Market Engagement Tender for Global Workforce Mobility Services Opportunity

NWUPC Market Engagement Tender for Global Workforce Mobility Services - reference PFB3160 NW

Who are NWUPC? NWUPC is a not-for-profit company limited by member guarantee. Our primary aim is: To work in partnership with higher education institutions to collaboratively drive value through the responsible procurement of goods and services . We have 25 full members from within the higher education sector, and associate and affiliate members drawn from across the public sector. You can see our full list of members here UKUPC NWUPC are one of eight UK purchasing consortia working in partnership as UKUPC to establish routes for Higher and Further Education bodies to purchase goods and services. Six of the purchasing consortia collaboration [APUC, HEPCW, LUPC, NEUPC, NWUPC, SUPC] are regional organisations that provide procurement services to their members within a particular geographic area. There are two additional specialist organisations that focus on energy and catering.

Why NWUPC? Agreements are accessible to all members of the HE sector, with the wider public sector also named. PCR Compliant tender process including compliance with the new Procurement Act 2023. Pre-agreed terms and conditions. Call-off exercises are much faster and less process heavy for both Suppliers and Members than a full tender exercise, which will lead to savings in time and resource. Opportunities for savings through aggregation of spend for both Suppliers and Members. Access to marketing opportunities including: Attendance and Sponsorship Opportunities at the regional consortia annual conferences and COUP; Consortia Newsletters, Case Studies, Articles, Advertisements and Product Features; Website presence; Category Group Meetings presentations, product sampling, hosting of meetings; Training.

Engagement Opportunity This presentation is being issued to provide some background to a potential future tender opportunity for Global Workforce Mobility Services and is accompanied by a market engagement survey which enables you to submit information to the contracting authority on your organisation and provide comment on elements of the project detailed in this presentation. The information included in this presentation is being provided to support the initial market engagement. As such, the information will be subject to review and may change by the issuing of the tender opportunity.

Background to the Project The current framework for Global Workforce Mobility Services is in its fourth year and is due to expire on 30th April 2025. The services are for suppliers to provide HR and legal advice/support to members around four aspects: immigration, taxation, accountancy, payroll, employee relocation support and global workforce management. The total contract spend in this agreement is 3.5m (as at Quarter 3, 2024). The annual spend breakdown between the lots is as follows: Lots No. of Suppliers (no. accessed) Annual Spend ( ) Lot 1 Immigration 4 (none) - Lot 2 Overseas Taxation, Accountancy & Payroll 5 (3) 2,440,876 Lot 3 Employee Relocation Support Services 5 (2) 78,602 Lot 4 Global Workforce Management (one-stop-shop) 6 (3) 977,990 There is an opportunity to retender these services to support Member requirements with an estimated minimum contract value of 4m.

Scope & Coverage Current & Future Business Need: There is an opportunity to increase HE spend and maximise on members using the framework for global workforce mobility requirements. Members consortia partners will continue to be offered access to these services via NEUPC, LUPC, SUPC and HEPCW. Currently LUPC has the highest spend on this framework at 50%, then a third of spend apportioned to NWUPC and SUPC alongside smaller spend from other consortiums. Scope: During the lifetime of the agreement, 32 members have accessed these services across the UK with four outliers of a high spend value between 300-450k. The remainder of member spend ranges from 1,000- 150,000. There is no correlation between the need for these services and its geographical location given the services will be bespoke to the member, so it remains critical that the framework is made available UK wide for its future success.

Scope & Coverage continued Scope Service Specific Activities: The service offer still needs to include a range of global workforce management activities with HR and/or legal requirements for members with international employees (mobilising or based overseas or within UK). The activities will need to reflect current need around advice, support, fulfilment and/or management for immigration, taxation, accountancy, payroll and employee relocation support. The lotted area with most spend at 62% is for overseas taxation, accountancy and payroll (Lot 2), then global workforce management (Lot 4) with 34% as the one-stop-shop offer. Immigration services in Lot 1 has not been utilised, so this will likely be offered to members where activities are purchased alongside other global workforce services.

