Future opportunity

Lincolnshire Community Equipment Services (LCES)

  • Lincolnshire County Council

F01: Prior information notice (prior information only)

Notice reference: 2022/S 000-003657

Published 9 February 2022, 8:36am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Lincolnshire County Council

County Offices, Newland

Lincoln

LN1 1YL

Contact

Mrs Marie Kaempfe-Rice

Email

marie.kaempfe-rice@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 1522554087

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKF3 - Lincolnshire

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk

Buyer's address

https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

one.5) Main activity

Other activity

Health and Social Care


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Lincolnshire Community Equipment Services (LCES)

Reference number

DN596299

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 85000000 - Health and social work services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The LCES is a loan Service which is required to help meet the Health and Social Care needs of people of all ages, including children, who have long term conditions and disabilities. As a jointly commissioned contract between the LCC and Lincolnshire CCG, it is a key contributor to the Health and Social Care integration agenda. The community equipment is supplied, maintained, collected, recycled and stored by the Service Provider. The equipment provided is summarised below:

- Simple Aids to Daily Living (SADLs) – small selection of products to aid independent living

including perching stools, trolleys, bathing and toileting aids, and walking aids;

- Complex Aids to Daily Living (CADLs) – includes hoists, slings, powered equipment and

specialist bathing equipment; beds / accessories, nursing and pressure care equipment;

- Bespoke / Non-Stock Equipment – includes items that do not form part of the standard

equipment product range and are instead additional ‘one-off’ items that meet the

Patient's/Customer's assessed needs;

- Provision of Ceiling Track Hoists, Ramps and Rails;

- Provision of Weighing Scales Service.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £90,000,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 33100000 - Medical equipments
  • 50421000 - Repair and maintenance services of medical equipment

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKF3 - Lincolnshire

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The main objectives of the LCES Contract are set out below:

- To promote independent living with the community;

- To help people live at home wherever possible;

- To help relieve pressure on acute hospitals by assisting with discharge arrangements and

preventing avoidable admissions to hospital;

- To allow people's health care needs to be met in their own homes;

- To help prevent early readmission to hospital;

- To enable carers to provide better quality care;

- To reduce admission to temporary and / or permanent residential care;

- To enable Service User's and Carers to receive the best possible service in accordance with the lifestyle and wishes of each individual. This shall require a flexible attitude, an open minded approach to Service provision and a regard for the best interests of the Service User.

The current contract commenced 1st April 2016 and will expire 31st March 2023. The LCES Partnership have, over this past year, undertaken a review of the services. Commissioners now wish to share some of the conclusions and outcomes of the review with Providers and would appreciate feedback which will help in the development and re-commissioning of new services.

Currently LCES covers a substantial geographical area and a population of 755,833 people, it served 57,266 Patients and Customers during 2020/21, and completed 62,687 orders, an increase from 58,685 the year before. Between 2019-2021 orders increased by approximately six percent. The current annual budget is approximately £5,800,000.

Future demand is currently being forecast taking into account not only the demographics of the county but also the increased complexity of the clients accessing the service, the home first strategies, hospital avoidance and the accelerated hospital discharge pathway all expected to increase demand year on year.

In terms of the future services, the review highlighted the opportunities associated of broadening the scope of the LCES. Two particular areas considered were the inclusion of the wheelchair services, currently commissioned by the CCG, and also certain equipment currently provided under the Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) arrangements such as stairlifts and possibly modular ramps.

Indicative Project Timescales

• Finalise specification and procurement documentation by May 2022

• Tender process – late May 2022 to mid July 2022

• Evaluation – Mid July to late August

• Contract award late September 2022

• Supplier mobilisation – October 2022 - March 2023

• Contract commencement – 1st April 2023

Providers should note that currently Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) Telecare Services comes under the LCES contract. The Council has also reviewed these services and it is the intention moving forward that Telecare is de-coupled from LCES. LCC is currently undertaking a wider Adult Care and Wellbeing Digital Review. The outcomes and conclusions of this will feed into the development of a wider technically enabled care (TEC) solution considering the full range of digital technologies. In order to allow time for the development of a new wider service it is likely that the Council will re-procure the existing telecare provision on a like for like, short term interim basis ready for the new service to commence in either April 2024 or 2025. As these will form two separate procurements more focused Provider Engagement specific to the TEC solutions, will be carried out independent of LCES at the appropriate time.

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

A potential 10 year contract is currently being considered. The initial term likely to be at least five years with options to extend to be confirmed.

two.2.14) Additional information

Having completed the review stage the Council is keen to understand the markets preferred approach to a number of important elements which will help to inform the decision making process and development of the specification. To this end; Providers are invited to complete a questionnaire which focuses upon aspects such as the scope of contract, future proofing the service, corporate social responsibility and crisis management / business.

The questionnaire is available on request from Marie.Kaempfe-Rice@lincolnshire.gov.uk. Any feedback will be appreciated and treated as confidential and commercially sensitive.

two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice

23 May 2022


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: Yes