United Kingdom-Aberdeen: Public road transport services

Type of document: Pre-information procedures
Country: United Kingdom
OJEU Ref: (2015/S 233-423043/EN)
Nature of contract: Supply contract
Procedure: Not applicable
Regulation of procurement: EU – with participation by GPA countries
Type of bid required: Not applicable

Prior information notice without call for competition
Supplies
Directive 2004/18/EC
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1) Name addresses and contact point(s):
Aberdeen City Council
Woodhill House, Westburn Road
Aberdeen
Postal code: AB16 5GB
United Kingdom
Contact points(s): Legal and Corporate Governance
For the attention of: Head of Commercial and Procurement Services
Phone: +44 1224665652
Fax: +44 1224665656
Internet Address(es):
General address of the contracting authority:
Address of the buyer profile:
Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
I.2) Type of the contracting authority:
Regional or local authority
I.3) Main activity: General public services
I.4) Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities/entities:
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: Yes
Birmingham City Council
Transport for London
Cardiff City Council
Dundee City Council
Angus Council
Fife Council
Glasgow City Council
Stirling Council
Leeds Council
Perth & Kinross Council
Nottingham City Council
Sheffield City Council
Tees Valley Unlimited
Highland Council

Section II.B: Object of the contract (Supplies or services):
II.1) Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority/entity:
Multi City Fuel Cell Bus Project.
II.2) Type of contract and place of delivery or of performance:
Supplies
Various Local Authorities across Scotland, England and Wales.
Nuts code: UK
II.3) Information on framework agreement:
II.4) Short description of nature and quantity or value of suppliers or services:
This project is a collaborative venture across a number of Local Authorities for the purpose of procuring c.100 Fuel Cell buses. The purchases themselves will be made by the individual authorities and will be for the vehicles themselves along with the relevant maintenance and warranty package.
Note: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 45 000 000 and 50 000 000 EUR
Lots: The contract is divided into lots: No
II.5) Common procurement vocabulary (CPV):
60112000, 34121100, 34121000
II.6) Scheduled date for start of award procedures:
Scheduled date for start of award procedures: 01.02.2016
II.7) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA):
The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): YES
II.8) Additional information:

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions relating to the contract:
III.1.1) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
III.2) Conditions for participation:
III.2.1) Information about reserved contracts:

Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about European Union funds:
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: yes.
‘Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH-JU)’ 2016 call for funding applications.
VI.2) Additional information:
Poor air quality in urban areas is becoming an increasingly pressing issue for cities across the UK. Internal combustion engine vehicles are a major source of local pollutants, and diesel engines are responsible for a significant proportion of harmful NOx emissions.In this context representatives from many major cities across the UK have been working together to plan a coordinated project to deliver zero tailpipe emission hydrogen fuel cell buses into a number of urban fleets.The UK’s 100 Fuel Cell Bus Project seeks to supply cities with a commercial and affordable offer for zero emission buses that provide the same range and operational flexibility as diesel buses, lead to improvements in local air quality, and offer a route to decarbonising public transport.By working in collaboration and using joint procurement, the group of participating cities will acquire and deploy around 100 hydrogen fuel cell buses in daily operations on suitable routes. The project will involve a range of partners: city councils, technology providers (vehicles and refuelling infrastructure), and bus operators. By making use of local, national and international funding the buses will be offered to operators at the same cost as conventional vehicles on a total cost of ownership basis.This project’s concept is to procure a large number of fuel cell buses with identical base specifications, and then some level of tailoring to provide vehicles that meet the needs of each city / operator. The project envisages fleets of ten or more fuel cell buses per operating location, and dedicated hydrogen refuelling facilities will also be installed to provide a reliable source of fuel for the vehicles.Following a detailed local feasibility stage, the project is now in a funding acquisition phase. Funding is being sought from various sources but at this stage the project is not fully funded. The results of this request for information will inform the funding applications. During 2016, the project partners intend to complete a procurement exercise and enter into a contract with a supplier, ready to place orders in 2017. The successful tenderer for fuel cell buses will be expected to work with UK city representatives and bus operators during the delivery phase of the project from 2017.A Request for Information (RFI) will be the next stage in the procurement process for this project and will be published via this portal early in Dec 2015 with a response deadline of late January 2016 (all dates indicative at this stage). The purpose of this RFI is for the project team to gain a better idea of the financial aspects involved as this is needed for their EU funding submission which will be submitted in parallel to this procurement exercise. Also, the RFI will be used to allow the project team to get a better understanding of what the marketplace can and can’t offer. It is our intention to supplement the RFI with a supplier forum day to be held in early Spring 2016.(SC Ref:422814).
VI.3) Information on general regulatory framework:
VI.4) Date of dispatch of this notice: 30.11.2015