This DrugDetect Call invites all interested parties to express their interest to participate in the DrugDetect Competitive Dialogue and to present their Tenders to an innovative solution for the automatic detection of a large range of drugs in correctional institutions and prisons, that is available 24/7, does not cause delays in internal processes, does not require (or requires minimal) human intervention, and is GDPR compliant.
DrugDetect is addressing a need that is widely shared by prisons throughout Europe and in this context the project has gathered a representative, geographically balanced consortium of 4 public buyers (KEMEA, DJI, DG-EPI, ESMIR) from 4 European countries with together an average inmates population of 40.000.
Based on the EU Agenda and Action Plan on Drugs (2021-2025), disruption of the channels that supply drugs and as a result, their precise and accurate detection before they have been smuggled inside prisons or before they have been used by inmates are crucial prerequisites for keeping prison personnel and inmates safe in any prison.
The misuse of drugs in prisons, in addition to the direct damage it causes to the inmate, creates both security risks because of bullying, violence, self-harm, debt, and health risks due to illness and overdose and generally destabilises the prison environment, with inherent risks to those working in and visiting. It also severely hampers efforts to rehabilitate inmates, following release from prison, due to the physical and psychological damage caused by drug abuse (see the EU Action Plan on drugs 2017-2020 and the EU Drug Strategy 2013-2020).
In this regard, the DrugDetect Buyer’s Group will put themselves at all-time in the driving seat of the innovation process and will act as launch customers for an innovative solution to tackle their stringent needs for automatic, accurate and precise drug detection in a rapidly evolving drug market.
DrugDetect is an innovation procurement which is conducted through a Procurement of Innovative Solutions (PPI). This entails that the Drug Detect Buyers’ Group is planning to act as launching customers for innovative solutions.
Following the identified needs and the market analysis, the DrugDetect Buyer’s Group decided to pursue 3 Lots during the present procurement procedure:
- Identification of drugs
- Detection of drugs inside packages/luggage and
- Detection of drugs on the body
The solution proposed by the Tenderer must comprise one or more innovative components or one or more architectural innovations. The Drug Detect procurement does not include the procurement of research and development (R&D).
In particular, the proposed solution must comprise new or significantly improved components or architecture that have already been (partially) demonstrated on a small scale and may be nearly or already available in small quantities on the market, but which have not been widely adopted yet.
Typically, owing to the residual risk or market uncertainty, these innovative components or architecture have not been produced at a large enough scale. This also includes existing solutions that are to be utilised in a new and innovative way.
- The innovative component or architectural innovation must be related to innovation aspects indicated as important for the given lot.
- The difference in time between first deployment of the device/solution, which is equipped with such a component or is based on such architectural innovations, and the date, when the given Tender was due for submission, must not exceed 24 months.
- Finally, the component or architectural innovation in question must not have been used for more than 50 clients.
- All Tenderers must use the DrugDetect Tender Documents, which can be accessed in the Contract Notice on TED. The Tender process will be conducted using the platform of the National Electronic Public Procurement System (NEPPS / Ε.Σ.Η.ΔΗ.Σ.). The requests to participate are expected to be submitted electronically by the Tenderer economic operators, via the online portal until the final date and time for the submission of set out in this Tender Notice, in the English language, in an electronic folder.
- The Administrative section of the Promitheus platform contains one (sub-)folder named ‘Participation Documents’, containing the supporting documents stipulated in contract documents. In this (sub-)folder the following documents can be filled-out and uploaded:
- The European Single Procurement Document (ESPD-Annex I), which is an up-to-date self-certification from the participating Economic Operator, functions as preliminary evidence to replace the certificates issued by public authorities or third parties, confirming that there are no grounds for exclusion for the relevant Economic Operator and that it meets selection criteria set by the contract documents. Economic Operators may, if they wish, prepare the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) using the National Electronic Public Procurement System (NEPPS) which provides the current free web service (Promitheus ESPDint) for the Tenderers interested in filling in the ESPD/SSDD electronically. The online form can be filled in, printed and then sent to the buyer together with the rest of the bid. (https://espd.eprocurement.gov.gr/).
- CVs for the Demonstration of expertise and working experience required to undertake an innovative project that entails implementation and refinement of innovative features of relevant technology.
- Reference case of implementing similar projects that concern the implementation and further refinement of innovative features of relevant technology.
- Applications submitted in any other way (g. by letter or sent by email) will be disregarded.
- The deadline for receipt of applications is the 10-2-2023, 14:00 CET. To avoid any complications with regards to late receipt/non-receipt of applications within the deadline, please allow yourself sufficient time to submit your application. We strongly recommend not to wait until the very last moment. An application received after the time-limit for receipt of applications will be rejected.
- Interested economic operators must ensure that their submitted applications contain all the information and documents required by the contracting authority at the time of submission as set out in the procurement documents. The application should contain all required elements related to the exclusion and selection criteria. After submitting an application, but before the deadline for receipt of applications, an economic operator may definitively withdraw its application, or withdraw it and replace it with a new one.
- All documents must be digitally signed by the Tenderer or his duly authorized representative.
- The submission of application implies the acceptance of the terms and conditions set out in this invitation with annexes and, where appropriate, waiver of the Tenderer’s own general or specific terms and conditions. It is binding on the Tenderer to whom the contract is awarded for the duration of the contract.
- All questions or requests for clarification must be received by KEMEA in English by the 15/12/2022, via the Promitheus platform. The summary of all questions and answers will be presented in an anonymized Q&A document that will published in the Promitheus platform and in . Unless otherwise instructed, please do not use any contact addresses or means or contact any other persons in connection with this procurement.
- This invitation is in no way binding on DrugDetect Buyer’s Group. Buyers’ Group contractual obligations commence only upon signature of the contract with the successful Tenderer. Up to the point of signature, Buyers’ Group may either abandon the procurement or cancel the award procedure. The decision to cancel by Buyers’ Group must be substantiated and Tenderers will be notified.
- All cost and risk of preparing and submitting a Tender for the DrugDetect PPI, except for the technical verification for up to 5.000,00€ to be born by the Buyers’ Group, are born by the Tenderers.
- Once the Buyers’ Group has opened the application, the documents shall become the property of DrugDetect Buyers’ Group and be treated confidentially.
- If processing your reply to the invitation to Tender will involve the recording and processing of personal data, such data will be processed pursuant to GDPR Regulation.
Q: In the Request to Participate Document, there is 3 Lots described for diferent goals and use cases. If our innovative technology can offer solution for multiple Lots simultaneously, can we combine the proposal and also the budget?
A: At this stage, suppliers can express their interest to participate in multiple Lots. Following the completion of the Dialogue session(s) and the eventual invitation to submit their final binding offer, suppliers can submit technical and financial offer for one or more Lots. Should there be a possibility to combine proposals and budget, this will be considered by the Buyers’ Group and will be included as a specific clause in the Call for Tenders.
Q: The platform’s home page is in Greek, and I cannot find how to access the English version of the platform.
A: You need to Follow the instructions to get the credentials (document with guidance uploaded in our project website). Having received the credentials, you can have access to the platform (in English), to the invitation (no 179539) and the respective documentation.
Q: Could you please confirm whether for a Power of Attorney an Apostille should be affixed?
A: No, an Apostille is not requested.
Q: Which regulation is applied regarding the access of third-country economic operators?
A: In our current Notice, as launched after the 30.06.2022, the REGULATION (EU) 2022/1031 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL, of 23 June 2022 on the access of third-country economic operators, goods and services to the Union’s public procurement and concession markets and procedures supporting negotiations on access of Union economic operators, goods and services to the public procurement and concession markets of third countries (International Procurement Instrument – IPI), applies.
Q: Which legal entities are eligible for participation?
A: Based on the DrugDetect Tender, a legal entity established or deemed to be established in EU Member, under the sense of Article 3 (b)(i) of the EU IPI Regulation is eligible for participation DrugDetect PPI.
Q: Can you confirm that the intention is to use true 3-D CT (e.g. generated by rotating gantry technology) or will Multiview X-Ray (e.g. multiple 2-D images) meet the requirement in for this Lot?
A: We can confirm that the intention is to use 3D CT but that Multiview X-ray technology is considered as a valid, suitable alternative. The exact requirements for lot 2 will be presented to a selected number of participants at a later stage.
Q: DJΙ and DGEPI will award the contracts in Lot 2 under the condition that X-ray and CT technology is integrated with IMS” Would an MS based technology be considered for Lot 2 instead of IMS?
A: The idea is that the integration of X-ray/CT-technology with a second technique like IMS will help in identifying* whether a drug is present. In our opinion the second technique doesn’t need to be IMS specific. Any other MS-based technique that is capable of identifying drugs will fulfill.
* Identification refers to the analysis and conclusion regarding to the type of a substance, characterizing it as a drug.
Q: Can you define “minimal operator interaction” as stated in DrugDetect PPI RtP Part I.5 Lot 1-3 Descriptions? Does this mean a corrections officer should not be expected to swab suspected drugs, packages, or persons as is common with many IMS/trace technologies?
A: With “minimal operator interaction” it is meant that the required number of human interactions to be able to do a measurement/operate the equipment should be as limited as possible. The amount of time it takes for a person to do a measurement should be limited as well. Swabbing suspected objects therefor can be part of the measurement procedure. Ideally, the measurement process is fully automated. Proposals will receive a higher score when they propose a higher level of automation of the measurement process.
Q: Would subcontracting training on devices fall under this category and require completion of the ESPD by each subcontractor οr is it only in reference to development of the overall hardware solution?
A: There is no distinction foreseen. All subcontractors should submit the ESPD.
Q: Can you confirm that for Phase 1 (submission FEB 10) the only required documents to be submitted are the documents referenced in the “DrugDetect PPI RtP PartIII.1.1” (i.e. no pricing or technical specifications required for initial submission?) -ESPD -CVs for technical and project managers -Reference case for similar projects within 5 years
A: Yes, we confirm. At this stage, the ESPD, CVs and reference case are requested.
Q: When is the deadline for the submission?
A: The due date for submitting applications is 10/02/23.
Q: How can I get more support in the platform?
A: In order to get support on NEPPS, we strongly recommend using the following email address to submit your request: support@eprocurement.gov.gr
You can read the Documentation of the Tendering Participation process here.
The Tendering Process will be handled by NEPPS. You can find instructions for using the platform in this document.
For further queries do not hesitate to contact us at: drugdetect_procurement@kemea-research.gr
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