2 Project details

2.1 Description of the project

Abacus Housing Consortium will act as a central purchasing body and wishes to jointly procure a fully inclusive Heating Systems Service, Response Maintenance and Planned Maintenance / Replacements Contract (all trades) on behalf of the following Housing Associations:

— Oaklee Homes Group,

— Clanmil Housing Association,

— Ulidia Housing Association,

— Connswater Housing Association,

— Abbeyfield Housing Association,

— Wesley Housing Association,

— Open Door Housing Association,

— Hearth Housing Association,

— Ark Housing Association,

— Helm Housing Association,

— South Ulster Housing Association.

Abacus Housing Consortium (AHC) is procuring the Works for the Member Housing Associations.

Economic Operators should also note that during the contract period other Department for Social Development Registered Housing Associations in Northern Ireland may join AHC by acceding to the contract and require works to be provided to them under the contract awarded as part of this competition. For a list of all Registered Housing Associations that may potentially seek to use this Contract Economic Operators should refer to the Department for Social Development website www.dsdni.gov.uk.

The Contract will be one province wide (Northern Ireland) Contract and the duration of the Contract will be five years.

The Contract will commence with an initial appointment of Helm, Clanmil, Connswater, Hearth, Abbeyfield, South Ulster, Open Door, Ark, Ulidia Housing Associations. Oaklee Homes Group will require the works service as described below to commence October 2013.

The main areas of Mandatory Works to be included are Heating Systems Service and Response Maintenance across the following disciplines:

— Domestic gas,

— Domestic oil,

— Commercial gas,

— Commercial oil,

— Commercial controls,

— Domestic control,

— Underfloor Heating,

— Thermostatic Mixing Valves,

— Solid Fuel Heating,

— Airconditioning Systems,

— Gas Cookers,

— Generators.

Renewables:

— Positive Input Ventilation,

— Air Source Heat Pumps,

— Ground Source Heat Pump,

— Solar Thermal Panels,

— Solar PV Roof Tiles,

— Rainwater Harvesting.

Servicing and repairs are to be carried out within Statutory requirements at the time of service.

The Economic Operator will be required to provide the works to the Member Housing Associations 24 hours per day, 365 days per year (including all weekends and holiday periods).

The contractor may also be required to undertake Planned Maintenance / Replacements to be known as Discretionary Works, for the individual member Housing Associations. There is no guarantee as to the volume and spread of these Discretionary Works.

Discretionary Works may include:

— Replacement of Heating Systems such as economy 7, oil and solid fuel heating to gas,

— Change of tenancy; all heating systems work associated with tenant termination or new tenancy preparation,

— Smoke alarm and carbonmonoxide alarm testing,

— Installation of renewable technologies.