Invitation to tender

Date of publication Simap: 21.09.2023

1. Contracting authority

1.1 Official name and address of the contracting authority

Contracting authority/Authority of assignment: Swissgrid AG
Procurement authority/Organizer: Swissgrid AG,  attn Matthias Siegrist, Bleichemattstrasse 31,  5001  Aarau,  Switzerland,  Telephone:  058 580 21 11,  E-mail:  ausschreibungen-IT@swissgrid.ch

1.2 Offers should be sent to the following address

Address according to chapter 1.1

1.3 Desired deadline for questions in written form

09.10.2023

Remarks: Questions regarding the tender documents may be submitted on an ongoing basis within the above deadline for written questions exclusively via the Ariba Event Messenger function using the attached document "A3_Question Catalog". Questions regarding technical problems can be sent directly to ausschreibungen-IT@swissgrid.ch and will be answered indivdually.

1.4 Deadline for submitting offers

Date: 10.11.2023 Time of day: 23:59, Specific deadlines and formal requirements:  The offer must be submitted electronically and in full with all enclosures via SAP Ariba. Late electronic submission of the offer will not be allowed by the system. It is strongly recommended to start creating the offer in SAP Ariba as early as possible, but at least several working days before the deadline. Offers may not be transmitted in any other way (e.g. mail, post, personal delivery).

1.5 Date of the opening of bids:

13.11.2023, City:  Aarau, Remarks:  The opening of bids is not public.

1.6 Type of contracting authority

Decentralized federal administration - public-legal organizations of the federation and other supporting organisations assuming federal tasks

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

2.2 Project title of the acquisition

Algorithm Development Services

2.3 Reference / project no.

Doc1602213296

2.4 Division into lots?

No

2.5 Common Procurement Vocabulary

CPV:	72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

2.6 Subject and scope of the contract

With this tender, Swissgrid intends to conclude framework agreements with three (3) suitable partners over a period of 10 years starting April 1, 2024, who will provide the following services in the area of algorithms:
•consulting
•design and implementation
•enhancements, improvements, and maintenance
•testing
•documentation
•support
It is expected that the service providers sought will be able to support Swissgrid both throughout the entire life cycle and for individual phases (consulting/analysis, development, operations) of an algorithm.
The exact services to be provided are specified individually for each project as part of a mini tender process and then awarded in competition among the framework contract partners.

2.7 Location where service is to be delivered

With the exception of the project phase, in which a certain percentage of the services are to be provided in Aarau (on-site) at Swissgrid, all services are to be provided on the provider's own premises (off-site).

The central project teams are physically based in Aarau. The following points must be taken into account:
• During the project phase, at least 20% of the people commissioned by the supplier are expected to be physically present. This can be arranged as one day per week or one week per month. Remote work is acceptable the rest of the time.
• The team has its own project room and a desk-sharing area in the Swissgrid building that can be used for working. The principles of Clean Desk, Shared Desk and Central Printing Places must be observed.

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

Start: 01.04.2024, End: 31.03.2034

This contract is subject to renewal: No

2.9 Options

Yes

Description of options: All services are optional (Without purchase obligation).
Total optional procurement volume: CHF 6,000,000 excl. VAT.

2.10 Award criteria

AC 1 Price  Weighting 30% 
AC 2 Additional References  Weighting 15% 
AC 3 Qualification of the Short Profiles  Weighting 25% 
AC 4 Sustainability efforts  Weighting 5% 
AC 5 Reservations to the contract draft  Weighting 5% 
AC 6 Supplier presentation  Weighting 20% 

2.11 Will variants be accepted?

No

2.12 Are partial offers permitted?

No

2.13 Implementation date

Start 01.04.2024 and finish 31.03.2034

3. Conditions

3.1 General conditions of participation

SAP Ariba Network Registration (free account), Submission of the qualification questionnaires and the offer via SAP Ariba and acceptance of the declaration of secrecy and confidentiality in SAP Ariba Sourcing. Detailed information regarding the use of SAP Ariba (creating an account, downloading the documents, qualification, submitting the offer, etc.) can be found in the information sheet available in the download area on simap.ch

3.2 Deposits/guarantees

None

3.3 Conditions of payment

Invoices are issued in accordance with the tender documents. The payment period is 30 days net after receipt of the correct invoice.

3.4 Costs to be included

according to tender documents

3.5 Consortium of bidders

Not permitted

3.6 Subcontractor

Permitted. If the tenderer uses subcontractors to perform the service, he assumes overall responsibility. He lists all subcontractors involved with their assigned roles.
The characteristic supply generally has to be provided by the tenderer.
Multiple applications from subcontractors are not permitted.

3.7 Eligibility criteria

based on the criteria given below:
- EC 1 - Supplier qualification for the commodity group «Software development for business applications»
- EC 2 - Further information about the supplier
- EC 3 - General Acceptance of the Draft Contract and the General Terms and Conditions
- EC 4 - Service location
- EC 5 - References
- EC 6 - Personal security check
- EC 7 - Fieldglass registration
- EC 8 - Single Point of Contact (SPOC)
- EC 9 - Characteristic supply

3.8 Evidence required

Based on the evidence required in the documentation

3.9 Conditions for obtaining the tendering documentation

Application to receive the tendering documentation desired by: 31.10.2023
Costs: none

3.10 Languages

Languages for offers: German, English

Language of the procedure: English

3.11 Validity of offers

6 Months 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: 21.09.2023  until  31.10.2023
Languages of documents: English
Further information for obtaining the tendering documentation: To receive the tender documents, the information listed in the information sheet must be sent to ausschreibungen-IT@swissgrid.ch and the declaration of secrecy and confidentiality must be accepted after registration in the SAP Ariba Network.
After the declaration of secrecy and confidentiality has been accepted the supplier ist authorized to download the entire tender documents from Swissgrid electronically via SAP Ariba. All employees of the supplier and of the subcontractors involved in the tendering process must be instructed accordingly and are equally bound by the terms of the declarationof secrecy and confidentiality. The declaration of secrecy and confidentiality of the subcontractors included in the offer must be enclosed with the offer.

3.13 Conduct of dialogue

No

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

According to tender documents

4.3 On-site visit

None

4.4 Essential requirements

The contractor shall award this contract only to bidders who comply with the conditions stipulated in the tender documents and the legislation, in particular occupational health and safety regulations, rules on working conditions, equal pay regulations, as well as environmental law, competition law and anti-corruption provisions.

4.7 Official organ of publication

simap.ch

4.8 Procedures for appeal

In accordance with Article 56 paragraph 1 of the Public Procurement Act (PPA), a written appeal against this decision can be lodged with the Federal Administrative Court, P.O. Box, 9023 St. Gallen, Switzerland, within 20 days of notification. Any appeal is to be submitted in duplicate and must include what is being sought, the grounds for appeal, evidence and the signature of the person lodging the appeal or his or her representative. A copy of this decision and available evidence must be included.
The provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) on legal holidays do not apply in accordance with Article 56 paragraph 2 of the PPA.