Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS England & NHS Improvement - South East
York House, 18-20 Massetts Road
Horley
RH6 7DE
Contact
Hannah Morley
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKJ2 - Surrey, East and West Sussex
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Home
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Home
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
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
Market Briefing Event: Orthodontic Services in Oxford, Thame, Eastleigh and Dover for NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE/I) South East
Reference number
WA12375/ME
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85131100 - Orthodontic services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This notice is placed in order to facilitate early engagement with potential providers, and relates only to a pre-procurement market briefing.
NHSE/I South East (the Commissioner) are seeking to recommission Level 2 and 3a NHS Orthodontic Services in the Oxford, Thame, Eastleigh and Dover areas, and will be undertaking a procurement process to award new contracts.
Prospective bidders are invited to a pre-procurement market briefing event held virtually on 27th April 2022, 17.30 - 19.30.
The event has been timed to avoid a clash with clinical sessions as much as possible.
Orthodontics is the dental specialty concerned with facial growth, development of the dentition and occlusion, and the assessment, diagnosis, interception and treatment of malocclusions and facial irregularities.
The overall aim of the service is to provide equitable, accessible, high quality and cost effective specialist orthodontic services, in line with the National Guide for Commissioning Orthodontics, 2015 and NHS Personal Dental Services (PDS) Agreements Regulations 2005.
Orthodontics is mainly provided for children and adolescents who meet the agreed criteria for NHS treatment and for adults where there is clinical justification and where prior approval has been agreed with the commissioner.
The service includes:
• Assessment and treatment delivered according to each patient's clinical needs, including interceptive treatment and in hours urgent care
• Treatment includes examination, taking of radiographs, diagnosis, preventative care, advice, planning of orthodontic treatment, supply and repair of orthodontic appliances including retainers for a period of 12 months following the completion of active orthodontic treatment
• Appropriate referral to other healthcare providers for mandatory or advanced mandatory services or any other appropriate and necessary healthcare
• Advice to the patient and other clinicians where appropriate
The contracts are limited to orthodontic treatment within complexity Level 2 and 3a and excludes all mandatory services and the following additional services:
• Sedation services
• Domiciliary services
• Minor oral surgery
• Dental public health services
• Orthodontic complexity level 1 and 3b cases
The procurement is anticipated to commence from May 2022, inviting tenders to deliver services for specific lotted areas, with contract commencement anticipated on 1st April 2023. NHSE/I anticipates contracting for services under a PDS agreement.
To allow potential providers to reflect on the proposed services, early indicative information has been provided as part of this notice, as well as a market sounding questionnaire for potential providers to respond to, prior to the briefing event.
At the briefing, we will share further detail of the commissioner's objectives for the services. We will also provide details of the e-procurement system (being used to procure these services) and how the procurement process will operate.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Ortho-1: Oxford
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85131100 - Orthodontic services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
Main site or place of performance
Oxford
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Ortho-1: Oxford
Providers are reminded that all information regarding Lots is indicative only and subject to change. Providers should not rely upon these Lot descriptions when submitting any future bids, instead referring to the tender documentation released with the relevant tender opportunity.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Ortho-2: Thame
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85131100 - Orthodontic services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
Main site or place of performance
Thame
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Ortho-2: Thame
Providers are reminded that all information regarding Lots is indicative only and subject to change. Providers should not rely upon these Lot descriptions when submitting any future bids, instead referring to the tender documentation released with the relevant tender opportunity.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Ortho-3: Eastleigh
Lot No
3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85131100 - Orthodontic services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ3 - Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Main site or place of performance
Eastleigh
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Ortho-3: Eastleigh
Providers are reminded that all information regarding Lots is indicative only and subject to change. Providers should not rely upon these Lot descriptions when submitting any future bids, instead referring to the tender documentation released with the relevant tender opportunity.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Ortho-4: Dover
Lot No
4
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85131100 - Orthodontic services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ4 - Kent
Main site or place of performance
Dover
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Ortho-4: Dover
Providers are reminded that all information regarding Lots is indicative only and subject to change. Providers should not rely upon these Lot descriptions when submitting any future bids, instead referring to the tender documentation released with the relevant tender opportunity.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
11 May 2022
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
To access the information suite and express an interest in attending the market briefing event, interested providers should follow the link to the e-procurement system, In-Tend and complete the 'Market Sounding Questionnaire & Market Briefing Event Registration' form available within the system. Please note that you will first need to be registered on the system and select the option to 'express an interest' to access the project space.
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/ProjectManage/1586
On registration, please include at least two contacts to allow for access to the system in times of absence.
In order to attend the market briefing event, please ensure that you submit your completed questionnaire by no later than 12 noon on 22nd April 2022. Details on how to access the briefing will be provided to all responses received prior to this closing date.
The briefing event is open to all providers who may want to deliver NHS orthodontic services in the future. In order to establish fair representation, availability for this event is limited to a maximum of two individuals per organisation.
Please note that you must return the Market Sounding Questionnaire & Market Briefing Event Registration form in order to attend the event. Questionnaires should be submitted using the In-Tend correspondence function, under the project 'Market Briefing Event: Orthodontic Services in Oxford, Thame, Eastleigh and Dover for NHS England and NHS Improvement South East'.
Providers are reminded that the information documents provided in In-Tend are indicative draft versions only and subject to change. Providers should not rely upon these documents when submitting any future bids, instead referring to the tender documentation released with the relevant tender opportunity.
This process is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.
This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit NHSE/I or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. Commissioners are looking to establish what interest there might be in providing such a service from suitably qualified, capable and competent organisations.
NHSE/I will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise. Interested parties should note that a response to this notice does not guarantee an automatic invitation to any subsequent formal procurement, which the commissioners will consider in due course.
The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but is instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).
Any future tendering process will be conducted in accordance with the requirements and flexibilities provided by Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations. The Authority will run a transparent tender process, treating all Bidders equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services.
Neither the inclusion of a Bidder selection stage, nor the use of any language or terms found in the Directive or Regulations, nor the description of the procedure voluntarily adopted by the Authority ("Open", "Restricted", "Competitive Procedure with Negotiation", "Competitive Dialogue" or any other description), nor any other indication, shall be taken to mean that the Authority intends to hold itself bound by the Directive or Regulations, save by the provisions applicable to services coming within the scope of Annex XIV of the Directive / Schedule 3 of the Regulations.