Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS England and NHS Improvement North West – Lancashire and South Cumbria
Floor 2, Preston Business Centre, Watling Street Road, Fulwood
Preston
PR2 8DY
Telephone
+44 1642746918
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/nhsnecsu/aspx/Home
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
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
NHSE440 – Invitation to Tender - Dental Call Handling Service - Lancashire & South Cumbria
Reference number
NHSE440
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79512000 - Call centre
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
North of England Commissioning Support (NECS) is a commissioning support service hosted by NHS England and is managing this procurement process for the provision of a Dental Call Handling Service across Lancashire and South Cumbria for NHS England and NHS Improvement - North West (Lancashire & South Cumbria) (the Contracting Authority).
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: £2,889,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79512000 - Call centre
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKD4 - Lancashire
Main site or place of performance
Lancashire & South Cumbria
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Contracting Authority has procured a Dental Call Handling Service (DCHS) across Lancashire and South Cumbria to deliver a comprehensive service for patients to have a single point of access into NHS Dental Services and ensure that patients are appropriately signposted to NHS Primary Dental Care Services. The Contract is to commence 01 April 2022 for a contract term of 5 years.
The annual financial threshold for this procurement is 577800 GBP and is based on a calls answered volume of 180,000 per annum. The total contract value is 2889000 GBP for the 5-year contract term.
The Open Procedure was followed for this procurement to test the capacity, capability, and technical competence of bidders in accordance with Regulation 27 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended).
Tender documentation was available from 12:00 noon on 26 August 2021 and the closing time and date for tender returns was 12:00 noon on 27 September 2021.
The subject matter of the contract was scoped to take into account the priorities of the Contracting Authority relating to “economic, social, and environmental well-being” by utilising the UK Governments Social Value Model.
This procurement was conducted using an e-tendering portal (In-Tend). https://in-tendhost.co.uk/nhsnecsu/aspx/Home
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (as amended) did apply. Bidders were advised to obtain their own legal advice and carry out due diligence including the New Fair Deal non-statutory policy setting out how pensions issues are to be dealt with when staff are compulsorily transferred from the public sector to independent providers delivering public services.
The Contracting Authority and NECS reserved the right to cancel the tender process at any point and will not be held liable for any costs resulting from any cancellation of the tender process or for any other costs incurred by those tendering for the contract.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Quality criterion - Name: Price / Weighting: 20
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Call volumes may increase or decrease throughout the lifetime of this contract. Increases and decreases will be dealt with under the conditions of contract.
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
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2021/S 000-020987
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
NHSE440 - Dental Call Handling Service - Lancashire & South Cumbria
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
6 December 2021
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
FCMS (NW) Limited
Newfield House Vicarage Lane
Blackpool Lancashire
FY4 4EW
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKD42 - Blackpool
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £2,889,000
Total value of the contract/lot: £2,889,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
On viewing the tender documents for the first time, bidders were advised to check the clarifications section to ensure they have not missed any additional information that may have been issued prior to their expression of interest in this tender. It was also advisable to continue to check the clarifications section throughout the tender process.
The Contracting Authority only accepted documents for tenders or quotations placed on the e-Tendering portal to be received electronically unless explicitly stated otherwise in the bidder’s instructions.
Tenders submitted via the e-Tendering portal were to be received in full prior to the closing time for receipt of tenders. Bidders were advised that uploading of large electronic files may take some time and as such bidders must allow sufficient time to fully transmit all files prior to the closing time for receipt of tenders.
The server clock displayed within the e-Tendering governed the time for close of tender returns.
(MT Ref:225750)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Public Procurement Review Service
Cabinet Office
London
publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3450103503
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The Contracting Authority acted in accordance with Part 3 Chapter 5 Regulation 85 to 87 and Part 3 Chapter 6 Regulation 88 to 104 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (as amended) (PCR 2015). Part 3 of the PCR 2015 provides for appeals to be made to the High Court subject to time limitations and other required procedural steps. The rules relating to appeal are complex and a dissatisfied bidders were advised to take their own prompt legal advice.
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Royal Courts of Justice
The High Courts of Justice
London
WC242LL
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://courttribunalfinder.service.gov.uk/courts/royal-courts-of-justice