Public procurement notice: Contract Notice
Published: 2020-09-04
Buyer: Hertfordshire County Council
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Open procedure
CPV classification: 85000000 | 85100000: Health services | 85323000
Estimated value: 1800000 GBP
Submission deadline: 2020-10-05
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: Hertfordshire County Council (the ‘Council’) is currently out to procurement for the provision of communicator guide and intervenor service. Further information in regards to this opportunity can be found in II.2.4) Description of the procurement field (OJEU Contract Notice refers). Organisations wishing to take part in this project are invited to ‘express interest’ which will give access to the full procurement documents in the e-tendering system. Please see VI.3) Additional information for further information. Any questions relating to this procurement must be made via the correspondence area in the e-Tendering system, in accordance with the procurement documents and can be addressed to the main contact as shown in the details above.
The Council has a dedicated in-house County-wide sensory services whose focus is on enabling individuals (children and adults) with visual impairment, deaf/hard of hearing and dual sensory loss to achieve independence. In addition to the in-house sensory services team, the Council commissions two externally provided services to deliver vision and hearing loss support. Services range from peer support and advice, to hearing aid maintenance and equipment. The demand for sensory services and their waiting lists have been steadily rising over the past 5 years (an increase of 176 % since 2011). Sensory Services received 1 820 referrals in 2017 and the majority of support given was rehabilitative. Over 80 % of the referrals received by sensory services are people aged over 60. This contract will be awarded to one provider and therefore will not be split into lots. The estimated total value of the contract is stated in II.1.5) of this notice and is for the initial term inclusive of the approximate value for extensions. For the avoidance of doubt, the estimated annual value of the contract will be approximately GBP 360 000. The contract will be awarded for an initial term of three (3) years, with the option to extend the contract up to two (2) further years. Please note that the contract requirements will be subject to available financial resources, supplier performance and flexibility to meet changing demands. Please Note the TUPE Staffing Information for this procurement has been provided along with other documentation for this procurement. TUPE related information is personal data and must be protected in accordance with the requirements of data protection legislation and must also be kept confidential. Therefore, by accessing this tender via Supply Hertfordshire and then the view details button and accessing the documentation for this procurement, tenderers agree to undertake to treat the information as confidential and commercially sensitive at all times and take all reasonable steps to prevent any inadvertent disclosure to any third party.
Please note Hertfordshire County Council has worked closely with its districts and partners to create a joint procurement portal called supply Hertfordshire. This portal provides an e-Tendering system which is run by In-Tend. To access this procurement opportunity please visit www.supplyhertfordshire.uk and follow the on-screen guidance. If you are experiencing problems In-Tend offer a help section which includes a dedicated UK support desk which can be contacted via email: support@in-tend.co.uk or Telephone: +44 1144070065 for any website/technical questions, Monday to Friday, 8.30-17.00. The Council reserves the right at any time to cease the procurement process and not award a contract or to award only part of the opportunity described in this notice. If the Council takes up this right, then they will not be responsible for or pay the expenses or losses, which may be incurred by any organisation or tenderer as a result. The Council undertakes to hold confidential any information provided in the proposal submitted, subject to the Council's obligations under the law including the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If the organisation considers that any of the information submitted in the proposal should not be disclosed because of its sensitivity then this should be stated with the reason for considering it sensitive. The Council will then endeavour to consult with the applicant about such sensitive information when considering any request received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 before replying to such a request. The Council reserves the right to carry out additional financial checks on all organisations bidding for this opportunity at any time during the procurement process. This is to ensure that they continue to meet the Council's requirements and remain financially viable to fulfil the requirements under the contract. The services advertised in this notice fall under the services listed in Annex XIV to Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and the contracting authority is not obliged to follow the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in full. The procurement process that will apply to the services is specified in the procurement documents accordingly.
The services advertised in this notice fall under the services listed in Annex XIV to Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and the contracting authority is not obliged to follow the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in full. The procurement process that will apply to the services is specified in the procurement documents accordingly. Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures: The contracting authority will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day (when using electronic means) standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the decision to award a contract before a contract is executed/signed (as appropriate). The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (‘Regulations’) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Any such action must be brought promptly and within the time limits as defined in the above regulations. Where a contract has not been entered into the court may order the setting aside of the award decision or order the contracting authority to amend any document and may award damages. If the contract has been entered into the court has the options to award damages and/or to shorten or order the contract ineffective.


Award value: 1800000