ITT – Snooker 2021-24 INVITATION TO TENDER Host TV production and domestic live BBC TV/Red Button/BBC iPlayer coverage of the: ➢ UK Championship ➢ UK Masters ➢ World Snooker Championship Starting with the UK Championship in 2021, ending with the World Championship in 2024 . ITT – Snooker 2021-24 Contents SECTION A: INTRODUCTION PAGE 2 SECTION B: REQUIREMENTS PAGE 7 SECTION C: INSTRUCTIONS TO TENDERERS PAGE 13 SECTION D: KEY CONTRACT TERMS PAGE 17 SECTION E: NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT PAGE 19 SECTION F: FORM OF TENDER PAGE 24 SECTION G: REGIONAL CRITERIA PAGE 26 ITT – Snooker 2021-24 Section A – Introduction S e c t i o n A – Introduction 1 BACKGROUND 1.1 The BBC provides a diverse range of broadcast services under a Royal Charter. The greater portion of the BBC’s income comes from the licence fee. In spending this money, the BBC has an obligation to demonstrably secure best value for money for the licence fee payer in all aspects of its day-to-day activities. 1.2 The BBC is unique in British broadcasting. Its reputation is built on quality, public service, distinctiveness, objectivity and indigenous programme making. 1.3 Recent years have seen fundamental changes in the broadcasting industry, with more competition and a wider range of services. The BBC now offers numerous TV channels, an online presence, major radio networks and over 40 local radio stations, as well as a range of other services. 1.4 A key part of demonstrating value for money in delivering the BBC’s services is the continuing need to form effective and strategic supplier relationships. In that regard, the BBC must ensure that at least 25% of qualifying programmes broadcast across its television services are made by independent producers. 1.5 For further information on the BBC’s business activities, please see the BBC Commissioning website. 2 OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE 2.1 This document is an Invitation to Tender (ITT) for the host TV broadcast production and delivery of live BBC TV (Red Button & BBC iPlayer) coverage of three major snooker tournaments – the UK Championship, the UK Masters and the World Snooker Championship. The first tournament within the contract will be the UK Championship 2021 and the final one (of nine in total) would be the World Snooker Championship 2024. 2.2 The detailed requirements for this production tender are set out in Section B. 2.3 The ITT is open to all qualifying Independent Producers who can demonstrate a recent past track record of delivering sports programming to a major TV broadcaster and can meet the BBC criteria to qualify as a Nations production. 2.4 The winning bidder will be expected to produce the programme in High Definition and deliver to the BBC’s Technical Standards, which can be found here. 2.5 The winning bidder will be expected to comply with BBC guidelines and relevant BBC websites, and OFCOM guidelines for production. These guidelines include advertising on site and across any aspect of the event, including presenters and contributors. 2.6 The winning bidder will be required to liaise with key stakeholders on all aspects of the production. 2.7 The Evaluation Team is expected to comprise the following individuals: Phil Bigwood - Executive Lead for Snooker Philip Bernie – Head of TV Sport Sue Rock – Business Executive Narinder Ball – Technical Executive The Evaluation Team will seek opinions from subject matter experts within the BBC to help inform their decision. 2.8 The BBC is a signatory to, and will abide by the principles of, the APC Code. 2.9 Subject to Section A, paragraph 9, the BBC will keep confidential all commercially sensitive information included in responses to this ITT and will only use this information for the purposes of evaluating the ITT submissions, provided that the Tenderer has identified the confidential nature of any such information in their response documents. All members of the Evaluation Team will sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. 2.10 As outlined in Section C, paragraph 1, suppliers submit responses to this ITT and take part in this process at their own cost. 3 CONTRACT Page 3 ITT – Snooker 2021-24 Section A – Introduction 3.1 The contract will be for nine tournaments starting with the UK Championship 2021 and concluding with the World Snooker Championship 2024. 3.2 The contract will reflect the existing arrangement that production of the programmes is offered on a work for hire basis: all rights in the programmes will be vested in the BBC. Please see full details at Section D. 4 KEY POINTS IN TENDER PROCESS Responding to the ITT 4.1 The BBC will invite Tenderers to provide a written response to the ITT, which includes all the elements outlined in Section C, paragraph 2. Responses should be no more than 50 (A4) pages in length. 4.2 All Tenderers will be required to sign the Non-Disclosure Agreement (“NDA”) included at Section E. 4.3 Tenderers are offered the opportunity to discuss the ITT and requirements with the Evaluation Panel before the deadline for clarification questions. Tenderers who wish to take up this opportunity should contact Neil Land, Tender Co-Manager, to arrange the session. A summary of general points raised at these meetings deemed by the BBC to be relevant to all potential bidders will be circulated to those Tenderers who request meetings. 4.4 At any stage of the process, it may be necessary to seek clarifications from Tenderers. Answers to these clarifications will be factored into the evaluation process as appropriate. 4.5 As part of the evaluation, Tenderers will be scored and ranked and the highest scoring Tenderers may be shortlisted for interview (“Shortlisted Tenderer”). Interviews 4.6 Following the assessment of written responses, the BBC will decide in its absolute discretion whether to invite Tenderer(s) (and if so which Tenderer(s)) to make a presentation. Further details of presentation requirements will be provided nearer the time. Award 4.7 The Evaluation Team will evaluate the Shortlisted Tenderer’s submissions (against the Award Criteria outlined at Section C, paragraph 3) to take account of the interview meeting, if applicable. 4.8 Before a final decision is made, the BBC may decide to: • provide more information; • require further clarifications or documentation from Shortlisted Tenderers; • further shortlist (using the Award Criteria); and • conduct second interviews. 4.9 Before a final decision is made, the BBC will issue the Commissioning Specification and the Contract to the Tenderer which scored highest in the evaluation, against the Award Criteria (“Preferred Tenderer”). 4.10 Subject to Section C, paragraphs 7 & 8, and once the Commissioning Specification and Contract referred to above have been signed, the award decision will be finalised with the Preferred Tenderer (“Successful Tenderer”). 4.11 In the event that the Commissioning Specification and the Contract cannot be signed in a timely manner, the BBC reserves the right either to issue the Commissioning Specification and the Contract to the Tenderer with the next highest-ranking score against the Award Criteria after the Preferred Tenderer, or to re-open the tender process. Feedback 4.12 Feedback is available to any Tenderer submitting a request within two weeks of receiving notification of the results of the eligibility evaluation or of the results of the ITT evaluation. Request for feedback should be made to Sue Rock, Tender Co-Manager. Feedback will be provided within three weeks of receiving the request. Page 4 ITT – Snooker 2021-24 Section A – Introduction 5 OVERVIEW OF TIMETABLE 5.1 The BBC intends to evaluate the ITT submissions and award the Contract within the following indicative timetable. All submissions must be made by 5pm on the relevant date: Activity Completed by this Date* Publication of ITT 23nd June 2021 Tenderers may request & Tender Manager will arrange (individual) ITT w/c 12th July 2021 clarification meeting with BBC Sport representatives Deadline for written clarifications 16th July 2021 Receipt of ITT response 30th July 2021 Evaluation/clarification of tenders w/c 2nd August 2021 Shortlisted bidders notified 9th August 2021 (Potential for) Panel meetings with bidders w/c 23rd or 30th August 2021 Contract Award w/c 6th September 2021 *All dates are subject to change and Tenderers will be notified of any changes 5.2 The BBC reserves the right to disqualify any Tenderer who does not comply with the deadlines outlined above. 6 PRODUCTION CONTRACT VALUE 6.1 The maximum contract value is available on request from Neil Land, Tender Co-Manager, the supply of which is conditional upon the return of the signed and dated Non-Disclosure Agreement in Section E. 6.2 The contract price is expected to cover all production personnel costs, all direct production costs such as lines, all post production and graphics costs, all on-air talent contracted directly by the producer plus overheads and production fee. 6.3 The Tenderer’s Pricing Schedule must not exceed the maximum contract value and must cover the Tenderer’s entire production and delivery of their editorial proposition. 7 AWARD CRITERIA 7.1 All Tenderers must demonstrate that their company has experience in the last 3 years of delivering live sports programming to a major sports broadcaster; both as host broadcaster and presentation add-on to host. 7.2 The BBC will award the contract to the Successful Tenderer on the basis of the criteria shown below: • Editorial proposals & journalistic judgement. • Robustness of event & presentation operations. • Value for money & cost effectiveness of the proposal. • Alignment with the BBC’s strategic priorities. 7.3 Further information on the award criteria is provided in Section C, paragraph 3. Page 5 ITT – Snooker 2021-24 Section A – Introduction 8 OUT OF LONDON QUALIFYING CRITERIA 8.1 The BBC is using the following definitions in order to determine whether this production qualifies as a Nations production i.e.