Scope & Coverage continued Market Analysis: There has been six providers delivering services under the framework during its lifetime with one company acquiring three-quarters of all spend. These services are specialist in nature owing to the legal requirements. Whilst global workforce mobility does attract larger suppliers in the marketplace there is still opportunity for suitably qualified SMEs to provide these services to members UK wide. The new framework will be suitable for a compliant competitive tendering procedure (i.e. an open procedure) under the new Procurement Act 2023. It is anticipated that tender bids will be limited in number due to the services being specialised.

Contracting Route Framework Agreement

What is a Framework Agreement? A framework is a contract between a contracting authority and one or more suppliers that provides for the future award of contracts by a contracting authority to the supplier or suppliers Procurement Act 2023 It is not a contract and there is no commitment to purchase. Call-off contracts will be formed by member institutions under the framework agreement. NWUPC does not mandate use of its agreements by our members or other participating organisations, but we do gain prior commitment from members around the appetite for an agreement and specific member requirements.

Publication Sites

E-tendering System https://uk.eu-supply.com/login.asp?B=nwupc

The Tender Process NWUPC will use the Competitive Tendering Procedure as a single stage tendering process (an Open Procedure) in line with the new Procurement Act 2023. This has two parts to it: 1. Selection Questionnaire (SQ) 2. Award Criteria - made up of Pricing and Customer Requirements.

Selection Questionnaire Our standard selection questionnaire is taken from the CCS (Crown Commercial Services) template, which we use for all procurements. Due to the introduction of the Procurement Act, the below may be subject to change: Ground for Mandatory Exclusion Grounds for Discretionary Exclusion Economic and Financial Standing (pass/fail) Technical and Professional Ability (scored) including experience and referee details. Modern Slavery Act 2015 (pass/fail) requirements must be met under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 Compliance and Assurance (pass/fail) minimum levels of insurance (Employers Liability - 5m, Public Liability - 2m, Professional Indemnity - 2m).

Framework - Current Specification GLOBAL WORKFORCE MOBILITY SERVICE Reviewing the current below requirements will help us determine if they are still needed and any gaps. Lot 1 Immigration Services Advice, support, fulfilment and management of immigration and legal services for the international workforce including: Immigration into the UK UK and other nationals emigrating and going on assignment to host territories Activities preventing illegal working and ensure Member compliance with sponsor duties Account management and service delivery, training and advice to other providers. Immigration advice, prior employment advice, residency, employment visa/permits. Visa/Permit application advice and support including spouse/dependents. Ongoing Institution immigration support, online portals overseeing changes, expiry dates, documentation. International Employment Advice - inbound & outbound (not mandatory for Suppliers) requirements, risks and costs etc.

Current Specification Lot 2 Overseas Taxation, Accountancy and Payroll Services Advice, support and management of overseas activities for: income tax, social security, corporate direct and indirect tax implications, personal tax consequences Set up and operation of payroll (direct, shadow and full management) Activities for tax and accountancy compliance in both the UK and overseas include: Account management and service delivery, training and advice to other providers. Overseas tax and accountancy advice Business Tax, Social Security, Tax Residency/Affairs etc. Overseas tax consideration and compliance reporting on host territory tax returns, briefings, assignee tax certificates/registration, remittance and statements etc. Overseas Payroll shadow payroll services (in one or multiple host territories), payment of wages (payslips) and reporting, advice on tax, wage & benefits and direct overseas payroll (for employees required to be paid in currency of host territory) Domiciliation (not mandatory) advice on the establishment and maintenance of an independent operation (extension to the University). Activities include entity formation (requirements & restrictions), drafting documentation, cash/profit repatriation strategies, management of company secretarial activities (filing submissions/returns).

