Invitation to tender

Date of publication Simap: 13.03.2020

1. Contracting authority

1.1 Official name and address of the contracting authority

Contracting authority/Authority of assignment: Federal Office of Communications
Procurement authority/Organizer: Federal Office of Communications, Zukunftstrasse 44,  2501  Biel/Bienne,  Switzerland,  E-mail:  beschaffung.wto@bbl.admin.ch

1.2 Offers should be sent to the following address

Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics BBL
Public Tenders Service DöA,  attn Project (20106) 808 Bottom-up cost model for mobile radio networks in Switzerland, Fellerstrasse 21,  3003  Bern,  Switzerland,  Fax:  +41 58 463 26 98,  E-mail:  beschaffung.wto@bbl.admin.ch

1.3 Desired deadline for questions in written form

31.03.2020

Remarks: If questions should arise during the production of the offer, you may pose them anonymously in the questions forum at www.simap.ch.
Questions submitted too late can no longer be answered.
Bidders will be informed by e-mail as soon as the answers are published on www.simap.ch.

1.4 Deadline for submitting offers

Date: 22.05.2020 Time of day: 23:59, Specific deadlines and formal requirements:  Concerning the submission of tenders: address see paragraph 1.2.
a)
When submitting to the FOBL goods acceptance unit (by tenderer or courier): The tender must be submitted no later than the above-mentioned submission date during the goods acceptance unit's opening hours (08:00-12:00 and 13:00-16:00) in return for issue of a confirmation of receipt from the FOBL.
b)
When submitting by post: The date used to determine the timeliness of submission is the postmark date or the barcode with the possibility of tracking issued by a Swiss post office or a state-recognised postal operator in another country (corporate postmarks are not accepted as official postmarks). In the case of dispatch using WebStamp franking, the burden of proof for timely submission lies with the provider.
c)
When submitting the tender to a Swiss diplomatic or consular mission abroad:
Tenderers based in another country may submit their tender, by the above deadline and during the opening hours, to a Swiss diplomatic or consular mission in their own country in return for issue of a confirmation receipt. The tenderer must then fax the confirmation of receipt from the respective mission by the submission deadline (fax number specified in section 1.2).
In all cases, the tenderer must ensure that it secures evidence that the tender was submitted on time.
Any tenders submitted after the deadline will not be considered and will be returned to the tenderer.

1.5 Date of the opening of bids:

29.05.2020, Remarks:  The opening of the bids and the opening protocol are not public.

1.6 Type of contracting authority

Confederation (Central federal administration)

1.7 Type of procedure

Open procedure

1.8 Type of order

Order for services

1.9 Scope of international treaties

Yes

2. Objects of procurement

2.1 Service category CPC:

[5] Telecommunications

2.2 Project title of the acquisition

(20106) 808 Bottom-up cost model for mobile radio networks in Switzerland

2.3 Reference / project no.

(20106) 808

2.4 Division into lots?

No

2.5 Common Procurement Vocabulary

CPV:	72212461 - Analytical or scientific software development services,
	71316000 - Telecommunication consultancy services,
	71242000 - Project and design preparation, estimation of costs,
	71241000 - Feasibility study, advisory service, analysis,
	72200000 - Software programming and consultancy services,
	72212100 - Industry specific software development services,
	71318000 - Advisory and consultative engineering services,
	72262000 - Software development services

2.6 Subject and scope of the contract

OFCOM would like to acquire a bottom-up cost model, which provides a well-founded estimate of the costs of a hypothetical mobile tenderer for the construction and operation of a mobile radio network. The nationwide network has to be based on current 4G and 5G technology. The model should reflect primarily the costs of individual wholesale services. In addition, however, it should provide answers to policy questions i.a. related to population coverage and the cost of construction and operation of such networks in particular areas (cf. endogenous variables).

2.7 Location where service is to be delivered

Biel

2.8 Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

72 months after contract was signed

This contract is subject to renewal: No

2.9 Options

Yes

Description of options: - Cost modelling of the international Roaming service (2020)
- modelling of the savings through network sharing (2020)
- further development of the model (2021-2025)

2.10 Award criteria

AC01 Price  Weighting 30% 
AC02 Quality of the concept  Weighting 30% 
AC03 Experience of the bidder  Weighting 15% 
AC04 Degree of endogenisation of the model  Weighting 10% 
AC05 Longevity of the model  Weighting 5% 
AC06 Suitability of the model for parameterisation  Weighting 10% 
Comments:  The detailed award criteria can be found in appendices 1 and 2 to the tender documentation.

