The provision of IT Research and Advisory Services

Electricity Supply Board (ESB)

The contracting entity intends to procure a services contract for the ongoing provision of external independent IT research and advisory services in a range of areas including IT alignment with business strategies and objectives, technology trends and roadmaps, IT/OT convergence, energy retailer and digital utility trends, digital transformation, product and vendor assessments, IT sourcing strategies, sustainable IT and cost optimisation and benchmarking.
Services will be required in terms of the IT industry in general and also Utilities in particular. In particular the provision of independent external IT and technology research and advisory services for the following 4 key areas: technology, digital utility trends, sustainable IT and IT as a business.

Deadline
The time limit for receipt of tenders was 2019-06-17. The procurement was published on 2019-05-15.

Suppliers
The following suppliers are mentioned in award decisions or other procurement documents:

• Gartner

Who?

• Electricity Supply Board (ESB)

What?

• IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Where?

• Éire/Ireland › Ireland

Procurement history

Date	Document
2019-05-15	Contract notice
2020-02-19	Contract award notice

Contract notice (2019-05-15)
Contracting authority
Name and addresses
Name: Electricity Supply Board (ESB)
National registration number: N/a
Postal address: 2 Gateway
Postal town: Dublin 3
Postal code: East Wall Road
Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Contact person: Stephen Lawton
Phone: +353 17026836 📞
E-mail: stephen.lawton@esb.ie 📧
Region: Ireland 🏙️
URL: http://www.esb.ie 🌏
Address of the buyer profile: https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Company/CompanyInformation/Index/377 🌏
Communication
Documents URL: http://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=146504&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE 🌏
Participation URL: http://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=146504&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE 🌏

Object
Scope of the procurement
Title: The provision of IT Research and Advisory Services SS\CON\4507
Products/services: IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support 📦
Short description:
“The contracting entity intends to procure a services contract for the ongoing provision of external independent IT research and advisory services in a range...”

1️⃣
Additional products/services: IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support 📦
Place of performance: Ireland 🏙️
Main site or place of performance: Dublin.
Description of the procurement:
“ESB is inviting expressions of interest from applicants for the provision of external independent IT research and advisory services. The objective is to be...”

Description of the procurement

ESB is inviting expressions of interest from applicants for the provision of external independent IT research and advisory services.
The objective is to be able to have swift access to information that is both current and future-looking and provides both a technical and practical viewpoint. We will also consider availing of CIO role specific research and roadmap development support services.
The key requirements in the provision of independent external IT and technology research and advisory services in a range of areas are:
— IT alignment with business strategies and objectives,
— technology trends and roadmaps,
— IT/OT convergence,
— energy retailer and digital utility trends,
— digital transformation,
— product and vendor assessments,
— IT sourcing strategies,
— sustainable IT and cost optimisation and benchmarking.
Services will be required in terms of the IT industry in general and also utilities in particular.
The objective is to be able to have swift access to information that is both current and future-looking and provides both a technical and practical viewpoint and outlines industry trends and best practice.
These services will include:
— access to online research,
— access to industry analysts,
— published reports and Utility-specific analysis,
— ancillary services (e.g. webinars, podcasts and conferences),
— access to CIO role specific research,
— roadmap development support.
Please note the contract will be awarded on the basis of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT).
The successful provider will already have delivered a similar solution to industries to the scale and requirements that are being sought by ESB.
A full appreciation of the ESB company can be viewed at the following internet address: http://www.esb.ie

Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
The time frame below is expressed in number of months.
Description
Duration: 36
Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged minimum number: 5
Information about options
Options ✅
Description of options:
“It is envisaged the term of the contract commences on the date when services commence and shall be for a period of up to 36 months with an option to extend...”
Description
Additional information:
“Please refer to the individual instructions for submission of bids relevant to each tender issued via the system.”

Legal, economic, financial and technical information
Conditions for participation
List and brief description of conditions:
“As stated in Procurement Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) available to download from www.etenders.gov.ie using RFT ID 150346”
Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria:
“As stated in Procurement Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) available to download from www.etenders.gov.ie using RFT ID 150346”
Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria:
“As stated in Procurement Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) available to download from www.etenders.gov.ie using RFT ID 150346”
Conditions for participation
Deposits and guarantees required: Will be set out in the RFT.
Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them: Will be set out in the RFT.
Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
“As stated in Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) available to download from http://www.etenders.gov.ie/ using RFT ID 150346”
Conditions related to the contract
Contract performance conditions:
“As stated in Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) available to download from http://www.etenders.gov.ie/ using RFT ID 150346”

Procedure
Type of procedure
Negotiated procedure with prior call for competition
Administrative information
Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate: 2019-06-17 12:00 📅
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: English 🗣️

Complementary information
Additional information

“1) Interested parties must register their interest on the eTenders website (http://www.etenders.gov.ie/) in order to be included on the mailing list for...”

