Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2018-06-02
Buyer: NHS Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
CPV classification: 34114122 | 48000000 | 60120000 | 60130000 | 60140000
Estimated value: 25000000 GBP

Technical requirements: The NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups of Eastern Cheshire, South Cheshire, West Cheshire, Vale Royal, Warrington and Wirral have requested provision of non-emergency patient transport services to be delivered under terms of the NHS Standard Contract and to agreed service levels.
Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) comprises the movement of eligible patients whose condition is not considered an ‘emergency’ between patients’ homes, hospitals, community setting or other NHS funded treatment centres for people referred for consultations, treatments or procedures. This encompasses a wide range of vehicle types and levels of care consistent with the patients’ medical needs.
The services sought include both the call handling and the patient transport elements and any solution proposed must be robust, accessible by a number of systems and encompass service management requirements. For example, the online and telephone booking systems must be capable of confirming a patients’ conformance with transport eligibility criteria in real time.
The new service will simplify and improve the efficiency of Non Emergency Patient Transport pathways and ensure equity of service provision in line with legislation and Department of Health and NHS England regulations and guidance. The services will be flexible, available on short notice and accessed through a Centralised Booking Service. This may also include the provision of unplanned services on a same day or limited time basis.
Satisfy CCGs responsibility for the provision of suitable transport for eligible patients as per the then current NHS England Eligibility criteria.
This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to alert the market for engagement purposes in advance of the publication of an Invitation to Tender process. Commissioners invite the market to attend a bidder engagement event on 28.6.2018 from 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm, in the Mulberry/Cedar Room, The Centre, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6YN.
For the purposes of the engagement event on the 28.6.2018, please note due to space limitations we are only able to accommodate 2 delegates per organisation. If you could confirm attendance by way of email to guy.jennings@nhs.net no later than 21.6.2018 (12:00 noon).
It is anticipated that the contract term of up to 5 years and estimated contract value range (between 25 000 000 GBP - 50 000 000 GBP) reflect the Clinical Commissioning Groups wish through this procurement, to identify a service provider who could if the need arose successfully manage service activity changes. For example, should activity volumes increase because:
2) Strategic Transformation Programmes are implemented altering the locations, methods or volume of delivered services;
For the avoidance of doubt, the estimated contract value range is not a contractual commitment to increase activity levels through the term of the agreement, but to make the market aware changes to activity levels may arise during the contracts’ lifetime. The contract term, affordability and key performance indicators will be a focus of discussion for the engagement event prior to the publication of the Tender.
It is anticipated that a mobilisation period of between 3-5 months maybe required, prior to the contract launch date of 1.4.2019 when the existing contract ends.
These dates are provided as indications only of procurement document availability and publication of the OJEU notice associated with this PIN notice:
This is a joint procurement led by NHS Wirral CCG as coordinating commissioner on behalf of NHS Wirral CCG, NHS West Cheshire CCG, NHS South Cheshire CCG, NHS Vale Royal CCG, NHS Eastern Cheshire CCG and NHS Warrington CCG.


Award value: 25000000