not, why not?

What have we learned from the project?

The author(s) will be named on the report; Sefton CVS will have overall editorial responsibility and

discretion to publish the report.

The expected duration of the evaluation contract is 18 months from contract award. The successful

applicant will be expected to attend periodic meetings with Sefton CVS at its premises or those of its

project partners.

Unless otherwise agreed with the Include-IT Mersey Project Manager, it is not expected that Sefton

CVS will provide facilities, accommodation, IT or research resources to the appointed supplier.

5.2.4 Reports Submission Timetable

Evaluation Period Progress Report Deadline

(including key findings to date)

Evaluation Report Deadline

Project start (1 March 2017) to

31 December 2017

30 November 2017 24 January 2018

Project start to 30 June 2018 20 April 2018 20 July 2018

Project start to 31 January 2019 24 October 2018 15 February 2019

(DRAFT final Report)

Entire project period N/A 15 March 2019

(FINAL Report)

5.2.5 Conflicts of Interest

Sefton CVS and the Include-IT Mersey Partnership have a duty to ensure no conflicts of interest arise

in the award of this tender or the evaluation of the project.

Tenders cannot be accepted from any person or organisation deemed to be directly or indirectly

involved with the delivery of the project. This includes but is not limited to:

1. Delivery partners holding a Service Level Agreement with Sefton CVS for the delivery of

project services funded under its agreement with the Big Lottery Fund.

2. Strategic partners involved with the project (e.g. Housing Associations)

This includes paid staff, Directors and unpaid Trustees/ Directors of the above organisations.

If interested applicants are in any doubt as to whether they have a potential conflict of interest, they

should declare this in their tender document.


6 ASSESSMENT/ SELECTION PROCESS AND CRITERIA

This request for tender has been prepared and issued by Sefton CVS, on behalf of the Include-IT

Mersey Partnership, in accordance with Big Lottery Fund guidance and European Structural

Investment Fund regulations.

6.1 ASSESSMENT PROCESS Sefton CVS will run this competitive procurement process in an open and transparent manner and

ensure equal treatment of applicants in the process.

Decisions will be made on the basis of the stated criteria of price; competency and track record;

credibility of the proposal; innovative approaches proposed; and knowledge/understanding of the

subject area.

Applicants must respond to all questions set out in this section.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview to present and discuss their proposal.

Two professional references will also be required from short-listed applicants.

6.2 TENDER REQUIREMENTS AND SELECTION CRITERIA Tender responses will be assessed against the selection criteria listed below.

Your tender response must include:

Name(s) and contact details of you, or your organisation, including legal status;

Detailed responses to the specific questions below.

Criteria Weighting

1. Price, including relevance and reasonableness of proposed costs. 40%

Please provide a detailed breakdown of your proposed fees and pricing structure including a

breakdown of individual, named staff involved (including hourly/daily rates and number of

hours/days), other direct costs and overheads associated with this piece of work.

Please note, the price (£) cannot exceed £40,000, inclusive of VAT, if applicable.

2. Competency and Track Record. Soundness and Credibility of Proposal. 40%

Please provide details of:

Named evaluation and other staff, including qualifications and experience;

o Indicate which team member will lead on specific aspects of the work

Relevant, recent experience in longitudinal evaluation of multi-agency partnership service

delivery projects, including relevant evaluation projects undertaken in last two years;


Experience of Big Lottery Fund and/or ESIF project evaluation;

Proposed evaluation methodology and key activities;

Proposed timetable of activities.

3. Innovative Approaches 10%

Proposed innovative approaches to evaluation of the project, including involvement of the

wider project partnership in the evaluation process;

Experience of innovative approaches used in other evaluation projects.

4. Knowledge and Understanding of Digital Inclusion 10%

Please demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of Digital Inclusion, including its

impact on employability and current local and national D.I. policy/strategy

5. Conflicts of Interest Not scored

Please confirm if you are aware of any potential or actual conflicts of interest that may

prevent you from working with Sefton CVS on this project. If you are in any doubt as to

whether a conflict of interest may exist, please provide details.

6.3 SCORING METHODOLOGY The following scoring methodology will be applied to the assessment of all responses.

Score Comment

1-3 Response provides a poor/weak level of confidence in the applicant’s ability to meet the requirements, or is deemed to provide poor value for money.

