Royal Botanic Gardens: RBGKEW1308 Expanding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in root fungal colonisation assessment

UK-Richmond: Research and development services and related consultancy services.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             Royal Botanic Gardens
             Royal Botanic Gardens,, The Herbarium, Kew Green,, Richmond, TW9 3AE, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 2083325000, Email: procurement@kew.org
             Contact: Jamal Jimenez
             Main Address: www.kew.org
             NUTS Code: UKI75
      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-Richmond:-Research-and-development-services-and-related-consultancy-services./ZETY78UYK8
      Additional information can be obtained from: the abovementioned address
      Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically via https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-Richmond:-Research-and-development-services-and-related-consultancy-services./ZETY78UYK8 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
            Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
      I.5) Main activity
            Environment

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
      II.1.1) Title: RBGKEW1308 Expanding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in root fungal colonisation assessment       
      Reference Number: RBGKEW1308
      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: RBG Kew require a consultancy service, to expand the work developed during phase 1, to adapt AMFinder, an AI visualisation tool developed by Evangelisti et al (2021) to assess fungal-colonisation, for use with more complex field root samples. The work in phase 2 would focus on improving the accuracy of the outputs that AMFinder generates and expanding its functionality to detect different mycorrhizal types. This will build on the preliminary work carried out in phase 1, exploring the potential of a semi-supervised learning approach, and improving the user experience of the tool, by editing the dashboard interfaces and developing pipelines. The AMFinder tool should provide a method for rapid quantification of fungal colonisation in plant roots. Input to the tool will be images of ink-stained fungal structures inside roots mounted on microscopy slides, taken with a digital slide scanner (Panoramic Midi II) at RBG Kew. Adherence to data regulation and standards is essential.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 500,000       
      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:
      UKI75 Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: The total contract value for the Core Work Requirements is £250,000 excluding VAT. Tenders above this value will be excluded. Additional Work Requirements are subject to the needs of RBGKEW and will also form part of the contract. The total contract value is anticipated to be between £200,000 - £500,000 excluding VAT.
      II.2.5) Award criteria:
            Criteria below
            Quality criterion - Name: Technical Criteria / Weighting: 75
                        
            Commercial Criteria - Weighting: 25
                              
      II.2.6) Estimated value:
      Value excluding VAT: 500,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Start: 09/09/2024 / End: 31/03/2025       
      This contract is subject to renewal: No       
      Description of renewals: Not provided
      
      II.2.10) Information about variants:
      Variants will be accepted: Yes
      II.2.11) Information about options:
      Options:       Yes             
      Description of options: The contract may be extended by up to 31.03.2026 depending on the requirements of RBGKEW.
      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: Not provided       


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.2.1) Information about a particular profession    
      Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision:          
      Not Provided    
      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: Yes       
   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: 15/08/2024 Time: 12:00
            
      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 month(s): 3
      
      IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders:
         Date: 15/08/2024
         Time: 12:02
      

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: For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Richmond:-Research-and-development-services-and-related-consultancy-services./ZETY78UYK8

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/ZETY78UYK8
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             Head of Procurement & Contract Management, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
       1 Kew Palace Flats, Royal Botanic Gardens,, Kew Green, Richmond, TW9 3AE, United Kingdom
       Tel. +44 2083325000
   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: 16/07/2024

Annex A