Request for Proposal

2.2 Background

• 
  a consistent, joined-up user experience;
  
• 
  a manageable set of technologies and protocols; and
  
• 
  efficient and responsive realisation of our business processes.
  

The Bank believes that a fundamental technology platform required for such an architecture is a UXP. The UXP aims to provide the following.

• 
  Deliver a package of:
  
  
  
  • 
    technology;
    
  • 
    tools; and
    
  • 
    patterns.
    
• 
  To enable Business Systems to deliver application functions to users:
  
  
  
  • 
    wherever the applications are (on- or off-premise);
    
  • 
    wherever the users are (inside or outside the Bank, employee or external parties); and
    
  • 
    whatever device they are using (Bank owned desktop, mobile, tablet and BYOD).
    
• 
  In a manner that is:
  
  
  
  • 
    coherent (across applications and devices);
    
  • 
    efficient (allowing quick and easy navigation);
    
  • 
    aesthetic (recognising that clarity and visual appeal contribute to function); and
    
  • 
    secure (in accordance with Bank policy).
    
• 
  Using resources that are:
  
  
  
  • 
    in-house;
    
  • 
    independent (of Vendor PS practices); and
    
  • 
    responsive (to user demand).
    

• 
  Working in a practice that is
  
  • 
    highly decoupled from back-end concerns;
    
  • 
    not constrained to the pace of the slowest; and
    
  • 
    observes continuous integration and testing principles.
    

The business case for implementing such a platform depends largely on the benefits of the architecture it supports, and its effectiveness in that support. Those benefits are:

• 
  improvement in the quality of the users’ experience interacting with Bank systems.
  
• 
  improvement in the accessibility of Bank systems, both in mode (internal, external, mobile) and in reach (donors, clients, other partners).
  
• 
  improvement in the agility of the Bank’s IT landscape – the ability to deliver new functions rapidly in a joined-up way, in response to changing user requirements.
  

Your sole contact for the purposes of the RFP is:

Corporate Procurement Unit

EBRD

One Exchange Square

EC2A 2JN

Email: galet@ebrd.com

Suppliers wishing to participate in this process will be required to make the following submissions in accordance with the timetable outlined in section 4.2:

• 
  a technical proposal (the ‘Technical Proposal’);
  
• 
  a completed quotation file (the ‘Quotation File’).
  

The EBRD reserves the right to amend or change these dates at any time.

The process for reception and resolution of queries shall be as follows:

• 
  suppliers will send queries by e-mail to the following address: galet@ebrd.com;
  
• 
  there will be one round of queries;
  
• 
  the deadline for queries is shown in the timetable set out in section 4.2 of this RFP;
  
• 
  the EBRD will circulate the responses to all queries to all participating Suppliers in accordance with the timetable set out in section 4.2 of this RFP; and
  
• 
  the clarification document will make no reference to which Supplier made any particular query.
  

The Technical Proposal shall be prepared with reference to Annex A - UXP Requirements and shall be comprised of the documents listed below.

The Supplier shall provide a completed copy of Annex B – Core Requirements.

The Supplier shall provide a narrative response (the “Narrative Response”) as outlined in Annex C of this document.

Responses shall be submitted to the EBRD contact on a CD or a USB drive and in an original hard copy by courier in a sealed envelope clearly identified as “PUR1510/11 – User Experience Platform - Technical Proposal” in accordance with the timetable set out in section 4.2 of this RFP.

In addition to a written response, Suppliers will be requested to receive a representation for the Bank for a presentation. The presentation should last no more than 120 minutes and will cover the topics below identified. The visit/presentation is scheduled for week commencing 12^th October 2015.

• 
  Introduction of the key features of the User Experience Platform
  
• 
  Demonstration of how the Platform will provide the requirements we have described our requirements
  
• 
  Scenarios
  
• 
  Key benefits of the product for EBRD.
  
• 
  Key differentiators to other UXP frameworks applicable to the EBRD
  

• 
  Outline and description of the Implementation process
  
• 
  Detail the quality and experience to the consultants to be used for the implementation
  
• 
  Detail how the product is supported
  

All Suppliers are required to complete the quotation file (the ‘Quotation file’) attached as Annex E of this RFP. Prices are to be quoted in GBP net of VAT. All of the cells in the Excel spreadsheet shaded in yellow must be completed by Suppliers.

The Excel file must be submitted on a CD or a USB drive and in an original hard copy by courier in a sealed envelope clearly identified as “PUR1510/11 – User Experience Platform - Quotation File” in accordance with the timetable set out in section 4.2 of this RFP.

Quotes submitted shall be valid for ninety (90) days following date of receipt.

Suppliers shall provide a statement giving a brief history of their company, how it is organised, and how its available products and resources will be used to meet EBRD's requirements. The Supplier shall submit the following information.

The name, address and telephone number of the person to receive correspondence, and who is authorized to make decisions or represent the vendor. Please state his or her capacity within the company.

The total number of years the vendor has been in business and, if applicable, the number of years under the present business name.

The number of years that the vendor has been providing UXP suite technology, including the date that the specific UXP suite products cited in the response to this RFP first became generally available, and the product’s lineage. That is, what prior major versions of the products have been available and what previous product generations or acquisitions contributed to the current flagship product’s capabilities.

How many customers are using the specific UXP suite cited in the response in terms of: 1) number of licenses sold; and 2) number of unique companies using the suite in production.
4.6.2 Financial Information

The vendor shall provide a complete set of audited financial statements for the past three years. All financial statements should be prepared to generally accepted accounting principles.