1) Interested parties must register their interest on the eTenders website (http://www.etenders.gov.ie/) in order to be included on the mailing list for clarifications. All information relating to attachments, including clarifications and changes, will be published on the Irish Government Procurement Opportunities Portal (http://www.etenders.gov.ie/) only. Registration is free of charge. The contracting entity will not accept responsibility for information relayed (or not relayed) via third parties;
2) This is the sole call for competition for this service;
3) The contracting entity will not be responsible for any costs, charges or expenses incurred by candidates or tenderers;
4) Contract award will be subject to the approval of the competent authorities;
5) It will be a condition of award that candidates are tax compliant;
6) If for any reason it is not possible to admit to the contract one or more of the tenderers invited following the conclusion of this competitive process, or having awarded a contract, the contracting entity reserves the right to invite the next highest scoring tenderer to join the contract and/or deliver the contract as appropriate to the circumstances pertaining to said contract;
7) At its absolute discretion, the contracting entity may elect to terminate this procurement process at any time;
8) Please note in relation to all documents, that where reference is made to a particular standard, make, source, process, trademark, type or patent, that this is not to be regarded as a de facto requirement. In all such cases, it should be understood that such indications are to be treated strictly and solely for reference purposes only, to which the words "or equivalent" will always be appended;
9) Without prejudice to the principle of equal treatment, the contracting entity is not obliged to engage in a clarification process in respect of questionnaires with missing or incomplete information. Therefore, candidates are advised to ensure that they return fully completed questionnaires in order to avoid the risk of elimination from the competition.
10) At Section II.2.9 we have indicated that 5 will be invited to tender, please note that the contracting entity reserves the right to invite at least 5, subject to that number qualifying.

Review body
Name: Chief Registrar
Postal address: Four Courts, Inns Quay
Postal town: Dublin 7
Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Phone: +353 18886000 📞
URL: http://www.courts.ie 🌏
Body responsible for mediation procedures
Name: Not Applicable
Postal town: Ireland
Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Name: Suppliers own legal advisor
Postal town: Ireland
Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Source: OJS 2019/S 095-230839 (2019-05-15)

Contract award notice (2020-02-19)
Contracting authority
Name and addresses
Postal address: 2 Gateway, East Wall Road
Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body

Object
Scope of the procurement
Title: The Provision of IT Research and Advisory Services SS\CON\4507
Description
Description of the procurement:
“ESB is inviting expressions of interest from Applicants for the provision of external independent IT research and advisory services. The objective is to be...”

Description of the procurement

ESB is inviting expressions of interest from Applicants for the provision of external independent IT research and advisory services.
The objective is to be able to have swift access to information that is both current and future-looking and provides both a technical and practical viewpoint. We will also consider availing of CIO role specific research and roadmap development support services.
The key requirements in the provision of independent external IT and technology research and advisory services in a range of areas are:
— IT alignment with business strategies and objectives,
— technology trends and roadmaps,
— IT/OT convergence,
— energy retailer and digital utility trends,
— digital transformation,
— product and vendor assessments,
— IT sourcing strategies,
— sustainable IT and cost optimisation and benchmarking.
Services will be required in terms of the IT industry in general and also Utilities in particular.
The objective is to be able to have swift access to information that is both current and future-looking and provides both a technical and practical viewpoint and outlines industry trends and best practice.
These services will include:
— access to online research,
— access to industry analysts,
— published reports and Utility-specific analysis,
— ancillary services (e.g. webinars, podcasts and conferences),
— access to CIO role specific research,
— Roadmap development support.
Please note the contract will be awarded on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT).
The successful provider will already have delivered a similar solution to industries to the scale and requirements that are being sought by ESB.
A full appreciation of the ESB company can be viewed at the following internet address: — http://www.esb.ie

Information about options
Description of options:
“The duration of this framework agreement is 3 years, with an option to extend, at the contracting entity’s discretion, for a further period up to 2 years,...”

Procedure
Administrative information
Previous publication concerning this procedure: 2019/S 095-230839
Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice
The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice

Award of contract

1️⃣
Contract Number: 1
Title: The Provision of IT Research and Advisory Services
Date of conclusion of the contract: 2019-11-01 📅
Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2
Name and address of the contractor
Name: Gartner
National registration number: N/a
Postal address: 2 Park Place, Upper Hatch Street, 3rd Floor
Postal town: Dublin
Country: Ireland 🇮🇪
Phone: +353 12463714 📞
E-mail: dlsalesukteamcorr@gartner.com 📧
Region: Ireland 🏙️
URL: http://www.gartner.com 🌏
The contractor is an SME

Complementary information
Additional information

“1) Interested parties must register their interest on the eTenders website (http://www.etenders.gov.ie/) in order to be included on the mailing list for...”

1) Interested parties must register their interest on the eTenders website (http://www.etenders.gov.ie/) in order to be included on the mailing list for clarifications. All information relating to attachments, including clarifications and changes, will be published on the Irish Government Procurement Opportunities Portal (http://www.etenders.gov.ie/) only. Registration is free of charge. The contracting entity will not accept responsibility for information relayed (or not relayed) via third parties
2) This is the sole call for competition for this service;
3) The contracting entity will not be responsible for any costs, charges or expenses incurred by candidates or tenderers;
4) Contract award will be subject to the approval of the competent authorities;
5) It will be a condition of award that candidates are tax compliant;
6) If for any reason it is not possible to admit to the contract one or more of the tenderers invited following the conclusion of this competitive process, or having awarded a contract, the contracting entity reserves the right to invite the next highest scoring tenderer to join the contract and/or deliver the contract as appropriate to the circumstances pertaining to said contract;
7) At its absolute discretion, the contracting entity may elect to terminate this procurement process at any time;
8) Please note in relation to all documents, that where reference is made to a particular standard, make, source, process, trademark, type or patent, that this is not to be regarded as a de facto requirement. In all such cases, it should be understood that such indications are to be treated strictly and solely for reference purposes only, to which the words ‘or equivalent’ will always be appended;
9) Without prejudice to the principle of equal treatment, the contracting entity is not obliged to engage in a clarification process in respect of questionnaires with missing or incomplete information. Therefore, candidates are advised to ensure that they return fully completed questionnaires in order to avoid the risk of elimination from the competition;
10) At Section II.2.9 we have indicated that 5 will be invited to tender, please note that the contracting entity reserves the right to invite at least 5, subject to that number qualifying.

Source: OJS 2020/S 038-091004 (2020-02-19)

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