Supply and delivery of computer and other office equipment consumables

Report: 20
Date: 10 April 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report describes a formal competitive tendering exercise for the supply and delivery of computer and other office equipment consumables and recommendation for the award of contract.

A. Recommendation

That a contract be awarded for the supply and delivery of computer and other office equipment consumables for a period of five years with reviews after year three and year four, as detailed in the linked exempt report.

B. Supporting information

Introduction

1. MPA approval was sought for new tender action for a replacement contract for the supply and delivery of computer and other office equipment consumables. Approval was received on 17 January 2002.

2. The requirement is for approximately 500 lines of computer and office equipment consumables to support the Authority’s operational hardware, purchased through a call off contract with a single supplier. The range of products available covers a multitude of consumable items ranging from audio and video media through to toner cartridges and floppy discs.

3. The full range of products is available to all members of the MPS and can be ordered through the MPS online business-to-business ordering system, part of the MetFIN finance system.

4. The contract when let will be for 5 years with reviews at year 3 and year 4. The total contract value over 5 years exceeds the Commissioner’s delegated authority, and therefore requires approval by the MPA.

Formal tender process

5. Procurement Services placed the OJEC advertisement and subsequently received and evaluated the 14 expressions of interest submitted. These expressions of interest were evaluated against pre-set evaluation criteria. Of those that expressed an interest, 10 companies were invited to tender and from these 5 subsequently submitted a formal tender response.

6. A team of staff members from Procurement Services conducted the technical evaluation and a separate team, also from Procurement Services, conducted the evaluation of the commercial responses and prices. The initial evaluations were conducted independently.

7. After all the tenders had been fully evaluated, three companies were short-listed for the second stage of evaluation. The combined evaluation teams then visited these short-listed companies to clarify any outstanding issues or concerns, view their support and warehousing facilities and assess their ability to fully fulfil all the requirements of the contract.

8. To ensure best value, Procurement Services then utilised the new online price benchmarking information system ‘Pricetrak’ to compare the prices with the rest of the market. The prices offered to the MPS were, in the majority of cases, either equal to or better than average market prices.

9. After the points raised in the meetings had been clarified, final analysis of the tenders were concluded and best and final offers were received. The evaluation team are satisfied that awarding this contract to the recommended supplier will provide the MPS with a range of quality products at a price that represents best value.

C. Equality and diversity implications

There are no equality or diversity implications in this contract.

D. Financial implications

The financial implications of the award appear in the exempt report.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: Paul Bentley, MPS.

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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