Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Devon County Council
County Hall, Matford Lane Offices, Topsham Road
Exeter
EX2 4QD
Contact
Mr Tim Hamblin
Telephone
+44 1392382124
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKK4 - Devon
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
http://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Devon
County Hall, Topsham Road
Exeter
EX2 4QD
Contact
Suzanne Kay
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKK4 - Devon
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
http://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
CP1185-15 Provision of Passenger Transport Dynamic Purchasing System
Reference number
DN94465
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 60000000 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
NHS Devon work in partnership through a Section 75 Agreement with the Local Authority, Devon County Council, to commission NHS transport.
The current Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) contract ends on the 31st March 2024. NHS Devon and Devon County Council will be reprocuring the NEPTS contract to implement a new service effective from 1st April 2024. The new model will be based on NHS England guidance.
Market Engagement events will be taking place on 18th, 19th and 21st April 2023. If you would like to participate in one of these events, contact Devon County Council for further details (transpt.patienttransportadvice-mailbox@devon.gov.uk or 01392 381099 to speak to Lynn Thornton). If you are unable to attend, the presentation from the event, questions raised and answers given can be made available on request.
This procurement will take place through Lot 4 (Ambulance Transport to include qualified crew) of the Devon County Council Provision of Passenger Transport Dynamic Purchasing System. To be able to receive information and participate in the procurement process, providers will need to be registered on Lot 4 (Ambulance Transport to include qualified crew) of the Devon County Council Provision of Passenger Transport Dynamic Purchasing System. Contact Devon County Council for further details (transportcoordinationservicetransporttenders-mailbox@devon.gov.uk or 01392 382124 to speak to Tim Hamblin). Only providers who are accepted and approved on to Lot 4 (Ambulance Transport to include qualified crew) will be invited to bid for this opportunity.
Please be aware that providers wishing to register for the DPS must be CQC registered, to a minimum level of “Requires Improvement”. However, any company at the “Requires Improvement” level will be expected to supply their action plan for improvement, for consideration by NHS Devon and Devon County Council before they will be allowed to proceed.
The procurement will be in one lot, with three strands, under the heading, Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS). NHS Devon is looking to appoint a single provider to deliver all required NEPTS.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £4,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85143000 - Ambulance services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKK4 - Devon
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service – Provider must be CQC Registered and Inspected:
Lot 4:
Strand 1: Mainstream NEPTS – Stretcher/Wheelchair.
A standard Mainstream NEPTS service taking patients who require simple manual handling, e.g., movement from a wheelchair to a carry-chair for access up or down stairs and then back into a wheelchair. This service will also take complex dementia, with passengers who may exhibit disinhibited or aggressive behaviour.
Strand 2: NEPTS-PLUS service.
A new concept of NEPTS based on a cohort of patients that require more than standard NEPTS. The specification is for an enhanced level of equipment on board the vehicle and enhanced training to utilise the equipment to manage:
Specialist manual handling including:
- Bariatric and access to Super-Bariatric equipment
- Complex manual handling e.g., extraction from difficult access when “off-legs” for access to healthcare.
Higher levels of oxygen usage without clinical input e.g., acute discharge on 15ltrs going to home or hospice.
Management of patients requiring a NEW-Score transferring
Basic Management of airways
Crews do not need to be formally qualified but will require a bespoke level of certification to use the equipment on the vehicle. As a new model of delivery, the NHS Devon and Devon County Council will work with bidders in the development of this, within an agreed timescale.
Strand 3: Qualified Crew ambulance
A service, to deliver sub-999 transfers, Inter-Facility Transfers (IFT) both local and long-distance e.g., a cardiac inpatient in a Devon hospital transferred to a London Acute as part of a planned pathway of treatment. This will run a core service of 7-days a week nominally 10am to 8pm with higher levels of capacity midweek and skeleton cover at the weekend. Some journeys may need to vary the core hours. Qualified to cover FREC 4 – Paramedic.
Bidders can also choose to remain on the DPS as ad-hoc providers bidding for small blocks of work, as and when they are offered.
Procurement for NEPTS under Lot 4 (Ambulance Transport to include qualified crew) of the Devon County Council Provision of Passenger Transport Dynamic Purchasing System, will be for a 5 year plus 4 year extension contract. Full specifications and details of the Quality schedule will be posted on the Devon County Council Provision of Passenger Transport Dynamic Purchasing System. Contact Devon County Council for further details (transportcoordinationservicetransporttenders-mailbox@devon.gov.uk or 01392 382124 to speak to Tim Hamblin).
It is expected that successful bidders will show how they can work with Commissioners to manage:
The development of low-carbon, zero-carbon solutions and the potential for Carbon-Offset.
Development of winter and inclement weather solutions to maintain services whilst appropriately responding to Highways and Police advice.
Further developments in transport as part of:
- National developments
- The development of the NHS Devon partnership with Devon County Council and developing improvements in local transport, for example through the Government’s National Bus Strategy
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £4,000,000
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
2 May 2023
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes