PERSONAL ACCOUNTS
DELIVERY AUTHORITY News Release (01/2009) issued by COI News
Distribution Service. 15 January 2009
Today, the
Personal Accounts Delivery Authority (PADA) announced the launch
of its procurement process for the personal accounts Scheme
Administration services.
As a public body, PADA is procuring services for the personal
accounts scheme through the public sector procurement processes.
This means services are bought through fair and open competition
in accordance with European Union procurement directives. PADA
expects to make an announcement on the award in the summer of 2010.
The scope of services being procured through Scheme
Administration is:
* Employer Participation - provision of
scheme information; receipt of employer data;
agreement of
payment schedules.
* Enrolment - automatic enrolment; opt-in;
enrolment of the self employed.
* Collection and
Reconciliation - contributions from employers and
members;
contributions limit, handling late payments.
*
Cash Management - refunds; aggregating contributions, updating
unit prices to
member records.
* Accessing Pension Savings
- retirement options; purchasing annuity; trivial
commutation.
* Administration of Account - updating member and
employer records; complaint handling; divorce and dissolution of
civil partnership.
Full details are available in the supplier prospectus which can
be found on the PADA website: http://www.padeliveryauthority.org.uk
In the interests of simplicity and minimising costs to both
employers and members, we envisage that the provision of services
will generally be through e-channels, including the internet,
email, SMS and telephone IVR.
Chief Executive Tim Jones said:
"We are now taking a
major step forward in the creation of personal accounts as we
embark on selecting a Scheme Administrator who will work with us
to meet the challenges ahead.
"For employers, we will seek to minimise the costs of
administering personal accounts by adopting established systems
and processes wherever appropriate.
"For members, we want to ensure personal accounts are simple
to access and use.
"PADA will be seeking suppliers who can demonstrate
value-for-money services provision that are secure, innovative and
sustainable. I look forward to engaging and working with suppliers
who have the same passion and commitment as we do."
Acting Chair, Jeannie Drake, said:
"The personal
accounts scheme is being designed with the interests of its
members at its heart and will be run on a not-for-profit basis. It
will help millions of people enjoy a better retirement.
Before
we can deliver on our vision, we need to procure the services that
will underpin personal accounts. The contract for the
scheme's administration will provide the backbone of its
successful delivery."
Notes to editors:
1. The law regarding public procurements is
set out in the European Union Procurement Directives and the
Public Contracts Regulations 2006 that implement them in the UK.
Their intention is to open up the procurement market within the
public sector to ensure the free movement of goods and services
within the EU.
2. The rules apply to purchases by public bodies above set
monetary thresholds. They cover all EU Member States and, because
of international agreements, their benefits extend to a number of
other countries worldwide.
3. Where the Regulations apply, contracts must be advertised in
the Official Journal of the EU (OJEU) and there are other detailed
rules that must be followed. There are four that can be used under
the Regulations - restricted, competitive dialogue, negotiated and
open procedures. Each procedure has different rules that apply to them.
4. The procurement is generally commenced through the
advertisement of a Contract Notice in OJEU that specifies the
public body's procurement requirements. The Contract Notice
will specify the requirements for suppliers to express an interest
in the procurement which is usually in the form of the submission
of a completed pre qualification questionnaire ('the
Selection stage'). The pre qualification questionnaire
requests that candidates submit certain information so that the
public body can select/reject the candidate based upon:
- evidence that they are not unsuitable on grounds, for example,
of bankruptcy, criminal conviction or failure to pay taxes.
-
their economic and financial standing - e.g. that they are judged
to be financially sound on the basis of their annual accounts;
and
- their technical capacity and ability - e.g. that they
will have the ability/capacity to perform the required services
and that their track record is satisfactory.
5. As a public body, PADA will adhere to the Public Contracts
Regulations 2006 to let all the contracts to run the personal
accounts scheme. PADA is commencing the first of the procurements
to implement personal accounts for Scheme Administration services
by the publication of a Contract Notice in OJEU following which it
will undertake a selection process.
6. The Scheme Administration services will be procured through
the competitive dialogue procedure. Under this procedure following
the publication of a Contract Notice and a selection process, PADA
enters into dialogue with those selected potential bidders, to
develop one or more suitable solutions that are capable of meeting
its requirements and on which chosen bidders will be invited to tender.
St. Dunstan's House, 201 - 211 Borough High Street, London
SE1 1GZ
t 020 7940 8582
f 020 7940 8573
e pada.media@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
http://www.padeliveryauthority.org.uk