Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2017-06-29
Buyer: NHS Supply Chain acting as agent for NHS Business Services Authority
Country: UK
Contract type: Supplies
CPV classification: 33140000: Medical consumables | 33141200 | 33157200
Estimated value: 44000000 GBP

Technical requirements: This PIN is for the supply of Open Suction Catheters, Suction and Oxygen Tubing for the Nationally Contracted Program (‘NCP’). Precise quantities are unknown. It is anticipated that initial expenditure will be in the region of  8 000 000 GBP to  11 000 000 GBP  in the first year of this contract, however this is approximate only and the values may vary depending on the requirements of those bodies purchasing under the Contract Agreement. The estimated total value over the Contract Agreement term is  32 000 000 GBP  to 44 000 000 GBP over 48 months (12+36 months).
Open Suction Catheters with vacuum control and with or without graduation for the use in hospital settings.
Precise quantities are unknown. It is anticipated that initial expenditure will be in the region of 3 000 000 GBP to 4 000 000 GBP  in the first year of this Contract Agreement, however this is approximate only and the values may vary depending on the requirements of those bodies purchasing under the Contract Agreement.
Precise quantities are unknown. It is anticipated that initial expenditure will be in the region of  3 000 000 GBP  to  4 000 000 GBP  in the first year of this Contract Agreement, however this is approximate only and the values may vary depending on the requirements of those bodies purchasing under the Contract Agreement.
Precise quantities are unknown. It is anticipated that initial expenditure will be in the region of 2 000 000 GBP to 3 000 000 GBP in the first year of this Contract Agreement, however this is approximate only and the values may vary depending on the requirements of those bodies purchasing under the Contract Agreement.
The purpose of this notice is to draw attention to a procurement that NHS Supply Chain intends to commence during the subsequent 12 months. The invitation to tender will be the subject of a separate notice and it is that notice to which potential Applicant will need to respond at the appropriate time.
The NHS has a procurement strategy, which aims to increase transparency, remove price variations between trusts and to streamline product ranges to avoid proliferation and fragmentation. It is anticipated that such an approach may enable the NHS to meet its efficiency and savings targets. That broad strategy was discussed by Lord Carter in his report of 2016 entitled ‘Operational productivity and performance in English NHS acute hospitals: Unwarranted variations’ (the ‘Report’) in which he challenged the NHS to save £700m through better procurement. The Nationally Contracted Products Programme (‘NCP’) has been developed by NHS Improvement (‘NHSI’)with important input being provided by stakeholders such as the Clinical Evaluation Team (‘CET’) and NHS Supply Chain in part to deliver the relevant recommendations in the report and to generate savings. One of the aims of the NCP Programme is to standardise the procurement of certain suitable products (and/or categories of products) and to aggregate the demand for such goods down to a reduced number of suppliers.
The Contract Agreement between NHS Supply Chain and successful suppliers will reserve the right to purchase the same or similar supplies and/or services from suppliers not appointed to the Contract Agreement at its sole discretion.
Whilst it is anticipated that initial expenditure under any forthcoming procurement will be in the region of 8 000 000 GBP  to 11 000 000 GBP  for this contract award in the first year, this is approximate only and the values will be to such level as those purchasing under the Contract Agreement consider necessary to provide suitable requirements.
NHS Supply Chain intends to enter into arrangements under which it will be entitled to purchase supplies which it will make available for purchase by 1) any NHS Trust; 2) any other NHS entity; 3) any government department, agency or other statutory body and/or 4) any private sector entity active in the UK healthcare sector. Only NHS Supply Chain can order from the Contract Agreement and enter into contracts under it.
NHS Supply Chain is currently considering the use of lots for this procurement. However, it reserves the right not to as part of any future tender process. Further information in respect of the lot strategy will be set out in the notice for the forthcoming procurement.
As part of its pre-tender strategy, NHS Supply Chain would also like to engage with suppliers of these products via a Request for Information (RFI). If you would like to complete the Request for Information document in respect of the products which are the subject of this procurement then please follow the below instructions;
1. Use URL http://procurement.supplychain.nhs.uk/ISS/ to access the NHS Supply Chain Procurement portal.
— View PIN content by clicking on the ‘VIEW NOTICE’ button for the procurement event. This opens a PDF document.
— Applicants will then have 4 weeks from the publication date of this notice to complete and return the Request for Information document.


Award value: 44000000