4-6 Response provides a moderate-good level of confidence in the applicant’s ability to meet the requirements, or is deemed to provide moderate value for money.

7-8 Response provides a very good level of confidence in the applicant’s ability to meet the requirements, or is deemed to provide good value for money.

9-10 Response provides a high level of confidence in the applicant’s ability to meet the requirements, or is deemed to provide excellent value for money.


7 CONTRACT VALUE AND PAYMENTS

The maximum value of this contract is £40,000 inclusive of VAT. Applications exceeding this amount

will not be considered.

Payments will be made in accordance with the following payment schedule; subject to negotiation of

an alternative approach.

Payment Schedule

Description Amount Date

(by end of the month)

1st Interim Evaluation Report 25% December 2017

following receipt of progress report

2nd Interim Evaluation Report 25% May 2018


Final Evaluation Report (draft) 25% November 2018


Final Evaluation Report (final) 20% February 2019

following receipt of draft final report

Retention Fee (5%) 5% On release from Big Lottery Fund

following receipt of final report

Maximum Payable 100% £40,000


8 CONTRACT AWARD MILESTONES AND HOW TO APPLY

Milestone When

ITT Published/ Advertised Wednesday 23rd August 2017

Deadline for queries/ clarifications 5pm (BST), Tuesday 5th September 2017

Deadline for Receipt of Tenders 5pm, Wednesday 13th September 2017

Invitation to Interview sent to shortlisted

applicant(s)

Monday 18th September 2017

Interview - shortlisted applicant(s)

To take place at Sefton CVS offices, Waterloo,

L22 0LG

Thursday 21st September 2017

Contract Award Notification Friday 22nd September 2017

Contract Commencement As soon as possible after award notification,

but no later than Monday 2nd October 2017

Applications must be in English. The entire application, including any supporting

documentation, should be e-mailed no later than 5pm, 13th September 2017 to:

[email protected]

If you have a specific question not answered in this ITT document, please email

[email protected] before 5pm, Tuesday 5th September. We will endeavour

to respond to queries within 2 working days.

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


9 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This section outlines the terms and conditions that will govern your submission of a tender to Sefton

CVS. You are advised to read this section carefully, together with the rest of the ITT document

before submitting a tender response. By submitting a tender, you accept these terms and

conditions and you agree to abide by them.

9.1 SUBMITTING A TENDER RESPONSE

By submitting a tender response, you confirm that:

1. You have no actual or potential conflict of interest with Sefton CVS (including its Trustees,

officers or employees) or the Include-IT Mersey Partnership, as outlined in section 5.2.5 of

this ITT. If at any time during the ITT process you discover an actual or potential conflict of

interest, please promptly inform Sefton CVS;

2. You have legal capacity to submit a tender in response to this ITT and are acting lawfully,

ethically and in good faith in your dealings with Sefton CVS;

3. All information contained in your tender response is true, accurate and not misleading;

4. You have sufficient time, skills, experience and resources to carry out the services to the

highest professional standards expected of a competent supplier of the required services

and are able to obtain all necessary rights, licences, consents, waivers, approvals,

permissions, permits, certificates and insurances necessary to provide the services to Sefton

CVS;

5. Your tender will remain open for acceptance for a period of 60 days; and

6. Sefton CVS may share your tender response with any third party as Sefton CVS, in its

absolute discretion, deems necessary for the purpose of evaluation.

9.2 COMPLIANCE

Sefton CVS reserves the right to reject or disqualify your tender where:

1. You fail to comply with the requirements of this ITT (including but not limited to these terms

and conditions), your tender is incomplete, or you are guilty of a serious misrepresentation

in supplying information in response to this ITT;

2. Your tender is received after the deadline set out in this ITT. Sefton CVS will not consider any

requests for an extension of the Deadline for Receipt of Tenders specified within this ITT

document;

3. You do not have the economic and financial standing and/ or the technical and professional

ability to carry out the required services outlined in this ITT;


4. There is a change in your identity, control, financial standing or any other factor impacting

on the selection and/or evaluation of your tender;

5. You are or become insolvent or have a petition issued against you;

6. You are suspected either directly or indirectly of behaving in a collusive, canvassing, or anti-

competitive manner or you offer or accept an inducement or reward in order to gain a

commercial, contractual, regulatory or personal advantage; and/or

7. You (or if you are a commercial entity, a director or person who has the power of control or

power to make representations or decisions on your behalf) have committed any offence

relating to conspiracy, corruption, bribery, fraud, money laundering or any other criminal

offence related to your course of business or profession.

