UK Research & Innovation: UKRI-3142 EO DataHub Platform Software Development and Operations

UK-Oxford: Software package and information systems.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             UK Research & Innovation
             Science & Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell, Oxford, OX110QX, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 1235446553, Email: STFCProcurement@ukri.org
             Main Address: www.ukri.org
             NUTS Code: UKJ14
      I.2) Joint procurement
      The contract involves joint procurement: No.
      In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law: Not provided       
      The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No.
      I.3) Communication
      The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Oxford:-Software-package-and-information-systems./A2WMA3S4R4
      Additional information can be obtained from: the abovementioned address
      Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address       
      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: Not provided
      I.4) Type of the contracting authority
            Body governed by public law
      I.5) Main activity
            Other activity:

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
      II.1.1) Title: UKRI-3142 EO DataHub Platform Software Development and Operations       
      Reference Number: UKRI-3142
      II.1.2) Main CPV Code:
      48000000 - Software package and information systems.

      II.1.3) Type of contract: SUPPLIES
      II.1.4) Short description: The EO DataHub (EODH) programme has been instigated to address challenges around effective exploitation of Earth Observation Data. It represents a first phase of a national asset, supported by the government and specified with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) alongside NERC. The programme is a pathfinder project led by the National Centre for Earth Observation and a partnership of public sector bodies. Its role is to: a) serve the UK national interest; b) offer all UK users a step-change in data access and quality from commercial to government actionees to researchers and students; c) mitigate and transition the Copernicus-related data activities to a UK-orientated model; d) provide a delivery approach which enables a much more rigorous, evidence-led legacy beyond the project - articulating UK capability, showcasing UK datasets, evidenced costs and user-specified sustainability needs.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 1,600,000       
      Currency: GBP
      II.1.6) Information about lots:
      This contract is divided into lots: No       
   
II.2) Description
      
      II.2.2) Additional CPV codes:
      Not Provided       
      II.2.3) Place of performance:
      UKJ14 Oxfordshire
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: Data infrastructure for the UK is critical in the Earth Observation (EO) sector as it directly impacts the ability of UK science to produce world-leading information for discovery and policy, and the ability of our growing downstream industry to capitalise and invest in services built around UK capabilities and assets. The UK Government consistently recognises the value of EO capability with the importance of ongoing investment in the UK’s role recognised in the National Space Strategy and at global events such as COP26. Research and analysis repeatedly point to the need to invest in a way which catalyses that investment and bridges the “data to information” divide. Evidence from engagement with users in the EO sector has shown that there are barriers to the effective exploitation of Earth observation data including fragmentation of data sources and services and the fact that source data may not be in a readily exploitable form.

The successful tenderer will build, deploy and operate the Hub Platform (i.e. a set of software services hosted on the public cloud) to assist application developers and Earth Observation domain experts to find, access, analyse and process EO data from multiple distributed sources in a consistent manner and in a form that is suited for easy use in software applications and services to end-user communities. The desired outcome is that through access to the platform, software developers and expert users can more easily implement applications and services which exploit EO data. Users of the Hub Platform will have a set of software tools and services that will allow them to discover, access, analyse and process EO and climate datasets, along with capabilities to build scalable workflows and their own applications.
      II.2.5) Award criteria:
            Criteria below
            Quality criterion - Name: Quality Criteria / Weighting: 75
                        
            Cost criterion - Name: Cost Criteria / Weighting: 25
                              
      II.2.6) Estimated value:
      Value excluding VAT: 1,600,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Duration in months: 18       
      This contract is subject to renewal: No       
      Description of renewals: Not provided
      
      II.2.10) Information about variants:
      Variants will be accepted: No
      II.2.11) Information about options:
      Options:       No             
      Description of options: Not provided
      II.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues:
      Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue: No
      II.2.13) Information about European Union funds:
      The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No       
      Identification of the project: Not provided             
      II.2.14) Additional information: To respond to this opportunity please click here: https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/respond/A2WMA3S4R4       


Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial And Technical Information
   III.1) Conditions for participation
      III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
      List and brief description of conditions:          
      Not Provided       
      III.1.2) Economic and financial standing       
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      Not Provided    
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :       
      Not Provided    
      III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
      List and brief description of selection criteria:       
      Not Provided      
      Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :          
      Not Provided   
      III.1.5) Information about reserved contracts (if applicable)   
      The contract is reserved to sheltered workshops and economic operators aiming at the social and professional integration of disabled or disadvantaged persons: No       
      The execution of the contract is restricted to the framework of sheltered employment programmes: No    
      
   III.2) Conditions related to the contract
         
      III.2.2) Contract performance conditions          
      Not Provided          
      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: No

Section IV: Procedure
   IV.1) Description OPEN
      IV.1.1) Type of procedure: Open   
   
   IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system    
         The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement - NO    
         In the case of framework agreements justification for any duration exceeding 4 years: Not Provided    
   
   
   IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction:
      An electronic auction will be used: No
      Additional information about electronic auction: Not provided
   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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure:
         Notice number in the OJ S: Not provided       
      IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
       Date: 20/09/2023
            
      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: Not Provided      
      IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders:
         Date: 20/09/2023
         Time: 14:00
      

Section VI: Complementary Information
   VI.1) Information about recurrence
   This is a recurrent procurement: No    
   Estimated timing for further notices to be published: Not provided
   VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
   Electronic ordering will be used No       
   Electronic invoicing will be accepted No       
   Electronic payment will be used No       
   VI.3) Additional Information: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Oxford:-Software-package-and-information-systems./A2WMA3S4R4

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/respond/A2WMA3S4R4
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
       Polaris House,, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1FL, United Kingdom
   VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures:
Not provided
   VI.4.3) Review procedure
   Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:    
    Not Provided    
   VI.4.4) Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained:
Not provided
   VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 09/08/2023

Annex A