Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS England and NHS Improvement North West – Lancashire and South Cumbria
Floor 2, Preston Business Centre, Watling Street Road, Fulwood
Preston
PR2 8DY
Telephone
+44 1642746918
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/nhsnecsu/aspx/Home
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/nhsnecsu/aspx/Home
Additional information can be obtained from another address:
NHS NORTH OF ENGLAND COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT
John Snow House, Durham University Science Park
County Durham
DH1 3YG
Telephone
+44 1642746918
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKC14 - Durham CC
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/nhsnecsu/aspx/Home
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/nhsnecsu/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
NHSE440 – Invitation to Tender - Dental Call Handling Service - Lancashire & South Cumbria
Reference number
NHSE440
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79512000 - Call centre
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
North of England Commissioning Support (NECS) is a commissioning support service hosted by NHS England and is managing this procurement process for the provision of a Dental Call Handling Service across Lancashire and South Cumbria for NHS England and NHS Improvement - North West (Lancashire & South Cumbria) (the Contracting Authority).
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £2,889,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79512000 - Call centre
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKD4 - Lancashire
Main site or place of performance
Lancashire & South Cumbria
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Contracting Authority is procuring a Dental Call Handling Service (DCHS) across Lancashire and South Cumbria to deliver a comprehensive service for patients to have a single point of access into NHS Dental Services and ensure that patients are appropriately signposted to NHS Primary Dental Care Services. The Contracting Authority plans for a contract commencement date of 01 April 2022 for a contract term of 5 years.
The annual financial threshold for this procurement is 577800 GBP and is based on a calls answered volume of 180,000 per annum. The total contract value is 2889000 GBP for the 5-year contract term.
The Open Procedure will be followed for this procurement to test the capacity, capability, and technical competence of bidders in accordance with Regulation 27 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended).
Tender documentation will be available from 12:00 noon on 26 August 2021 and the closing time and date for tender returns is 12:00 noon on 27 September 2021.
“Under the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 Contracting Authorities must consider:
(a) How what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social, and environmental well-being of the area where they exercise their functions; and
(b) How, in conducting the process of procurement, they might act with a view to securing that improvement.
Accordingly, the subject matter of the contract has been scoped to take into account the priorities of the Contracting Authority relating to “economic, social, and environmental well-being” by utilising the UK Governments Social Value Model.
This procurement will be conducted using an e-tendering portal (In-Tend). The In-Tend portal can be found at: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/nhsnecsu/aspx/Home (Please follow the registration instructions if you are not already registered) and search for the project NHSE440 Invitation to Tender - Dental Call Handling Services – Lancashire & South Cumbria.
Please note that it is free to register on In-Tend, which can be accessed at any time of day as long as you have a working internet connection. Should tenderers have any queries regarding In-Tend a dedicated help desk is available and can be contacted on +44 8442728810 or email: support@in-tend.co.uk
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (as amended) may apply. Bidders are advised to obtain their own legal advice and carry out due diligence including the New Fair Deal non-statutory policy setting out how pensions issues are to be dealt with when staff are compulsorily transferred from the public sector to independent providers delivering public services.
The Contracting Authority and NECS reserve the right to cancel the tender process at any point and will not be held liable for any costs resulting from any cancellation of the tender process or for any other costs incurred by those tendering for the contract.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £2,889,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
60
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Call volumes may increase or decrease throughout the lifetime of this contract. Increases and decreases will be dealt with under the conditions of contract.
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 three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
As listed in the ITT Documentation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.2) Contract performance conditions
As listed in the ITT Documentation
three.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2021/S 000-010137
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
27 September 2021
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
27 September 2021
Local time
12:30pm
Place
Via time locked e-tendering system
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: March 2026
six.3) Additional information
On viewing the tender documents for the first time, we advise you to check the clarifications section to ensure you have not missed any additional information that may have been issued prior to your expression of interest in this tender. It is also advisable to continue to check the clarifications section throughout the tender process.
The Contracting Authority will only accept documents for tenders or quotations placed on the e-Tendering portal to be received electronically unless explicitly stated otherwise in the bidder’s instructions.
Tenders submitted via the e-Tendering portal must be received in full prior to the closing time for receipt of tenders. Bidders are advised that uploading of large electronic files may take some time and as such bidders must allow sufficient time to fully transmit all files prior to the closing time for receipt of tenders.
The server clock displayed within the e-Tendering system shall govern the time for close of tender returns.
(MT Ref:223581)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Public Procurement Review Service
Cabinet Office
London
publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3450103503
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The Contracting Authority will act in accordance with Part 3 Chapter 5 Regulation 85 to 87 and Part 3 Chapter 6 Regulation 88 to 104 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (as amended) (PCR 2015). Part 3 of the PCR 2015 provides for appeals to be made to the High Court subject to time limitations and other required procedural steps. The rules relating to appeal are complex and a dissatisfied bidder is advised to take their own prompt legal advice.
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Royal Courts of Justice
The High Courts of Justice
London
WC242LL
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://courttribunalfinder.service.gov.uk/courts/royal-courts-of-justice