Stage

Detail

Date

Outline Business Case

Preparation of the business case for the project and seeking Government support

22 May 2008

Pre-OJEU key stage review

1^st key stage review, before the Council is able to advertise the project to the market

27 June 2008

OJEU

Advertise the project in the Official Journal of the European Union, to seek applications from companies who are interested in bidding for the work.  Those responding are asked to complete a questionnaire to help the Council assess their ability to carry out the work if appointed.

30 June 2008

Shortlist bidders

Evaluate the questionnaires returned and compile a shortlist of bidders who are considered to have the financial and technical resources to bid for and perform the work required.

September 2008

Pre-ITPD key stage review

2^nd key stage review, to confirm that the Council is ready to issue tender documentation to shortlisted bidders

September 2008

ITPD

Issue of the Invitation To Participate in Dialogue.  The documents are in 4 volumes: Volume 1 contains the instructions for tendering; Volume 2 details the technical specification of the facilities (buildings) to be provided; Volume 3 details the services to be performed over the 30 year life of the contract (maintenance, cleaning, etc); and Volume 4 describes the terms and conditions of the Contract, the rights and duties of each party, and the remedies if services are not performed as required.

September 2008

Competitive Dialogue

A progressive series of meetings held with representatives of each bidder team, during the course of which the bidder develops their proposed designs and service and operational proposals for each school, and can take soundings from the Council’s representatives along the way to ensure that the proposals are generally meeting the requirements of the specification and the aspirations of the community.  Each bidder meets separately with the project team at these meetings and the discussion at the meetings is kept confidential so that each bidder is able to develop their own proposals independently.

The series of meetings is arranged in stages, and each bidder is expected to have reached predetermined milestones by the end of each stage.  Failure to maintain the right progress may cause them to be deselected from bidding.  The Council will evaluate bidders at each stage and provide them with feedback on progress.

September 2008 to July 2009

Pre-Preferred Bidder key stage review

The 3^rd key stage review asks the Council to confirm that all material issues have been resolved and that the Council is ready to appoint a Preferred Bidder

August 2009

Preferred Bidder

The appointment of the Preferred Bidder is the final stage in the competitive dialogue process.  Planning approvals are sought for the designs for the schools, terms and conditions of contract are confirmed, and the many agreements, warranties and contracts are drawn up ready for signature at Financial Close.  The documentation is so great because the contract covers the design, build, financing and operation of the two schools over a thirty-year period, and the principal agreements between the Council and the Consortium, including conditions, schedules, warranties and guarantees and funding terms all have to be consistent with each other and with parallel subordinate documentation that binds the consortium to each of its subcontractors.

August 2009

Pre-Financial Close key stage review

The 4^th and final key stage review checks that the Council has considered everything in concluding the agreement with the Preferred Bidder, that the Council has made proper arrangements, including appointing a team, to manage the contract during construction and thereafter for the 30 year operations phase.  This includes monitoring contract performance, checking and certifying monthly payments to the contractor including any applicable deductions for performance failures, and advising on and procuring any required changes to the services over time.  The review also checks that the project meets the financial objectives and delivers value for money for the Council.

March 2010

Financial Close

This is the process whereby the interest rate swap is arranged in the money markets to fund the project, and all of the documentation, agreements, drawings and schedules are signed by all of the parties to the principal contract and all of the subordinate contracts. 

There is a mandatory 10 day standstill period before Financial Close, to allow any unsuccessful bidder to raise any concerns.

March 2010

Construction Stage

The sites are handed over to the contractor and the new schools are constructed, and old schools demolished, and landscaping and ancillary works are completed.  Schools will be opened for staff and pupils on the agreed Service Availability Date, although demolition of redundant buildings and completion of landscaping including playing fields will continue until all works are complete.  The Council will only commence paying the annual service charge on the agreed service availability date.

Council staff transferring to the contractor under TUPE will transfer over on the Service Availability Date.

April 2010 to April 2012

Operational Stage

The operational stage commences with the opening of the schools, and will continue for the 30 year term of the contract.  The contractor is responsible for the security of the building, the cleaning, maintenance and repair of the building, the upkeep of the grounds and the removal of waste.  He is also responsible for maintaining the temperature and environmental conditions in the building to the required standards.  The Council’s contract monitoring team will carry out checks to ensure that the correct standards are achieved.

Shortly before the end of the contract period, the contractor must inspect the building and carry out any maintenance required so the schools are in good condition when the buildings are handed back to the Council at the end of the contract.