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Services - 265549-2021
26/05/2021    S100

United Kingdom-Reading: Research and development services and related consultancy services

2021/S 100-265549

Contract notice

Services

Legal Basis:
Directive 2014/24/EU

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1)Name and addresses
Official name: European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)
Postal address: Shinfield Park
Town: Reading
NUTS code: UKJ11 Berkshire
Postal code: RG2 9AX
Country: United Kingdom
E-mail: procurement@lists.ecmwf.int
Internet address(es):
Main address: https://www.ecmwf.int/
Address of the buyer profile: http://procurement.ecmwf.int/
I.3)Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: http://procurement.ecmwf.int/
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via: http://procurement.ecmwf.int/
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at: http://procurement.ecmwf.int/
I.4)Type of the contracting authority
European institution/agency or international organisation
I.5)Main activity
Other activity: Meteorological Services

Section II: Object

II.1)Scope of the procurement
II.1.1)Title:

Copernicus CAMS2_40 Regional Air Quality Products

Reference number: CAMS2_40
II.1.2)Main CPV code
73000000 Research and development services and related consultancy services
II.1.3)Type of contract
Services
II.1.4)Short description:

This ITT, entitled ‘Regional air quality products’ is for the operational delivery of the European-scale air quality component of CAMS.

II.1.5)Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: 7 500 000.00 EUR
II.1.6)Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: no
II.2)Description
II.2.3)Place of performance
NUTS code: UK United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance:

On Contractor's premises.

II.2.4)Description of the procurement:

This ITT, entitled ‘Regional air quality products’ is for the operational delivery of the European-scale air quality component of CAMS. It consists of a set of services, which are further detailed in the technical specification in ITT documents. The production must be based upon a geographically distributed ensemble of more than ten individual models and a central processing function to deliver three numerical data streams:

• on a daily basis, analyses for the previous day and forecasts for key air pollutants up to +96h with a temporal resolution of one hour;

• with a delay of a few weeks (in order to maximise the number of observations), interim reanalyses shall be produced daily with systems frozen in their configuration of January 1st every year;

• with a delay of up to two years (due to the delay in getting fully validated data), reanalyses shall be produced with frozen systems, which are only updated every few years.

All the individual Regional Systems must be mature, well-validated and operated by their main developers. This aspect is essential so that the operators can directly maintain a continuous workflow of changes to the numerical systems, in order to include new research developments, to make corrections reflecting findings from verification and validation activities, as well as to implement changes to better meet user requirements. Acquisition of data, production of analyses, reanalyses and forecasts, data dissemination services and support to the users form the bulk of the operational delivery and development activities that are procured within this ITT.

II.2.5)Award criteria
Criteria below
Quality criterion - Name: Legal and financial / Weighting: 5
Quality criterion - Name: Track record / Weighting: 15
Quality criterion - Name: Quality of resources to be deployed / Weighting: 15
Quality criterion - Name: Technical solution proposed / Weighting: 30
Quality criterion - Name: Management and Implementation / Weighting: 20
Price - Weighting: 15
II.2.6)Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: 7 500 000.00 EUR
II.2.7)Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 42
This contract is subject to renewal: no
II.2.10)Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: no
II.2.11)Information about options
Options: no
II.2.13)Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: yes
Identification of the project:

Copernicus — The European Earth Observation Programme (http://www.copernicus.eu/)

II.2.14)Additional information

Tenderers should note that the value specified under sections II.1.5) and II.2.6) is the indicative maximum budget for the whole framework contract and Price is one of the evaluation criteria.

Please also note the important additional information in Section VI.3 regarding funding and eligibility.