2.11 Will variants be accepted?

Yes

Remarks: These are to be explicitly designated as such and submitted separately from the basic offer. The advantages and equivalence of the variants in terms of achievement of the goals must absolutely be justified, otherwise these cannot be considered.

2.12 Are partial offers permitted?

No

2.13 Implementation date

Remarks: Start: July 2020, End: June 2021

3. Conditions

3.1 General conditions of participation

None

3.2 Deposits/guarantees

None

3.3 Conditions of payment

30 days after receipt of invoice, net in CHF, plus VAT. Subject to correct submission of invoice by means of e-billing.
The invoices are submitted for the incurred costs after provision of the service. It must be evident from the invoice which services have been provided and to what the costs refer. The invoices should be submitted according to the payment plan (Section 8.3). The sum of the invoices shall not exceed the cost ceiling or fixed price agreed in the price sheet.
Administration on e-bills can be found on the following website: www.bbl.admin.ch – Rubrik Das BBL – E-Rechnung

3.4 Costs to be included

All price information is to be indicated in Swiss francs (CHF) and exclusive of VAT. The price excluding VAT includes in particular insurance, expenses, social security contributions, etc.

3.5 Consortium of bidders

Permitted. If the bidder takes part in the procedure as a bidding consortium, it must designate a company which exercises management (representation, coordination). The bidder lists all those involved with the roles assigned to them.

3.6 Subcontractor

Permitted. If the bidder engages subcontractors to provide services, the bidder assumes overall responsibility. It lists all subcontractors involved with the roles assigned to them.

3.7 Eligibility criteria

based on the criteria given below:
All companies with sufficient economic capacity, which meet the following criteria and proof of suitability acc. to paragraph 3.8, are invited to submit a tender in Swiss francs (CHF).

3.8 Evidence required

based on the evidence given below:
The verification of competences must be submitted absolutely complete and without restriction or modification in writing. If not complete, the tender offer will not be evaluated.

SC01 Economic/financial capability
The tenderer has adequate economic/financial capability to be able to fulfil the order.
Proof
Excerpt from the official commercial register and debt collection register no older than 3 months. In the case of tenderers from abroad, comparable current official documentation from the foreign country.

SC02 a) Compliance with procedural principles
The tenderer confirms that it itself as well as third parties engaged by it (sub-contractors and sub-suppliers) comply with the procedural principles according to the self-declaration sheet of the Federal Procurement Conference (BKB).
b) Additional proof of compliance with wage equality between men and women
Tenderers with more than 50 employees and their first-level sub-contractors each with more than 50 employees must in addition to the self-declaration prove how wage practice was verified.
Proof
a) Legally valid signature of the self-declaration of the Federal Procurement Conference BKB (Annex 3).
This proof of suitability (a) is to be submitted by all tenderers as a component of the offer.
b) Additional proof of compliance with wage equality between men and women by means of
- Equal pay self-test Logib (https://www.ebg.admin.ch/ebg/en/home/services/equal-pay-self-test-tool--logib.html). The “Summary (rtp_fazit)” sheet is to be submitted with a legally valid signature.
or
- Checks by state authorities. The corresponding confirmation/certificate is to be submitted.
or
- Wage equality analyses by third parties, if the standard analysis model of the Confederation (https://www.ebg.admin.ch/ebg/en/home/topics/work/equal-pay/government-controls-in-public-procurement.html) is used.
The corresponding letter/certificate is to be submitted.
This proof of suitability (b) is to be submitted only on request.

SC03 Experience
The tenderer has sufficient international experience with bottom-up mobile radio cost models which are comparable with the present contract in terms of content, scope and complexity. It provides evidence of this experience based on at least 1 reference within the last 4 years.
Proof
For each reference model, an appropriate fully completed reference form is to be submitted (Annex 5). The Client reserves the right to contact the designated contact persons. The contact person mentioned must be reachable.
If the model or a comparable model has already been the subject of a public consultation, a summary of the results thereof should be attached to the offer. If the model was the subject of an appeal or legal proceedings, this should likewise be apparent from the offer documents and the result of the procedure in this respect should be summarised.

SC04 Personnel resources
The tenderer has the necessary personnel resources, in order to be able to fulfil the contract as described in the Principal Tender Document.
Proof
Written confirmation with comprehensible documentation of the personnel resources deployed for the contract, including qualifications and experiences.

SC05 Contact
The tenderer has available a partner (SPOC) who is responsible in case of escalation of problems with the contract and who can take decisions.
Proof
Written confirmation, indicating last name, first name, contact details, functional designation and substitute of the SPOC.

SC06 Language skills of key persons
The tenderer is prepared to deploy key persons who can communicate in German or English (spoken and written) and who can produce and deliver the project results and documentation in German or English.
Proof
Written confirmation with comprehensible documentation of the language skills of key persons.

SC07 Replacement of personnel
The tenderer is prepared to replace deployed personnel as follows for important reasons:
The performance and deployment of the persons engaged by the Provider are assessed by the Client. If a discrepancy relating to the requirements and criteria according to the Principal Tender Document and annexes is ascertained, the Provider shall adopt a position on this. The Client then decides whether the Provider will be obliged to replace the persons concerned within 14 days by personnel who meet the requirements.
In the context of the execution of the contracts, other important reasons for the replacement of personnel may arise, such as a negative personnel safety inspection by the Confederation, dismissal, prolonged holiday, accident, illness, etc. In each case the Provider is responsible for replacement by an equally qualified person. A commitment to other projects of the Client is not deemed to be an important reason.
Proof
Written confirmation.

SC08 Acceptance of the General Terms and Conditions of the Confederation (GTC) for
- contracts for works in the area of IT and the maintenance of customised software (October 2010 edition, as of June 2019)
The GTC listed above apply to the present transaction in accordance with Annex 4 of the Principal Tender Document.
Proof
Written confirmation.

SC09 Acceptance of essential contract components
The tenderer is prepared to accept unreservedly the essential contract components listed in Section 8 entitled "Special provisions" of the Principal Tender Document.
Proof
Written confirmation.

SC10 Conflicts of interest
No financial holdings exist between the tenderer and the three Swiss mobile network operators.
Furthermore, the tenderer confirms that the quantity of orders from an individual Swiss mobile network operator does not amount to more than 10% of its total turnover averaged over the last five years.
All work done, together with its revenue, in the last five years on behalf of Swiss mobile network operators must be declared for evaluation. The gross revenue over the last five years must also be declared.
The tenderer undertakes during the term of the contract not to execute and accept any contracts from Swiss mobile network operators.

3.9 Conditions for obtaining the tendering documentation

Costs: none

3.10 Languages

Languages for offers: German, English

3.11 Validity of offers

180 days after deadline for receipt of offers

3.12 Supplying source of the tendering documentation

at www.simap.ch
Documents of the invitation to tender are available from: 13.03.2020
Languages of documents: German, English
Further information for obtaining the tendering documentation: Tender documents are available in German and English. In case of contradictions, the German version prevails.
The documentation on the public call to tender for the project mentioned can be downloaded from the platform www.simap.ch under: Running procedures, Confederation, Invitations to tender. In order to do so, you first have to register in the abovementioned project. You will then be able to log in and use the password received by e-mail to download the desired documentation. There is also a question forum available.

4. Other information

4.1 Conditions for tenderers from Non-Member States of the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement

None

4.2 Terms of business

Business transactions are to be carried out in accordance with the General Terms and Conditions of the Swiss
Confederation (GTC) for IT Works Contracts and Contracts for the Maintenance of Individual Software (October 2010 edition, as of June 2019). All are available from www.bbl.admin.ch – Rubrik Dokumentation – AGB

4.3 On-site visit

Negotiations are reserved. The requesting office will only negotiate prices if special circumstances, such as the clarification or specification of the requirements, so warrant or if it considers the price to be unusual.

4.4 Essential requirements

The Client only awards public contracts for services in Switzerland to bidders which guarantee compliance with the health and safety regulations and working conditions for employees as well as the equality of wages for men and women.
If the service is provided abroad, the bidder shall guarantee compliance at least with the core conventions of the International Labour Organisation according to Annex 2a VöB.
The self-declaration sheet of the Federal Procurement Conference (BKB) "Self-declaration of bidder concerning compliance with minimum social regulations" (Annex 3) must be enclosed, signed, with the offer.

4.6 Additional information

Reservations remain in relation to the readiness for procurement of the project as well as the availability of loans.

The contracting authority reserves the right to procure the goods and services defined as optional in their entirety, in part or not at all.

4.7 Official organ of publication

www.simap.ch

4.8 Procedures for appeal

Pursuant to Art. 30 of the Federal Act on Public Procurement, an appeal against this publication may be filed within 20 days since notification in writing in an official language of Switzerland to the Federal Administrative Court, Postfach, 9023 St.Gallen. The appeal petition must be submitted in duplicate and must contain the application, the grounds of appeal with details of the evidence and the signature of the appellant or his agent; a copy of the present publication and documents cited as evidence must be attached, provided they are in the appellant’s possession.