Future opportunity

Operating Microscopes and Associated Accessories

  • NHS Supply Chain Operated by DHL Supply Chain Limited acting as agent of Supply Chain Coordination Ltd (SCCL)

F01: Prior information notice (prior information only)

Notice reference: 2022/S 000-011436

Published 4 May 2022, 9:51am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

NHS Supply Chain Operated by DHL Supply Chain Limited acting as agent of Supply Chain Coordination Ltd (SCCL)

c/o Skipton House, 80 London Road

London

SE1 6LH

Contact

Sarah Whittaker

Email

sarah.whittaker@supplychain.nhs.uk

Telephone

+44 7971234999

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKI4 - Inner London – East

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health

Buyer's address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health/about/procurement

one.2) Information about joint procurement

The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

National or federal Agency/Office

one.5) Main activity

Health


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Operating Microscopes and Associated Accessories

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 33100000 - Medical equipments

two.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

two.1.4) Short description

NHS Supply Chain intends to launch a National Framework Agreement for the provision of Operating microscopes, for both theatre and outpatient environments including all variations specified for use in a medical setting excluding Pathology and Laboratory Microscopes. Precise quantities are unknown. It is anticipated that initial expenditure will be in the region of £20,000,000 in the first year of this Framework Agreement, however this is approximate only and the values may vary depending on the requirements of those bodies purchasing under the Framework Agreement.  The estimated value over the total Framework Agreement term (including any extension options) is £60,000,000, including growth.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £60,000,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 2

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Theatre Microscopes

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 33124100 - Diagnostic devices
  • 33124110 - Diagnostic systems
  • 33162100 - Operating-theatre devices
  • 33164100 - Colposcope
  • 38510000 - Microscopes
  • 38634000 - Optical microscopes
  • 48180000 - Medical software package
  • 50340000 - Repair and maintenance services of audio-visual and optical equipment
  • 50344000 - Repair and maintenance services of optical equipment
  • 51400000 - Installation services of medical and surgical equipment
  • 72212180 - Medical software development services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance

Various Locations in the UK

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Lot 1 – Theatre Microscopes includes but is not limited to the following

Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT)

Ophthalmic

Neurological

Plastics and Maxillofacial.

two.2.14) Additional information

Precise quantities are unknown. It is anticipated that initial expenditure will be in the region of £ 16,000,000 in the first year of this Framework Agreement, however this is approximate only and the values may vary depending on the requirements of those bodies purchasing under the Framework Agreement.

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Outpatient Microscopes

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 33124100 - Diagnostic devices
  • 33124110 - Diagnostic systems
  • 33162100 - Operating-theatre devices
  • 33164100 - Colposcope
  • 38510000 - Microscopes
  • 38634000 - Optical microscopes
  • 48180000 - Medical software package
  • 50340000 - Repair and maintenance services of audio-visual and optical equipment
  • 50344000 - Repair and maintenance services of optical equipment
  • 51400000 - Installation services of medical and surgical equipment
  • 72212180 - Medical software development services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance

Various Locations in the UK

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Lot 2 – Outpatient Microscopes includes but is not limited to the following

Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT)

Dental

Colposcope

two.2.14) Additional information

Precise quantities are unknown. It is anticipated that initial expenditure will be in the region of £ 4,000,000 in the first year of this Framework Agreement, however this is approximate only and the values may vary depending on the requirements of those bodies purchasing under the Framework Agreement.

two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice

5 August 2022


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


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

The following certification will be a requirement of the upcoming tender exercise and Applicants may be required to include evidence of this with their tender submission.

- ISO9001:2015 accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (or equivalent) to cover all segments of the Applicant's supply chain. Further information in respect of certification requirements will be set out in the notice for the forthcoming procurement. If such certificates are not in the name of the Applicant then the Applicant must supply a copy of agreements setting out the authority and responsibilities of all parties in the supply chain.

The purpose of this notice is to draw attention to a procurement that NHS Supply Chain intends to commence during the subsequent 12 months. The invitation to tender will be the subject of a separate notice and it is that notice to which potential suppliers will need to respond at the appropriate time.

The Framework Agreement between NHS Supply Chain and successful suppliers will reserve the right to purchase the same or similar supplies and/or services from suppliers not appointed to the Framework Agreement at its sole discretion.

NHS Supply Chain expects to provide successful suppliers with the opportunity to offer additional savings to customers through the provision of discounted pricing, value added offerings and commitment/bulk buy initiatives.

Framework Agreement will be between NHS Supply Chain and the Supplier, however 1) NHS Supply Chain, 2) any NHS Trust; 3) any other NHS entity; 4) any government department, agency or other statutory body and/or 5) any private sector entity active in the UK healthcare sector will be able to enter into a direct contract with the Supplier for any of the supplies and/or services under the Framework.

The Supplier will be required to report to and pay a direct contract management fee to NHS Supply Chain as detailed in the tender documents.

NHS Supply Chain is not currently considering the use of lots for this procurement. However, it reserves the right to as part of any future tender process. Further information in respect of the lot strategy will be set out in the notice for the forthcoming procurement.

As part of its pre-tender strategy, NHS Supply Chain would also like to engage with suppliers of these products via a Request for Information (RFI).

- The Request for Information Document will then be sent to you via the Jaggaer Messages Tab

- Applicants will then have 3 weeks from the dispatch of this notice to complete and return the Request for Information document.

The NHS adopted PPN 06/20 (taking account of Social Value in the award of Government Contracts) from April 2022. As such all NHS SC Contracts going out to market after this date will include Social Value weighting.

Therefore the future contract for Operating Microscopes will include some qualitative evaluation questions on Social Value with a minimum weighting of 10% towards the award. We would like to engage with the market in the pre-tender phase to communicate what social value is but also to understand what the market may be capable of delivering.

For more information on Social Value and to understand what’s included in Social Value, please see

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0620-taking-account-of-social-value-in-the-award-of-central-government-contracts

The NHS has outlined Fighting Climate Change as a key Social Value Theme however it may be that bidders are able to demonstrate activity against many more of the Social Value Themes. We will be sending out a RFI with some questions aligned to Social Value Themes and will use these responses to shape our evaluation questions on Social Value.