Dorset and Wiltshire and Avon Fire and Rescue Services - Cleaning Services

The successful tenderer will be required to provide cleaning services to Dorset & Wiltshire and Avon Fire & Rescue Services.

AFRS Headquarters is based in Bristol city centre and there are 22 fire stations across the area.

The combined Dorset and Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service officially came into being in shadow status on 1 April 2015 and will replace the two existing Authorities on 1 April 2016. This combination will help to secure the future of the two Services and the continued safety of the public in the two counties.

Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service has 24 fire stations serving local communities. This operational response is supported by staff based at a number of other sites, including Service HQ, the Control room (where 999 calls are answered), the Training & Development Centre, Fleet Services (including vehicle workshops) and Occupational Health.

Dorset Fire & Rescue Service has 26 fire stations, serving the people of Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset. In addition, there are the Service Headquarters and Vehicle Workshops. Of the fire stations, 7 are staffed by Wholetime (full time) firefighters and 19 are staffed by On-Call (retained) firefighters. Some DRFS fire stations provide community facilities, offering meeting facilities to local groups, free of charge. These are at Lyme Regis, Maiden Newton, Portland, Weymouth, Gillingham, Swanage, Hamworthy and Christchurch. Incorporated with Weymouth Community Fire Station is the Community Safety Centre, home to Safewise and Firewise, operated by the Streetwise charity.

Service Headquarters, Dorchester and Poole Fire Stations are provided under a PFI contract, under which Dorset Fire & Rescue Service are responsible for the periodic cleaning of the interiors.

The tender project is seeking to appoint a Contractor whose initiative and innovation will be welcomed for the provision of cleaning services within the facilities for the Services. The high quality service levels proposed, should maintain excellent standards throughout, resulting in a pleasant environment for both the staff and visitors.

Due to the changing requirements in each authority, total flexibility will be required from the successful contractor with regard to the changes in station layouts due to building works and station openings / closures, due to relocation.

The basis and rationale that the Clients require the successful contractor to operate to at all times, is being able to provide an environment that is fit for purpose and that the Contractor is proactive in the management of the contract, thus ensuring that all specifications are achieved and that the frequency of cleans is as detailed within the Tender Specification.

The contract being tendered is for three years in duration from 1 April 2016 until 31 March 2019 and will be fixed price in nature, The contract may be extended for a further period of up to two years, by mutual agreement.

Additional information: Interest in the pre-qualification process should be expressed via email only to pqq@litmuspartnership.co.uk, clearly stating within this email which contract / notice you are referring to. Please also provide, as a minimum, a contact name, full company postal address and telephone number.

The pre-qualification questionnaire and associated documents can be obtained at: http://www.litmuspartnership.co.uk/project/dorset__wiltshire_and_avon_fire__rescue_services

The closing date for receipt of the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire is 13.11.2015 (12:00). Tenderers are required to ensure that documents are obtained and returned to The Litmus Partnership Limited, by email to pqq@litmuspartnership.co.uk, by the above closing date and time.

Documents in respect of economic / financial standing (where indicated in the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire) shall be returned to The Litmus Partnership Limited, by email to pqq@litmuspartnership.co.uk, by the above closing date and time.

It will be the Tenderer’s responsibility to obtain any necessary documents in order to submit a response by the closing date and time.

The contracting authority reserves the right not to award any or part of the contract which is the subject of this OJEU notice and reserves the right to terminate the procurement process at any time.

The contracting authority will not be liable for any costs incurred by those expressing an interest in tendering for this contract opportunity.

The contracting authority will consider variant bids, evaluating them (so far as the variant or the evaluation of the variant is in the opinion of the contracting authority practicable) on the same basis as a conforming bid, but shall not be obliged to accept any such bid in preference to a conforming bid even if the variant bid scores more highly. No variant will be considered unless the bidder simultaneously submits a conforming bid.