Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Nursing and Midwifery Council
www.nmc-uk.org
London
W1B 1PZ
Contact
Zoran Kahvo
Telephone
+44 2076815480
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - UNITED KINGDOM
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Other type
UK Healthcare Regulator
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Provision of the NMC OSCE delivery services
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80490000 - Operation of an educational centre
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This is a prior information notice for the forthcoming concession contract for more than 1 but a maximum of 5 partners who will deliver the Objective Structured Clinical Examination the (OSCE) on behalf of the NMC. The OSCE will need to be made available to nurses, midwives and nursing associates who trained outside England and who want to apply to join our register or those seeking to re-join our register after a long period away from practice. Please find the link to our website which provides more information about our registration process www.nmc.org.uk/registration/joining-the-registerCurrently three universities throughout the United Kingdom deliver these services, however these contracts are due to expire in February 2022. Additionally the NMC strategic priority to review the route to registration for overseas trained applicants will begin in 2022. Therefore, to continue delivering the OSCE beyond 2022 for overseas and readmission applicants, we are required to retender the current contracts. We are looking to re-procure these services for maximum contract duration of five years, comprising of an initial term with extension options.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £100,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 80530000 - Vocational training services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - UNITED KINGDOM
Main site or place of performance
United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This is a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to advertise that the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) plans to run a procurement process during 2021 to identify and appoint a number of partners who will work with us to provide the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) part of our Test of Competence. The appointed service provider(s) will deliver the OSCE examination on behalf of the NMC and be responsible for delivering their services with the targets as described within the NMC’s relevant statement of requirements and supporting documentation.The existing Test of Competence comprises two parts, the Computer Based Test (CBT) consisting of a number of multiple choice questions and a practical objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Together, these components seek to provide a holistic assessment of a candidate’s ability to practise safely and effectively in the UK. Please find the link to our website which provides more information about the OSCE www.nmc.org.uk/registration/joining-the-register/register-nurse-midwife/trained-outside-the-eueea/new-application/how-to-guide/about-the-osce/ . As part of our remit to support both health and social care across the four countries (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), the NMC has committed to working closely with the NHS to ensure ongoing OSCE capacity to support their international nursing recruitment programme, aimed at expanding additional supply and supporting trusts to reduce their nursing vacancies. The government have committed to recruit 50,000 new nurses to the register by 2024. A significant proportion of that number are expected to come from overseas.The new OSCE delivery contracts will continue to be concession contracts, similar in form to the existing contracts. The re-procurement exercise allows us to build upon and improve the existing partnering model we have already established. The maximum contract duration will be five years, comprising of an initial term with extension options.Concessions Contract Regulations 2016 (CCR) allows for a two stage ‘restricted’ style tender process to be used. This process would allow the NMC to assess and shortlist bidders in two stages. Only shortlisted bidders are then invited to submit a tender. This approach fits within our timeline and ensures there is sufficient contingency to on-board new concessionaires if they are successful in the tender process.The NMC has issued this Prior Information Notice (PIN) in order to conduct a market engagement exercise ahead of a forthcoming tender for the provision of the OSCE services. Before tendering for these services the NMC wishes to better understand the market and variety of options available which will help inform the eventual procurement exercise. Providers interested in partaking in this market engagement exercise are requested to express an interest in this PIN via the In-tend e-Sourcing portal https://www.in-tendhost.co.uk/nmc where Market engagement stage has been published (Project Name: Provision of the NMC OSCE Delivery Services, Project reference: REG-00000295). The questionnaire may be completed and returned via the In-tend portal by midday 15/02 /2021 to allow us to gather feedback from the market and assist in developing the procurement strategy.
two.2.14) Additional information
Please note no tender documents have been issued at this stage - the functional requirements and capability specification will be published in the future SQ and Invitation to Tender documents with the Find a Tender Contract Notice. The procurement will use the Intende-Sourcing portal https://www.in-tendhost.co.uk/nmc
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
15 March 2021
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The NMC reserves the right to not progress to a full potential procurement exercise as a result of this PIN until they are fully ready to do so which will be communicated to the marketplace by the issuing of the formal Contract Notice which at this stage is estimated to be published in March 2021. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the In-tend e-Sourcing portal at: https://www.intendhost.co.uk/nmc .The contract value stated in this PIN is the current best estimate test income over a maximum 5 year contract/s. This may be revised if required prior to the issue of the Contract Notice.