The Supplier shall provide details of three customers for reference, preferably in the same sector (financial services) and country (UK). References should be for customers with requirements similar to those of EBRD. References should include information about the contract (specific products in use, date of contract execution, "go live" date and any services provided), as well as contact information for the client's project manager or other senior staff members familiar with the project.

All of the required additional information should be supplied on the USB or CD containing the Supplier’s Technical Proposal.

Suppliers’ Technical Proposals will be evaluated and scored by a nominated Tender Evaluation Panel (TEP) of Bank staff selected from operational departments who are directly involved with the services to be provided.

• 
  a majority of the TEP allocate it 75% (525 points) or higher of the maximum points available for the technical evaluation;
  
• 
  the mean of the combined TEP scores is 75% (525 points) or higher of the maximum points available for the technical evaluation; and
  
• 
  a majority of the TEP allocate the Supplier the minimum qualifying mark for the “core requirements” element of the evaluation where one is specified in Table 1 above.
  

Only those Suppliers who’s Technical Proposals pass the technical threshold will have

their Financial Proposals opened and evaluated.

2. 
   Financial Evaluation
   

LP = the lowest evaluated financial proposal

EPa = the financial proposal of a.

2. 
   Financial Errors
   

• 
  if there are errors in the mathematical extension of unit price items, the unit prices prevail and the mathematical extension is adjusted accordingly; and
  
• 
  if there are errors in the additional of lump sum prices or unit price extensions, the bid is not rejected but the total is corrected and the correct amount reflected in the total bid price.
  

The Supplier achieving the highest combined score following the technical and financial evaluations shall be nominated as the preferred Supplier (the ‘Preferred Supplier’).

The Bank may contact the three references provided by the Preferred Supplier. The Bank reserves the right to speak to any company which has dealt with the Preferred Supplier, whether provided as a reference or not, without prior notification to the Supplier.

Upon satisfactory conclusion of the reference checking, the Bank will move to negotiate a contract with the Preferred Supplier. In the event that a satisfactory conclusion to the contract negotiations cannot be agreed the Bank may consider the next highest scoring Supplier to be the Preferred Supplier and will commence the procedure described above.

The EBRD is an international organisation established by international treaty. As such, the EBRD possesses a special status under public international law which has been confirmed under English law through statute (Statutory Instrument 1991, No. 757, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Immunities and Privileges) Order 1991), available at:

Subject to the Bank’s status, see section 6.1, the Preferred Supplier’s standard terms for delivery of these services shall form the basis of any contract that may ensue. EBRD reserves the right to subject each proposal to final negotiations.

Prior to final purchase of the UXP the Bank will undertake a four week PoC exercise the parameters of which are provided as Annex D of this RFP. It is a minimum requirement for participation in this tender that the Preferred Supplier grant the Bank a trial version of all relevant software at no cost for the duration of the PoC. It is understood that Suppliers may require remuneration for any professional services rendered in the execution of the PoC. These costs should be reflected in the Supplier’s Quotation File.

EBRD reserves the right to negotiate any or all terms and conditions, and to cancel, amend or resubmit this RFP in part or entirely at any time. None of the terms and conditions of this RFP can be revoked or amended in any way by Suppliers without the prior written agreement of EBRD.

EBRD is not responsible for any Supplier costs associated with this RFP, Supplier responses or any contract discussions or negotiations. Nor is EBRD responsible for any indirectly related costs. No statement by EBRD should be viewed as a request by EBRD or justification for Suppliers to increase or change inventory, staff, facilities, business relationships with its suppliers, or internal business processes. All actions by Suppliers in response to this RFP or subsequent discussions or negotiations should be taken with the clear understanding that neither this RFP nor subsequent actions or omissions by EBRD obligate or commit EBRD to pay or reimburse Suppliers for any costs or expenses they incur. This RFP is not an offer to enter into a contract.

Suppliers shall absolutely rely on their own professional competence in evaluating and verifying the information contained in this RFP. Suppliers must take every opportunity to inspect and verify the information contained or referred to in this document or subsequent to it, subject to the confidentiality restrictions as detailed in section 7.6 of this RFP.

The information contained in this RFP will remain EBRD’s intellectual property. Suppliers are granted a limited, revocable license to use the same for the purpose of responding to the RFP. By submitting a response to the RFP Suppliers grant EBRD a royalty free, irrevocable license to use the intellectual property in the proposal for its internal business purposes in relation to the procurement of the services required.

Submission of a response as part of this process shall be deemed to be the Suppliers’ only offer(s).

Suppliers shall treat the RFP and EBRD's process of evaluating Suppliers as strictly private and confidential. The contents of this RFP, including specification, designs, drawings or other related documents shall be considered confidential and shall not be disclosed by the Supplier, the Supplier’s servants or agents to any persons, firm or corporation without the prior written consent of EBRD. Any such specifications, designs, drawings or other documents shall remain the property of EBRD and shall be returnable to EBRD within five (5) days of the Supplier receiving either, notification that it has been unsuccessful, or on written request from EBRD.

Please be advised that EBRD logo is a registered service mark and as such should not be reproduced without the express written permission of the Bank.

Incomplete or inadequate responses, lack of response to an item or items, or misrepresentation in responding to this documentation may result in rejection of a Supplier’s Proposal.