Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Castle Point and Rochford Clinical Commissioning Group
Pearl House, 12 Castle Road
Rayleigh
SS6 7QF
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKH3 - Essex
Internet address(es)
Main address
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Pan Essex Primary Care Enabler Service
Reference number
ACE-0367-2019-ALC
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 48811000 - E-mail system
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Essex Primary Care Enabler Services (PCES)
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 48811000 - E-mail system
- 48814000 - Medical information systems
- 64216100 - Electronic message services
- 85100000 - Health services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
Main site or place of performance
Essex - North East Essex, West Essex, Mid Essex, Basildon and Brentwood, Thurrock, Southend-on Sea and Castle Point and Rochford
two.2.4) Description of the procurement at the time of conclusion of the contract:
The seven Essex Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), which together form the Authority, have collaboratively procured Primary Care Enabling Services (PCES) using the Health Services Support Framework Agreement (HSSFA): Lot 3 Services (ICT infrastructure support and strategic ICT services, including Primary Care IT support and cyber security.) The Authority has now completed a Further Competition and awarded the service to a single provider for a period of 15 months (1st April 2020 - 30th June 2021) with the option to extend by a further 12 months. The Service Specification relates to the provision of Registration Authority and NHS mail administration services for Primary Care, Pharmacies, Optometrists and Dentists which sit within the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) listed below:
NHS Castle Point and Rochford CCG
NHS Southend CCG
NHS Mid Essex CCG
NHS Thurrock CCG
NHS Basildon and Brentwood CCG
NHS North East Essex CCG
NHS West Essex CCG
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Duration in months
27
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.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Contract award notice concerning this contract
Notice number: 2020/S 035-083967
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
HSSF-19-031
Title
Primary Care Enabling Services –NHS Mail Administration and Registration Authority Services
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:
16 January 2020
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract/concession has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
NHS Arden and Greater east Midlands Commissioning Support Unit
Warwick
CV34 4DE
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKG13 - Warwickshire
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (at the time of conclusion of the contract;excluding VAT)
Total value of the procurement: £465,300.83
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The Contracting Authorities participating in the publication of this Modification Notice communicated herein are:
NHS Basildon & Brentwood Clinical Commissioning Group
Phoenix House, Christopher Martin Road, Basildon , SS14 3HG
https://basildonandbrentwoodccg.nhs.uk/
NHS Castle Point and Rochford Clinical Commissioning Group
Pearl House, 12 Castle Road, Rayleigh. SS6 7QF
https://castlepointandrochfordccg.nhs.uk/
NHS Southend Clinical Commissioning Group
6th Floor, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 9SB
NHS Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group
Civic Offices 2nd Floor, New Road, Grays. RM17 6SL
https://www.thurrockccg.nhs.uk/
NHS Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group
Wren House, Colchester Road
Chelmsford
CM2 5PF
NHS North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group
Severalls Business Park, Aspen House Stephenson Road
Colchester
CO4 9QR
https://www.neessexccg.nhs.uk/
NHS West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group
Building 4 Spencer Close, The Plain
Epping
CM16 6TN
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court of Justice of England and Wales
Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
NHS Castle Point and Rochford Clinical Commissioning Group
Pearl House, 12 Castle Road
Rayleigh
SS6 7QF
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
Section seven: Modifications to the contract/concession
seven.1) Description of the procurement after the modifications
seven.1.1) Main CPV code
- 48814000 - Medical information systems
seven.1.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 48811000 - E-mail system
- 85100000 - Health services
seven.1.3) Place of performance
NUTS code
- UKH3 - Essex
Main site or place of performance
Essex - North East Essex, West Essex, Mid Essex, Basildon and Brentwood, Thurrock, Southend-on Sea and Castle Point and Rochford
seven.1.4) Description of the procurement:
The seven Essex Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), which together form the 'Authority', have collaboratively procured Primary Care Enabling Services (PCES) using the NHS Health Systems Support Framework Agreement (HSSF): Lot 3 Services (ICT infrastructure support and strategic ICT services, including Primary Care IT support and cyber security.) The Service Specification relates to the provision of Registration Authority and NHS mail administration services for Primary Care, Pharmacies, Optometrists and Dentists.
