Public procurement notice: Contract Notice
Published: 2016-03-09
Buyer: NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group
Country: UK
Region: West Midlands
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Open procedure
CPV classification: 64200000 | 79512000 | 85000000 | 85100000: Health services | 85120000: Medical practice services
Estimated value: 86441000 GBP
Submission deadline: 2016-04-29
Award criteria: Price, Quality

Technical requirements: Price
Quality
NHS West Midlands Integrated Urgent Care Incorporating NHS 111 Access and GP led Out of Hours Services.
This Contract Notice provides information pertaining to the procurement for Integrated Urgent Care Services for 16 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) within the West Midlands. This Contract Notice follows a Prior Information Notice (OJEU reference: 2015/S 226-411447) that was issued on 18.11.2015.
NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group on behalf of 16 CCGs of the West Midlands (collectively referred to as ‘the Commissioners’) wish to commission an Integrated Urgent Care model comprising NHS 111 access and integrated GP led Out of Hours (OOH) services. This will be a pivotal service for the local urgent care health and social care economies in the West Midlands and will need to be able to work at a regional and local level in helping patients access the right care at the right time.
In response to recent developments in national policy, as published in the Commissioning Standards issued on Integrated Urgent Care (September 2015), the Commissioners are looking to deliver a functionally integrated 24/7 urgent care service that is the ‘front door’ of the NHS providing access to both treatment and clinical advice. This will include NHS 111 providers and GP led OOH services with links to community services, ambulance services, emergency departments and social care.
The Commissioning Standards build on the success of NHS 111 and will help to deliver the benefits for all patients set out in the Urgent and Emergency Care review led by Sir Bruce Keogh (which was announced 18.1.2013). Through this model the Integrated Urgent Care service, supported by an Integrated Clinical Advice Service (Clinical Hub) will assess the needs of people and advise on or access the most appropriate course of action.
The Commissioners' current requirements for NHS 111 Services are provided under a Step in Contract. The GP led OOH services being procured under this process are currently provided under 5 different contracts covering the 8 CCGs who are procuring OOH services as part of this process.
— Secure a service provider(s) to continue the provision of the NHS 111 Service for the 16 CCGs after expiry of the existing contract and to deliver the service through a new integrated model of urgent care comprising clinical hub elements;
— Secure a service provider(s) to deliver GP led OOH Services in five Lot areas (comprising 8 CCGs in total) to deliver a functionally integrated model with 111 access;
— Ensure all Urgent Care Services are fully integrated with NHS 111 Access Services and GP led OOH Service provision and reflect the Commissioning Standards for Integrated Urgent Care, published September 2015.
The scope of the procurement has been developed by Commissioners based on the needs of the local communities.
NHS 111 is a free-to-call 111 telephone number available 24 hours each day, 365 days a year, offering a personalised priority contact service that responds to individual healthcare needs when:
— The service must be staffed by trained advisors, supported by clinicians, using a specified clinical triage tool alongside local Directory of Services to assess caller needs and determine the most appropriate course of action, which may include dispatching an ambulance, providing clinical advice or information, providing reassurance or referring the caller to an alternative service.
— As part of the new specification for 111 services, a clinical hub will also be required to complement the core 111 service, with the aim of delivering enhanced clinical input from pharmacy, mental health and dental specialist input and to act as an Integrated Clinical Advice Service. Primary Care cover at peak times (at the level specified in the NHS 111 Service Specification) will be required from Out of Hours GPs. In addition, 1 CCG, namely, NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG, is commissioning its requirements for GP Led Out of Hours telephone advice via the Clinical Hub in Lot 1 (and not via the contract it is procuring under Lot 4 of this Procurement for GP Led Out of Hours services). Bidders should refer to the Service Specifications for full details.

Eligibility requirements: In accordance with Articles 45 to 50 of Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulations 23 to 25 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 and as set out in the invitation to Tender documentation available from the e-tendering portal referred to in Section I.1) The Bidder must also confirm that none of the Mandatory and Discretionary Grounds for exclusion as set out in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, No. 102, Section 5, Sub-section 7, Regulation 57 (as amended) apply to them or their Sub-Contractors. It is also a requirement that the successful bidder(s) must be registered by the Care Quality Commission prior to award of a contract and, prior to service commencement (or any earlier date specified in the contract), will need to hold all relevant Consents (as defined in the NHS Standard Contract) and satisfy all Conditions Precedent specified in the contract(s). In accordance with Article 47 of Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation 24 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 and as set out in further detail in the Invitation to Tender documentation available from the e-tendering portal referred to in Section I.1) Bidders will, amongst other matters, be evaluated by reference to certain financial ratios as specified in the Invitation to Tender documentation and carry certain minimum levels of insurance as specified in the Invitation to Tender documentation. In accordance with Articles 48 to 50 of Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation 25 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 and as set out in the Invitation to Tender documentation that is available from the e-tendering portal referred to in Section I.1)
In accordance with Article 47 of Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation 24 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 and as set out in further detail in the Invitation to Tender documentation available from the e-tendering portal referred to in Section I.1) Bidders will, amongst other matters, be evaluated by reference to certain financial ratios as specified in the Invitation to Tender documentation and carry certain minimum levels of insurance as specified in the Invitation to Tender documentation.
In accordance with Article 47 of Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation 24 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 and as set out in further detail in the Invitation to Tender documentation available from the e-tendering portal referred to in Section I.1)
Bidders will, amongst other matters, be evaluated by reference to certain financial ratios as specified in the Invitation to Tender documentation and carry certain minimum levels of insurance as specified in the Invitation to Tender documentation.
In accordance with Articles 48 to 50 of Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation 25 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 and as set out in the Invitation to Tender documentation that is available from the e-tendering portal referred to in Section I.1)