Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board
Aspen House, Stephenson Road, Severalls Business Park
Colchester
CO4 9QR
Contact
Jane Garnett
Telephone
+44 1473770000
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH14 - Suffolk
NHS Organisation Data Service
QJG
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://suffolkandnortheastessex.icb.nhs.uk/
Buyer's address
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/snee-icb/aspx/Home
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
Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services - Suffolk
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) provision within the East Suffolk and West Suffolk Alliance footprints. The service is to be provided to all eligible patients, as per NHS E's eligibility criteria.
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: £13,459,584
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH14 - Suffolk
Main site or place of performance
Provision is to cover the East Suffolk and West Suffolk Alliance localities.
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
NEPTS comprises the movement of patients whose condition is not considered an 'emergency' and who can, therefore, travel in an ambulance vehicle specified to a lower level of medical provision, or, indeed, a car.
NEPTS are typified by the non-urgent, planned, transportation of patients with a medical need for transport to and from a premises providing NHS healthcare and between NHS healthcare providers.
NEPTS are a key enabler underpinning access to elective care and supporting timely and efficient discharge processes for acute and community providers. Continuity of provision is important for the system to maintain patient flow and stability.
The length of the contract is two years as this allows the necessary time to complete a complex procurement and allow one year for mobilisation, as requested by providers. This also ensures stability of provision whilst procuring and prevents additional interim running costs, and the potential for high service transfer costs for a short contract period.
NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board are awarding the contract named within this notice due to an urgent circumstance which is outlined within the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: To address immediate risks to safety and quality of care / Weighting: 100
Price - Weighting: 0
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
- Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority
Explanation:
The recent NEPTS procurement was abandoned following challenge. This did not leave the ICB with enough time to complete a full procurement for the new service and allow sufficient time for mobilisation before the existing contract expired. Due to the need to maintain stability, continuity and prevent unnecessary costs the ICB have awarded this contract to the incumbent provider.
To enable the procurement of a new NEPTS service the contract length needs to be long enough to allow time to procure and mobilise; and prevent disproportionate additional costs of transferring / competing a short-term contract. The incumbent provider has been awarded a two-year contract, commencing on 1 April 2024, ending on 31 March 2026 with no option of extension.
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
Title
Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services - Suffolk
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
28 November 2023
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
Ezec Medical Transport Services - trading as EMED Group Limited
Terminal Building, Redhill Aerodrome, Kingsmill Lane
Redhill
RH1 5YP
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKJ2 - Surrey, East and West Sussex
Companies House
04088225
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £13,459,584
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This contract has been awarded under the urgent circumstances provision of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). This contract has been awarded under 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. This award is being made urgently and the reason for the urgency was not foreseen by the ICB for the reasons outlined within this notice. This award is being made in order to prevent risk to patient and public safety, and the ICB is not able to satisfy the requirements of regulations 6 - 13 for the reasons outlined below.
The decision to award the contract was made by the ICB Board in November 2023, having the support of the Executive Committee and Audit Committee prior to Board decision.
No conflicts of interest, or potential conflicts of interest, were declared by any decision makers.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board
Aspen House, Stephenson Road, Severalls Business Park Colchester CO4 9QR
Colchester
CO4 9QR
Country
United Kingdom