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information

III.1)Conditions for participation
III.1.2)Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.1.3)Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.2)Conditions related to the contract
III.2.3)Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)Description
IV.1.1)Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.3)Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with a single operator
IV.1.8)Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: no
IV.2)Administrative information
IV.2.2)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date: 22/07/2021
Local time: 15:00
IV.2.3)Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
IV.2.4)Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted:
English
IV.2.6)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 9 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7)Conditions for opening of tenders
Date: 22/07/2021
Local time: 15:00
Place:

Reading, UK

Information about authorised persons and opening procedure:

Not applicable

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.1)Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: no
VI.3)Additional information:

Procedure to be applied:

The procurement for the contract will be conducted in accordance with ECMWF's procedures as set out in Invitation to Tender documents, which will be available on ECMWF's eProcurement Portal (http://procurement.ecmwf.int/) and no other procedures will apply. In submitting this notice ECMWF does not waive the privileges and immunities granted to it by virtue of its status as an intergovernmental organisation or submit itself to any jurisdiction. Tenders must be submitted using ECMWF's eProcurement Portal. Hard copy (paper) submissions will not be accepted.

Due to the need to include performance and compliance obligations in the contract, ECMWF will contract only with a single legal person or entity which is competent to undertake and commit to these obligations. ECMWF recognises that some bids will involve a number of organisations which may wish to work together to deliver the contract requirements. In such cases, these organisations must identify a lead contractor who will sign the contract with ECMWF and who will be responsible for putting in place legal arrangements to ensure that it can guarantee that all other organisations will also meet the contract obligations. ECMWF will not enter into multiple contracts with individual members of consortia or groups of service providers.

Availability of funds:

The basis for ECMWF’s ability to implement the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring and Climate Change Monitoring Services on behalf of the European Commission is the conclusion of a ‘Contribution Agreement’ between the European Union and ECMWF. The negotiations are currently ongoing. They can only be concluded following the EU Space Regulation is enacted by the European Union. Suppliers should note that the award of a contract as a result of this procurement procedure will therefore be conditional on the availability of funds following the signature and subsequent formal approval of the ‘Contribution Agreement’ by the ECMWF Council. This approval is currently expected for Q2 2021.

General eligibility:

According to the prospective contribution agreement between the European Union and ECMWF, participation in calls for tenders shall preferably be open to entities established in Member States of the European Union and to entities established in Copernicus participating states in accordance with the conditions laid down in the EU’s Space Programme Regulation. The Regulation can be found at

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2021.170.01.0069.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2021%3A170%3AFULL

It is currently ECMWF’s expectation that, in practice, entities established in other States may therefore be eligible exceptionally and subject to specific scientific or other requirements as well as express prior approval by an EU Procurement Board. This applies to both prime and sub-contractors. Accordingly, ECMWF is required to reserve the right to exclude ineligible persons or entities from tenders at any point in time. All tenderers as well as their sub-contractors must meet all eligibility criteria throughout the whole duration of the procurement exercise as well as their prospective contracts.

Eligibility of United Kingdom (UK) entities:

The above applies also to entities based in the UK. At present, the UK is neither an EU Member State nor participating in the EU Space Programme. However, the UK and the European Union agreed — in principle — that the UK may continue participating in, among others, the Copernicus component of the EU Space Programme as a third country for the period of 2021-2027. Detailed conditions for such a participation will require further negotiations between the UK and the European Union. Further information may be found in the following link of the UK Government, for the accuracy of which ECMWF will not assume any liability: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-involvement-in-the-eu-space-programme

ECMWF will publish relevant updates in this regard once they are available.

VI.4)Procedures for review
VI.4.1)Review body
Official name: European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
Postal address: Shinfield Park
Town: Reading
Postal code: RG2 9AX
Country: United Kingdom
Internet address: https://www.ecmwf.int/en/about/suppliers
VI.4.3)Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:

See instructions on ECMWF's Supplier web page: https://www.ecmwf.int/en/about/suppliers

VI.4.4)Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Official name: European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
Postal address: Shinfield Park
Town: Reading
Postal code: RG2 9AX
Country: United Kingdom
Internet address: https://www.ecmwf.int/en/about/suppliers
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:
21/05/2021