The contract notice or advertisement will advise
contractors/suppliers of the procedure to be followed for that
particular contract. In the majority of cases potential tenderer's
will be sent a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ), which will be
used to assess their suitability to supply the council and their
ability to satisfy the contract. It is essential that you supply
all of the information requested and respond by the due date.
What information do I need to provide?
In a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire you will be asked to
provide basic details about your organisation to verify that it can
be identified as a legitimate trading organisation, that it has
acceptable levels of economic and financial standing, and that it
promotes good practice in areas of equal opportunities, protecting
the environment and health and safety.
Financial Information - companies will be asked
for certain financial information as we need to be sure that you
can meet the requirement for the life of the contract.
Experience and Technical Ability - We will ask
for further information to assess whether a company has the
relevant experience, resources and technical ability to carry out
the categories of work and to provide the type and quality of
service required. In most cases it is necessary to provide details
of similar contracts held over recent years and to provide contact
details of referees. Some further questions may be asked tailored
to the needs of the individual contracts.
Organisation - We will ask about your
organisational structure to establish whether you have the
appropriate resources to fulfill the contract.
Insurances - You are also asked to provide
assurances regarding insurance cover, as SSDC has a responsibility
to ensure that organisations with which it contracts carry any
statutory insurances.
Equal Opportunities - South Somerset District
Council is committed to eliminating inequalities in all functions,
including procurement. The council strives to ensure that their
services are equally accessible and appropriate to the differing
needs of all community sectors, regardless of race, colour,
nationality, ethnic origin, gender, marital status, disability, age
or sexuality.
This section will ask how the company includes racial equality
provisions in its employment and service provision. Please see our
Equalities and diversity page
for further information on this subject.
Sustainability - South Somerset District
Council is committed to protecting the local environment and taking
responsibility for minimising the wider environmental effects of
its procurement decisions. The council expects its contractors and
suppliers to meet a similar level of commitment and will seek
information to determine the commitment from potential
suppliers.
Health and Safety - South Somerset District
Council is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment
for its employees, service users and those affected by its
operations. Suppliers and contractors can play a key role in
achieving this and prior to carrying out work for the council;
information will be sought concerning tenderer's safety policies
and operational safety procedures. You will be expected to know how
to manage health and safety in your area of work and to accept
responsibility for it.
Business Continuity - The Council is required
under The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to ensure that contractors
providing critical services are able to maintain service delivery
in the event of an emergency. Critical services are services that
the Council provides which play a significant role in supporting
the safety and welfare of the community.
We therefore ask contractors whether they have identified the
key risks to their business and whether measures have been put in
place to mitigate disruption to service continuity in the event of
an emergency.
Workforce Matters - A well-trained and
motivated workforce is vital to the provision of Best Value
services. South Somerset District Council will use its influence to
ensure, so far as is able, that those who work for the authority,
whether directly or indirectly employed, are adequately and fairly
rewarded and trained.
The government has published a Code of Practice on Workforce
Matters in Local Authority Service Contracts (February 2003) that
will apply where a local authority transfers employees to a private
or voluntary sector partner as part of a contract to provide any
local services. These measures are meant to prevent the emergence
of a two-tier workforce, dividing transferees and new joiners
working beside each other on the same contracts.
e-Procurement - This is playing an increasingly
important part in the tendering process. For example, we already
produce OJEU notices online.
We are piloting the use of Procurement Cards and also moving
towards the introduction of online ordering and automating the
payment of invoices. Depending on the nature of the contract, you
may well be asked about the extent that you are able to deal with
us by these methods. Please see E-procurement guide for further information on
this subject.
It is essential that pre-tender documentation is
returned by the date and time stipulated; any
documentation received after the deadline will be
returned unopened to the sender. All PQQ responses are
opened at the same time in order to ensure a fair
process.