Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB
Room G30, Pen Lloyd Building, County Hall, Glenfield
Leicester
LE3 8TB
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKF - East Midlands (England)
NHS Organisation Data Service
QK1
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://leicesterleicestershireandrutland.icb.nhs.uk/
Buyer's address
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Telephone cover for Protected Learning Time - Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85121100 - General-practitioner services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Service commissioned by LLR ICB to provide primary care medical services cover for GP practices during periods of Primary Care Protected Learning Time (PLT), including provision of clinical advice from a duty doctor or other suitable clinician via telephone; a face-to-face consultation or home visit if clinically required; referral to other urgent services where indicated.
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: £199,046
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKF21 - Leicester
- UKF22 - Leicestershire CC and Rutland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Service commissioned by LLR ICB to provide primary care medical services cover for GP practices during periods of Primary Care Protected Learning Time (PLT), including provision of clinical advice from a duty doctor or other suitable clinician via telephone; a face-to-face consultation or home visit if clinically required; referral to other urgent services where indicated.
The ICB is intending to award two contracts to the existing providers following direct award process C, where the existing providers are satisfying the existing contract and will likely satisfy the proposed new contracts, and the contracts are not changing considerably, and the test for considerable change is not met.
The approximate lifetime value of the contract is £99,523.10 per financial year for both providers, for a total of £199,046 for two years.
The dates between which the services are intended to be provided are: 01/04/2025 to 31/03/2026, with the option to extend by another 12 months until the 31/03/2027.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Cost criterion - Name: The existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard / Weighting: 100
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: 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
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by the 26th February 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
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
28 January 2025
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
Willows Group Ltd
184 Coleman Road
Leicester
LE5 4LJ
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKF21 - Leicester
Companies House
09490005
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £100,000
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
28 January 2025
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
DHU Health Care CIC
Derby
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKF11 - Derby
Companies House
05834163
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £99,046
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by the 26th of February 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
Email address where written representations should be sent: llricb-llr.contracting@nhs.net
Details of the award decision-makers: NHS LLR ICB Strategic Commissioning Group on 28th of January 2025
Any declared conflicts or potential conflicts of interest of individuals making the decision and how these were managed:
- Conflicts of interest were identified among the members of the Strategic Commissioning Group. The non-conflicted members assessed the nature and risk of this conflict and decided to allow the conflicted member to participate in the discussion but was excluded from the decision-making.
The Contracting Authority has assessed the provider's suitability and technical / professional ability to pursue this service in accordance with basic selection criteria schedule 16 of PSR, based on their current activities and performance. The provider's economic and financial standing has been considered in proportion to the financial risk of a sessional-based contract.
Relative importance and rationale for the key criteria, and the rationale for choosing the provider with reference to the key criteria:
- Description of how and key selection criteria were assessed
1. Quality and innovation
The providers offer safe and effective services and meet the ICB's quality and safety requirements.
2. Value
This service offers value financially and to the local healthcare community as patients continue to access services within a primary care setting, which reduces demand on more costly services.
In turn this provides practices with the opportunity of dedicated time to attend training to enable service delivery for their own registered patients.
3. Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice.
The service telephone cover provides patients continuity and access to primary care services when practices are closed to attend training.
4. Social value
By offering a service that is predominantly telephone-based, this contributes to sustainable environmental impact, reducing emissions and air pollution by preventing the need for patients to travel to other services to access care and advice.
The integrated provision from local providers contributes to social value by providing local employment opportunities.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICB
Leicester
Country
United Kingdom