The Authority completed a Further Competition and awarded the service to a single provider for a period of 15 months (1st April 2020 - 30th June 2021) with the option to extend for a further period of 12 months (expiring 30th June 2022) at an aggregate contract value Essex-wide is £558,361 (including VAT) and £465,300 (excluding VAT).
This Modification Notice pertains to a decision taken by the Authority to further extend for an additional 12 months, expiring 30th June 2023 at an aggregate value for the 12 months of £252,622 (including VAT) and £210,518.33 (excluding VAT).
seven.1.5) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Duration in months
12
seven.1.6) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession:
£210,518.33
seven.1.7) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit
Warwick
CV34 4DE
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKG13 - Warwickshire
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
seven.2) Information about modifications
seven.2.1) Description of the modifications
Nature and extent of the modifications (with indication of possible earlier changes to the contract):
The service commenced from 1st April 2020 with an initial contract term of fifteen-months until 30th June 2021. The PCES contract had the option to extend the contract term by a twelve-month period, taking the overall term of the contract to twenty-seven months (until 30th June 2021). In April 2020, the Authority decided to enact the twelve-month contract extension (until 30th June 2022) in accordance with Regulation 72 (a).
In March 2022, the Authority made a decision to extend the PCES contractual arrangements with AGEM for a further 12 months, until 30th June 2023, under Regulation 72 (b) (i) and (ii). The contract value of the 12 month extension that this Modification Notice pertains to is £252,622 (including VAT) and £210,518.33 (excluding VAT).
This brings the total contract term since commencement to 39 months, and a total aggregate value of £810,983 (including VAT) and £675,818.33 (excluding VAT).
This decision has been made on the basis that:
National changes have been delayed to disband Clinical Commissioning Groups by April 2022 and moving their functions to statutory Integrated Care Board. Given the original expiry date, the Authority would have to commence the re-procurement of the PCES services at the same time as they are due to shadow form and transition into the ICS.
At present Essex resides within three different STPs (Mid and South Essex, Hertfordshire and West Essex STP and Suffolk and North East Essex STP); it is unclear at present if the formation of ICS’s will widen the geographical boundaries in order to achieve better alignment to Local Authorities.
The provider has confirmed that the Essex-wide PCES twelve-month extension would only be subject to a 1% inflationary uplift (an increase of £2,501) which the Authority deems minor as it is applied to support the Provider to balance it's costs only, and does not change the economic balance of the contract in favour of the Provider.
The additional 12 months aligns the PCES contract with the expiry of the Authority's Essex-wide Corporate and GP IT Service Management (ITSM) contract, enabling these contracts to be co-terminus and bundled together for any future procurement opportunity.
When this service was originally procured via the HSSF there was only one bidder. It is likely that if the Authority were to tender these services alone (without the ITSM services) that they would receive limited interest due to the fixed financial envelope and contract term required and potential TUPE implications as a result of any resulting service provision change.
The additional time allows the Authority to embed and develop an ICS, providing the optimum time required for the programme of work in order to determine the most appropriate future commissioning strategy for IT services (including the Authority's Essex-wide Corporate and GP IT Service Management (ITSM) contract as well as PCES and any other complementary services). The continued alignment of these contracts will mean that when the Authority re-procures services these can be procured collectively.
seven.2.2) Reasons for modification
Need for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor/concessionaire.
Description of the economic or technical reasons and the inconvenience or duplication of cost preventing a change of contractor:
National changes have been delayed to disband Clinical Commissioning Groups by April 2022 and moving their functions to statutory Integrated Care Board. Given the original expiry date, the Authority would have to commence the re-procurement of the PCES services at the same time as they are due to shadow form and transition into the ICS. At present Essex resides within three different STPs (Mid and South Essex, Hertfordshire and West Essex STP and Suffolk and North East Essex STP); it is unclear if the formation of ICS’s will widen the geographical boundaries in order to achieve better alignment to Local Authorities. The additional 12 months aligns the PCES contract with the expiry of the Authority's Essex-wide Corporate and GP IT Service Management contract, enabling these contracts to be co-terminus and bundled together for any future procurement opportunity, making this a more attractive contract to the market but also more resource efficient procurement for Bidders and Authority.
seven.2.3) Increase in price
Updated total contract value before the modifications (taking into account possible earlier contract modifications, price adaptions and average inflation)
Value excluding VAT: £465,300
Total contract value after the modifications
Value excluding VAT: £675,818.33