Field Services Panel

⁠⁠⁠Overview

Melbourne Water Corporation will soon release an open Request for Tender (RFT) for the renewal of its Field Services Panel (FSP). The panel is a critical delivery mechanism supporting Melbourne Water's Natural Resource Management, Waterways and Drainage operations.

About

Melbourne Water is a statutory corporation wholly owned by the Victorian Government, responsible for managing the water supply catchments, sewage treatment, and major drainage systems across the greater Melbourne area. The Field Services Panel is a key arrangement within its works delivery model, covering core operational field services such as vegetation and tree management, grass and fire break maintenance, waterways and drainage works, pollution and litter control, fencing, debris removal and asset inspection services.

The current panel was established in October 2022 and will reach the end of its contractual term in September 2027. This tender seeks to renew the existing panel arrangement, with some potential changes to the scope and workstreams included, for a 3 + 1 + 1 year term (2027-2031).

Purpose

The upcoming tender will address the evolving needs for field services and ensure continuity of services. Melbourne Water anticipates the panel will provide significant value by encouraging competitive proposals and delivering quality outcomes safely in environmentally sensitive areas.

Scope

The panel will provide a mechanism to register and list qualified suppliers under specific service categories. Suppliers that meet the required standards and demonstrate the necessary capability and experience will be registered under one or more of the following service categories:

• Vegetation Management
• Desilting
• Grass Maintenance
• Pollution, Eduction, and Jetting
• Large Woody Weed Management
• Pest Control
• Asset Inspection and Condition Assessment (Civil)
• Drainage Repairs
• Large Debris Removal
• Litter Collection
• Fencing
• Fire Break Maintenance
• Arboriculture

The contract will include various operational services under the categories outlined above. Each category will enable Melbourne Water to draw upon qualified suppliers to deliver specific projects as required.

Contractor Requirements

• Suppliers must meet the required standards and demonstrate the necessary capability and experience to be registered under one or more service categories
• Suppliers will be expected to compete for work under the registered categories, ensuring Melbourne Water continues to receive competitive pricing, high-quality outcomes, and a broad range of expertise
• Suppliers will be expected to deliver projects in an environmentally sensitive manner and in compliance with Melbourne Water's standards for safety, quality, and performance

Instructions to Tenderers

The RFT will be hosted on Melbourne Water's eProcurement system, Zycus. Respondents to the RFT will be required to self-register on the Zycus portal in order to access the RFT documentation. It is strongly recommended that suppliers use this advance notice period to self-register their Zycus profile to avoid delays in viewing the RFT material upon launch.

As a potential supplier of Melbourne Water, you are invited to register your details in the Zycus Supplier Network (ZSN), a cloud-based portal for suppliers and other payment recipients to engage with Melbourne Water and securely manage their details. Note that if you already have an account with Zycus for other clients, a new account will still need to be activated for Melbourne Water. As Zycus will be the primary means of communication with suppliers during the RFT, please ensure that the user registered in Zycus is a person who will be actively involved in your proposal.

Zycus Supplier Network Link: https://zsn.zycus.com/guest/genericRegister/MEL734

When entering company details please enter:

• "Onboarding Type" as Supplier
• "Primary Melbourne Water Contact" as Scott Barrett
• Ensure that you reference the RFT number (#1222753561) within your registration

Registration guides are available showing the steps required to complete the registration process and set up account details:

• If your organisation has never been registered in the Melbourne Water Zycus portal, use the guide for "New suppliers"
• If your organisation has already been registered in the Melbourne Water Zycus portal and you are adding a new user for the purpose of participating in this RFP, use the guide for "Migrated suppliers"
• All users should then use the "Set up Account Details" guide to conclude the setup of their profile