Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS 24
40 Ainslie Road, Hillington
Glasgow
G52 4RU
Contact
Alex Little
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM - Scotland
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00230
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/
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
NHS 24 - Strategic Partner supporting the Digital Transformation Strategy and Infrastructure Refresh.
Reference number
NHS24 2023 683
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 71311300 - Infrastructure works consultancy services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The procurement of strategic partner to support the delivery of the Digital Transformation Strategy and Infrastructure Refresh for NHS 24.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Across NHS Scotland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Objectives:
It is NHS 24’s objective to replace the existing CRM and telephony system with a new, reliable and flexible infrastructure platform which can act as an enabler to deliver NHS 24’s strategic ambitions.
The commercial discussions around the new infrastructure will be complex and detailed. Ensuring that NHS 24 achieves value for money is another key objective given the level of public money that will be invested and a full business case will be required.
The existing telephony and CRM system has been in place for over a decade and during that time has been customised and adapted to meet various operational pressures. Unpicking the system and moving onto the replacement infrastructure will need to happen with no interruption to the 24/7 service. Ensuring a smooth exit process will be critical to the success of this work.
The final key objective is around developing the digital and online services that NHS 24 offers incorporating. This would improve the patient journey and widen the choice and opportunities for accessing the care people need. An enormous amount of work is needed to develop the offering in this evolving and fast paced environment.
.
Scope of Service:
Focusing on the contact centre, a high level solution map of the requirements taken from the service has been developed. This solution agnostic view will form the basis of the requirements that the new set up will need to deliver. High level requirements have been gathered over the last few months however, no options appraisal or soft market testing has taken place. The solutions map highlights the interrelated nature of the current set up and it is anticipated there will be a need to integrate the replacement technologies.
.
A Programme Director would be expected to run the programme and be responsible for the success of the implementation. They would sit on, and integrate with, the Executive Management Team, acting as a critical friend and driving the delivery of the programme. They would bring technical expertise and experience to liaise with potential suppliers, while being able to translate those discussions for the technical people highlighting the key risks and benefits. It is expected the Programme Director would agree the resource requirements from a mix of internal and external resources and develop the delivery plan as soon as possible.
.
The ICT and Project Team are focused mainly on the business as usual work. It is anticipated that the digital transformation programme will come to dominate the work across the whole organisation as it moves towards the implementation phase. Developing the in-house teams and ensuring a comprehensive knowledge transfer is a key component of the tender.
.
The scope of the work will cover evaluating the existing ICT hardware / infrastructure, software and ICT services that are mainly embedded within two managed service contracts that end October and November 2025. There are practical decisions required as to how best to provide those services going forward including which software is used, particularly, but not exclusively, for a CRM system and the infrastructure it sits on. The strategic partner will support NHS 24 through the end to end process from requirements gathering; developing the full business case; procurement; the end of our existing contract; to implementation and early life support of the new infrastructure. It is anticipated this will be completed by March 2026.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 50
Price - Weighting: 50
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 May 2023
End date
31 March 2026
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
An optional extension of up to twelve months is available on this framework.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
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 three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required
Economic and financial standing — yearly turnover.
It is a requirement of this contract that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commence of any subsequently awarded contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
The bidder should provide its (“general”) yearly turnover for the last 3 years.
The bidder should provide its yearly (“specific”) turnover in the business area(s) covered by the contract for the last 3 years.
Employers (compulsory) liability insurance 5 000 000 GBP minimum.
Public liability insurance 5 000 000 GBP minimum.
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with a single operator
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: 2023/S 000-004294
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
17 April 2023
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
17 April 2023
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.3) Additional information
Note: The values indicated is section II 1.5 are indicative of the potential full agreement value up to March 2026.
These values should not be considered as definite and or as a commitment.
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 49168. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
(SC Ref:726536)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Edinburgh Sheriff Court
Edinburgh
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The Authority will notify economic operators who submitted a tender or (where no deselection notification has previously been made) applied to be selected to tender, of its decision to award the Framework Agreement which notification will contain among other information, a summary of the reasons why the economic operators was unsuccessful.
The notification will incorporate a “standstill period” of a minimum of 10 clear calendar days (or a minimum of 15 if the communication method used is not electronic) between the date on which the Authority dispatches the notice(s) and the date on which the Authority proposes to conclude the relevant Framework Agreement.
The bringing of court proceedings against the Authority during the standstill period will automatically continue the prohibition on entering into the Framework Agreement until the court proceedings are determined, discontinued or disposed of, or the court, by interim order, brings to an end the prohibition.
The remedies that may be awarded by the courts before the Framework Agreement has been entered into include the setting aside of the decision to award the Framework Agreement to the winning tenderer(s). The bringing of court proceedings against the Authority after the Framework Agreement has been entered into will not affect the Framework Agreement unless grounds for the imposition of special penalties under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 can be established. Otherwise the remedies that may be awarded by the courts where the framework agreement has been entered into are limited to the award of damages.
The provision of Strategic Partner for Digital Transformation Strategy and Infrastructure Refresh services to all entities constituted pursuant to the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978, (i.e. All NHS Scotland Health Boards, Special Health Boards) and the Authority).