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Guarding and Reception Contract for DFID at Abercrombie House, East Kilbride and 1 Palace Street, London

The Department for International Development (DFID) is seeking a comprehensive security guarding and reception service for its headquarters buildings at Abercrombie House, East Kilbride and 1 Palace Street London. The aim of the contract, which will start in January 2010, will be to maintain the security and integrity of the buildings and their contents and occupants from physical, terrorist or espionage attack or compromise. The contractor will be required to:

  • Protect staff, contractors and other personnel, (including VIP’s) and guests, while on the Abercrombie House and Palace Street premises, from physical threat or attack;
  • Protect the buildings and their contents from terrorism, espionage, subversion, unlawful entry, theft, fire and flood.
  • Security manage visitors through a Reception service and entry protocols.

The contractor will have continuous responsibility for these objectives 24/7, 365 days a year for the duration of the contract, which is envisaged as 3 years in the first instance with the option of up to a 2 year extension.

The contractor will be expected to have experience of providing a round the clock static guard and reception service in a major headquarters building, ideally in a central government environment. This should bring with it a knowledge and understanding of civil service/central government security procedures and practices and potential threats. The contractor will need to have sufficient local management capacity and access to back-up services to adequately manage the service in both locations. The contractor must be able to demonstrate that they have the resources and staff to manage such a contract and that staff are adequately supervised, trained and motivated. The contractor is expected to show that they have achieved key security industry quality management standards.

Security and reception services are currently provided by different contractors in each location. The contract will cover both locations. A number of staff may wish to transfer on TUPE terms to the new contractor. Interested companies should therefore be familiar with the Government’s Code of Practice on such transfers.

DFID is inviting Expressions of Interest from suitably qualified companies or consortia covering both locations by Friday 8 May 2009.

EOI's should be restricted to a Capability Statement (please do not include any advertising material or brochures) which should address, in no more than 4 A4 pages, the following:

Sector Involvement:

  • Experience of working with central government departments;
  • Track record in providing guarding as core business;

Training and Skills:

  • Details of staff training, qualifications and continuous improvement and development
  • Details of your in-house training programme and how you monitor/identify training requirements.

Staff Selection:

  • Provide full details of your vetting procedures
  • Advise how your company ensures staff are fit for work

Management and Resources:

  • Provide full details of your existing management structure to support this contract
  • Explain how you will ensure you have sufficient staff to support this contract
  • Provide details of how you will provide cover for staff absences such as annual leave and sick leave

Location:

  • Confirm that you have the resources to operate efficiently at both 1PS and AH sites (DFID is prepared to consider proposals from single companies or consortia)
  • Confirm that you have sufficient personnel posted nearby
  • Provide full details of existing customers in the area
  • Advise what distance would patrol/response teams have to travel
  • Confirm you can provide mobile patrol services and out of hours mobile supervision

Quality Management:

  • Confirm ISO or equivalent certified for relevant services
  • Members of BSIA and on Approved Contractor scheme
  • Provide details of sites where operation can be inspected or services demonstrated
  • Provide a list of customers and referees to verify customer satisfaction levels
  • Provide evidence of comparable contracts in terms of size, structure, service provision and duration?
  • Certify compliance with security industry codes of practice, including BS 7499:2002 or equivalent
  • Confirm you are Data Protection legislation compliant

Ownership and Financial Stability:

  • Provide company accounts for last 3 years;
  • Advise if your company is linked financially or in some other way to another company in such a way as to cause embarrassment or conflict of interest

TUPE Knowledge & Experience:

  • Confirm experience and/or knowledge of TUPE transfers;

In addition, abridged CV's of no more than 2 pages for each of the proposed key personnel should also be submitted. EOI’s should be sent to Avril Smith, Procurement Officer, Department for International Development, Abercrombie House, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 8EA. Tel. 01355 84 1234. Fax: 01355 84 3327. DFID welcome EOI's in electronic format E-mail: avril-smith@dfid.gov.uk.

DFID will not reply to any EOI’s unless short-listed for invitation to tender.

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