Sefton CVS reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to:

8. Refuse any tender submitted, including any tender that is valid for any period shorter than

60 days;

9. Disqualify any potential tenderer who has been convicted of any of the offences listed at

Regulation 23(1) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006;

10. Extend the Deadline for Receipt of Tenders. In such circumstances Sefton CVS will

endeavour to notify all tenderers of any change;

11. Amend any aspect of this ITT (including but not limited to the evaluation criteria and the

timeline) or cease the process at any time;

12. Limit the number of tenderers invited to participate in any follow-up interview or other

activity, or to dispense with any follow-up activity altogether; and/ or

13. Require that you clarify your tender in writing and/or provide additional information and/or

adequate references to Sefton CVS’ satisfaction. A failure to respond adequately may result

in you not being selected.

9.3 TENDERER RESPONSIBILITIES

1. You shall be responsible for all of your own costs, expenses and/or losses that may be

incurred in relation to the preparation of your tender, attendance at follow-up interview or

participation in any other similar follow-up activity.

2. You shall, at all times, treat the contents of Sefton CVS documentation as confidential, as

well as any information regarding Sefton CVS imparted to you by any other means, and only

disclose such information as may be necessary for the preparation of a compliant tender

response.


3. You shall not, before the Deadline for Receipt of Tenders specified within this ITT document,

disclose to any person the price or detail of your tender to Sefton CVS, except where the

disclosure in confidence is necessary to obtain insurance premiums or guarantees required

as part of the tender.

4. Any contract entered into as a result of this ITT will be on Sefton CVS’ standard terms and

conditions, subject to the appointed supplier’s compliance with:

a. Sefton CVS’ Due Diligence requirements;

b. Relevant policies, procedures and protocols, including but not limited to Information

Governance (data protection/ security), Confidentiality, Copyright & Intellectual

Property Rights;

c. Conflict of Interest Declaration.

9.4 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

1. All intellectual property rights in this ITT and all materials provided by Sefton CVS, or any

third party acting on its behalf, shall remain the property of Sefton CVS.

2. Any intellectual property arising out of the provision of the services specified in this ITT shall

belong absolutely and exclusively to Sefton CVS.

3. You warrant to Sefton CVS that to the best of your knowledge and belief, all works and

services proposed in this tender will not infringe, in whole or in part, any copyright or any

other intellectual property right of any person.

9.5 WARNINGS/ DISCLAIMERS

1. Nothing contained in this ITT document or any other communication made in respect of it

between Sefton CVS or its representatives and any party will constitute an agreement,

contract or representation between Sefton CVS and any other party.

2. For the avoidance of doubt, receipt by you of this ITT does not imply the existence of a

contract or commitment by or with Sefton CVS for any purpose.

3. The information contained in this ITT document does not purport to contain all the

information which you may require. While Sefton CVS has taken all reasonable steps to

ensure, as at the date of publication of this ITT, that the facts contained in it are true and

accurate in all material respects, Sefton CVS does not make any representation or warranty

as to the accuracy or completeness or otherwise of this ITT.

4. Sefton CVS accepts no liability to you whatsoever and however arising and whether resulting

from the use of this ITT, or any omissions from or deficiencies in it.


9.6 WAIVER

Failure or neglect by Sefton CVS to enforce, at any time, any of the provisions of these terms and

conditions, shall not be construed, nor shall it be deemed to be, a waiver of our respective rights

hereunder, nor in any way affect the validity of the whole or any part of this agreement, nor

prejudice our respective rights to take subsequent action.

9.7 JURISDICTION

This ITT shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and

subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

Documents

Project Evaluation Services Invitation to Tender (ITT ... · PDF fileInclude-IT Mersey Project Evaluation Services Invitation to Tender (ITT) Specification Registered in England and