Current Specification Lot 3 Employee Relocation Support Services Activities both inbound and outbound the UK to internationally relocate an employee and dependents. Requests are either from the Institution or from the employee on behalf of the Institution (with a lump-sum fund). There is a non-mandatory requirement for services to be available on a UK only basis, as well as a relocation from one non-UK country to another. Activities for employees include: Account management and service delivery (UK-based single point of contact), management of SLA s & KPI s, co-ordination of advice from overseas client service teams, training and advice to other providers. Relocation advice, set-up services (registering for services, insurance etc). Removal and shipping storage of employee possessions (UK and non-UK locations), quotes for insurance of goods, shipment methods. Orientation services (virtual or in person) support employees on local amenities and transport. Accommodation services advice and support on sourcing temporary or long-term accommodation, liaison with other agents, translation services. Cultural/Social Support support with understanding host territory cultural/social considerations for employee and family via training, literature or one-to-one support, language lessons etc. Partner/spousal support, school/education search, ongoing advice and support and managing documentation (portal access).

Current Specification Lot 4 Global Workforce Management Services End-to-end activities involved with managing an international workforce for: Advice, management, fulfilment and support of immigration services, legal services for overseas tax and accountancy and payroll. Provided by Supplier and not third-parties (unless in exceptional circumstances). Member Institutions use Lot 4 when they require more than one of the services available in Lots 1 to 3. Domiciliation and employee relocation services provided on a non-mandatory basis can be provided by a third-party supplier by prior-agreement with Institution.

Framework Current Approach to Pricing Price requirements under the current framework include: Fixed costs for 12 months. Assessed by service and across various countries. An overview of how costs were structured under each lot is provided below: Lot 1 Immigration Varied prices for visa and permit applications and renewals etc for UK, India, China, USA, UAE. Varied prices for advisory services (covering Spain, USA, Nigeria, China, UAE) quotes are for 15 min calls, hourly rate, formal email. Suppliers provided Additional Services prices for other services such as portal fees, hourly advice fees from qualified professionals and end-to-end process fees.

Current Approach to Pricing Lot 2 Overseas Taxation and Accountancy varied prices: Host territory tax returns, briefings, tax calculations, certificates and registrations. Quotes are for Spain, China and India: Hourly rate for overseas tax advice from qualified professionals. Overseas payroll covering Spain, USA, India, Nigeria and China. Pricing based on one assignee and for two to five assignees. Price for shadowpayroll (UK home territory to overseas host territory) with allowance for supplier discounts for additional assignees. Additional Services for adhoc services outside of tender pricing scope.

Current Approach to Pricing Lot 3 Relocation & Support Services varied prices: Removal Services include assessment call, organising temporary accommodation and searches, school search/support and partner/spouse support. Pricing given for four key countries: Spain, India, China and USA. A scenarioquote for an employee relocation was also provided. Orientation services include orientation sessions and training sessions for cultural awareness and language - quoted on half day, full day sessions, 1 to 1 or online group sessions. Implementation - storage and transporting possessions. 18 worldwide destinations e.g. Washington, Sydney, New Delhi, Paris, Kiev, for shipping costs to and from the UK (London or Manchester). Prices were based on sea/land shipment and for air shipment . Additional Services nominal fees for extras that suppliers can offer around courtesy services and case management.

Current Approach to Pricing Lot 4 Global Workforce Mobility Services varied prices for one-stop-shop: Services are purchased where more than one lotted service is required. Suppliers have declared any applied discounts where the lotted services are purchased together. The total package costs are individually priced for Spain, India, China & USA for a combination of the below lotted services: Immigration Advice and Overseas Tax Advice. Immigration Advice and Payroll Services. Immigration Advice, Overseas Tax Advice and Payroll Services.

Terms and Conditions The framework will be governed by two set of terms and conditions: Framework Agreement- Relationship between NWUPC and Supplier Call-off Terms and Conditions Relationship between Member Institution and Supplier Both of these will be issued with the tender process.

Supplier Guide to Tendering We recognise that public sector tendering processes can appear complex and intimidating to the uninitiated. To support you in navigating the process we have produced a Supplier Guide to Tendering Which is supported by an interactive presentation Diagram Description automatically generated

Project Timeline- Framework Key Milestones Indicative Date Undertake Market Engagement incl. Issue PIN Aug/Sept 2024 Issue Contract Notice Dec 24 ITT Return Date Jan 24 ITT Evaluation and Consensus Jan/Feb 2025 Standstill Period Mar 25 Award Apr 25 Commencement of Framework Agreement May 25

Thank you We look forward to receiving your survey response to market engagement thank you for participating.