Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department of Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
procurement.operations@DHSC.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKI32 - Westminster
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care
Buyer's address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Settlement Agreement
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Ecolog was originally intended to be one of the partner brought online to meet the Test and Trace capacity targets.As part of HM Government emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic emergency, Test and Trace entered into a Letter of Intent with Ecolog in September 2020. This Letter enabled Ecolog to mobilise and equip laboratory units to provide diagnostic (RT-PCR) testing for COVID-19 to meet targets for numbers of tests performed. As the programme progressed, HMG decided not to proceed with the Services Agreement with Ecolog; this Deed of Settlement was signed to discharge all obligations under the Letter of Intent and reimburse Ecolog for costs incurred. The costs relate to the costs of equipment delivered, laboratory tests undertaken pending the execution of the contract and mobilisation costs.This notice relates to the Deed of Settlement concluded between the parties after some services and equipment had been provided by Ecolog.
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: £38,477,491.40
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Ecolog was originally intended to be one of the partners brought online to meet the Test and Trace capacity targets.As part of HM Government emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic emergency, Test and Trace entered into a Letter of Intent with Ecolog in September 2020. This Letter enabled Ecolog to mobilise and equip laboratory units to provide diagnostic (RT-PCR) testing for COVID-19 to meet targets for numbers of tests performed. As the programme progressed, HMG decided not to proceed with the Services Agreement with Ecolog; this Deed of Settlement was signed to discharge all obligations under the Letter of Intent and reimburse Ecolog for costs incurred. The costs relate to the costs of equipment delivered, laboratory tests undertaken pending the execution of the contract and mobilisation costs.This notice relates to the Deed of Settlement concluded between the parties after some services and equipment had been provided by Ecolog. The expected contract for laboratory testing equipment and services was never entered into.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
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 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
- Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority
Explanation:
There was undoubtedly a risk to public health and DHSC was reacting to a global emergency that was changing on a daily basis. An existing framework or other existing purchasing system was not available, with the National Microbiology Framework unlikely to have been available until early 2021. The need for the tests was immediate, with scientific forecasts at the time warning of daily cases of COVID-19 rising to as many as 50,000 per day in the coming weeks. That urgency was growing following increased levels of COVID-19 infections across the country. Whilst some increase in the number of cases was potentially foreseeable, the timing and scale of the increased demand was not so foreseeable.The situation was not attributable to the contracting authority, as the need for extreme urgency was a direct result of the consequences of the pandemic. There was no evidence or any suggestion that DHSC had done anything or had failed to do anything that has exacerbated the need for the increased level of tests.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
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
24 March 2021
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
Ecolog International FZE
8th Floor, 6 New Street Square, New Fetter Lane
London
EC4A 3AQ
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
10762455
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: £38,477,491.40
Total value of the contract/lot: £38,477,491
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The High Court
Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
generaloffice@administrativecourtoffice.justice.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom