Public procurement notice: Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice
Published: 2017-05-23
Buyer: Swale Clinical Commissioning Group on behalf of Swale CCG and 16 other CCGs named in I.4 below
Country: UK
Region: UNITED KINGDOM
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Negotiated without a prior call for competition
CPV classification: 85140000: Miscellaneous health services
Estimated value: 15650418 GBP

Technical requirements: The current NHS 111 contract in use by the named Commissioners was awarded in 2012 and went live in 2013 for an initial three years, expiring on 18 March 2016. As allowed for in the formal tender documentation, an extension of two years to the contract was exercised, and the contract is now scheduled to expire on 1.4.2018. By this VEAT Notice the Commissioners advise that it is their intention to extend the contract for a further 12 months to 31.3.2019.
The Commissioners have fully considered the options open to them with regard to the continued safe and secure provision of this vital service to patients and users. The situation is impacted by the requirements imposed on the Commissioners by the Commissioning Standards issued in September 2015 and the next steps NHS Five Year Forward View in March 2017. The Commissioners are required to plan and design an Integrated Urgent Care (IUC) service and align a number of contracts and services. There are a number of essential clinical developments which are required within the 5 Year Forward View, which will build on the positive practice within the existing service and should result in an improved experience for patients and users. To build all of these improvements into a new design and procurement before April 2018 is viewed as a high risk, and therefore the Commissioners believe it is entirely appropriate to aim for 1.4.2019 as the date by which alignment and implementation of all services and contracts will have be completed.
The Commissioners believe that to commence a procurement process at this stage that seeks to appoint a provider to mobilise and implement a service from April 2018, whilst in parallel working with the incumbent provider and (potentially) a new provider to develop the service to the required technological standard within this timescale, could introduce a level of risk to patients and users that is unsustainable. Similarly, to delay development work until a provider is in place under a new contract would not offer the optimum assurance or assist the delivery of service integration and improvement.
The Commissioners recognise and acknowledge that there are potential providers who will be interested in bidding to provide the service, and wish to confirm that no organisation capable of providing the service will be prevented from participating in a formal tender process. It is expected that this process will start in 2017.
Additionally, the Commissioners understand that working to develop the clinical aspects of the service in line with national requirements with the incumbent provider may give rise to concern that a significant advantage may be conferred on the incumbent provider at the tender stage. Therefore, the Commissioners will, in the interests of transparency and fairness, undertake to share the outcomes of the development work with interested parties.
The Commissioners intend to publish an OJEU Prior Information Notice and a Future Opportunity Notice on Contracts Finder during 2017.
Prior to this an invitation is offered to all interested parties who would like to meet the Commissioners to discuss and provide feedback on the processes described in this VEAT for the re–procurement of the service. Any interested organisation should email Kerri-Anne Chappell (the nominated Commissioner Contact point — see Section I.1) to register their interest in attending this proposed meeting, and provide their contact details. Any organisations registering interest will be contacted in due course regarding potential dates and logistics.