Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department of Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
Contact
allan wilton
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKI32 - Westminster
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care
Buyer's address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Fit Testing Team for NHS FFP3 Masks
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79994000 - Contract administration services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
A National fit testing team to support the NHS test staff to FFP3 masks
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £9,000,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI32 - Westminster
Main site or place of performance
Across NHS Trust locations in England
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Procurement of 320 fit testers to support NHS staff to be fit tested to FFP3 masks
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority
Explanation:
Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority and in accordance with the strict conditions stated in the directiveExplanation:The Covid-19 outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern declared by WHO on 30 January 2020. The WHO Director General characterised Covid-19 as a pandemic on 11 March 2020. The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is critical in safeguarding the health and lives of the care professionals treating patients with Covid-19. Delays in procuring suitable PPE poses a risk to life of those on the front line and the likelihood of significantly increased death toll. Due to the extreme urgency caused by the sudden uptick in Covid 19 cases, there was a corresponding dramatic increase in demand for FFP3 masks for use within the NHS. The Department for Health and Social Care (‘DHSC’) had to act promptly so a testing team could be in place in time to allow individuals to use non-3M respirators. DHSC awarded a contract on 6 November 2020 (OJEU reference 2020/S 239-592271). A further contract was required in order to satisfy the continued demand for fit testing services.DHSC is satisfied the tests permitting use of the negotiated procedure without prior publication (Regulation 32(2)(c)) were met:(a) as far as is strictly necessary: the contract is strictly necessary to meet the demand to scale up the fit testing requirement to ensure that NHS staff have access to well-fitting masks.(b) there are genuine reasons for the extreme urgency: respirators are a vital piece of PPE. A failure to have a fully operational testing team in place could have a direct impact on the Government’s ability to provide staff with adequate PPE in the quantities required resulting in a risk to public health.(c) The continued pressure on NHS staff required to treat patients with Covid-19 caused by the impact of the second wave of the pandemic being more severe than anticipated and the speed of transmission owing to the variant strain leading to a spike in cases. Therefore, the need for continued support by a pool of fit-testers outside of NHS staff was unforeseeable at the time the original Contract was entered into.(d) It is impossible to comply with the usual timescales in the Public Contract Regulations 2015: there is no other route available.(e) The situation is not attributable to DHSC: DHSC has not done anything to cause or contribute to the need for extreme urgency.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
25 January 2021
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Ashfield Healthcare
Ashfield House, Resolution Road
Ashby-De-La-Zouch
LE65 1HW
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKF1 - Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
National registration number
03286306
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £9,000,000
Total value of the contract/lot: £9,000,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The High Court
Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom