Tender

CCR Endoscopy Challenge

  • NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership-Procurement Services (hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust)

F21: Social and other specific services – public contracts (contract notice)

Notice identifier: 2022/S 000-021130

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-035847

Published 2 August 2022, 2:56pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership-Procurement Services (hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust)

Procurement Services, Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board, Woodlands House, 2nd Floor, Maes-Y-Coed Road

Cardiff

CF14 4HH

Email

sarah.yellen@wales.nhs.uk

Telephone

+44 1443848585

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/procurement-services/

Buyer's address

https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA0221

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk

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

CCR Endoscopy Challenge

Reference number

CAV-OJEU-PROJECT_50942

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 85100000 - Health services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The CAV UHB have been allocated funding to the total value of GBP600k to support a challenge to Industry for identifying and developing innovative solutions to the scope provided within the main requirement.

The intention is to hold engagement market research and testing with industry to identify and explore potential opportunities to help develop innovative solutions that can help to support the challenge. The procurement will be shaped into stages with funding being available subject to project board sign off during the process to enable bidders to develop their proposed solution further;

Phase 1 : Development of Concepts (~GBP100k) with funded contribution up to GBP20k available for bidders subject to successful selection (up to a period of 3 months)

Phase 2 : Development of Functional Prototype (~GBP200k) with funded contribution up to ~GBP100k available to bidders selected to progress from Phase 1 (Up to a period of 6 months)

Phase 3 : Next stage development towards deployable/commercial product with up to ~GBP300k available to bidders selected to progress from Phase 2

The development stages and funds available are provided as a guide and may be subject to change depending on the outcome of the development phases that will help to inform the final Tender. (Up to a period of 6 months)

It is anticipated that successful applicants will also contribute direct and in-kind resources during the course of the project although there is no pre-requisite fixed % matched required and each proposal will be considered on a per-case basis.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £600,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Option 1 - Devices

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 85100000 - Health services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKL22 - Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The final procurement following the market research and engagement dialogue phases may or may not result in the Health Board awarding to 1 or more suppliers based on the outcomes received from the Industry relating to the Challenge. This may be related to devices/ solutions or both

Endoscopy waiting lists in Wales continue to face significant pressure. During the height of the pandemic the provision of diagnostic, therapeutic and surveillance endoscopy services were extremely challenged with a significant increase in those awaiting a procedure. Today, even as capacity returns slowly towards normal, the overall numbers of patients awaiting a procedure continues to grow.

Strict review and triage of lists has required the absolute prioritisation of urgent and higher risk cases. However, overall time to intervention for such cases is not at the level desired.

Patients deemed non-urgent such as those waiting for surveillance colonoscopy and those thought to be at less risk of cancer continue to wait due to the lack of capacity. There is evidence that even patients with high risk symptoms or positive screening tests are also having to wait far longer than desirable. The requirement for in-patient admissions for some patients and the necessary wait before an endoscopic examination can be completed adds additional pressure on availability of beds and overall patient flow through hospitals.

Current endoscopy technology is reusable and capital costs are between GBP60,000.00 to GBP100,000.00 per endoscope system. After each use, the endoscope needs to be decontaminated using specialist units costing roughly GBP1 million per year to run.

As described above, Endoscopy waiting lists represent a continuing challenge for the NHS in Wales. The additional demand exceeds available capacity therefore, increasing the value secured through spend on endoscopy is critical to secure a sustainable future for the service.

The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB) are looking to offer the opportunity to rapidly assess and develop novel solutions and technologies that have the potential to accelerate disruptive innovation in reducing the burden of work on endoscopy suites, which could

cover several areas such as Technologies or approaches that would obviate the need for an endoscopic procedure such as (but not limited to) :

- New training methods to upskill Health Care Professionals to improve the quality of referrals and increase workforce capacity

- New endoscopy procedures and approaches

- Faster decontamination/cleaning/workflow systems

- Development and/or implementation of new non-invasive technology

- AI/advance analytics to monitor, manage and signpost patients on the waiting list

The aims are as follows;

- Better management of demand, ensuring maximum value is delivered by the service whilst maintaining a high quality, safe service

- People will get a Faster, definitive diagnosis

- Improved capacity and capability within the service

- Fewer complications

-Improved, expedited recovery and discharge from hospital

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No

two.2.14) Additional information

The intention is to release funding at each stage of the Challenge process to fund shortlisted organisations to undertake R&D as the project progresses.

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Option 2 - Solution

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 85100000 - Health services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKL22 - Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The final procurement following the market research and engagement dialogue phases may or may not result in the Health Board awarding to 1 or more suppliers based on the outcomes received from the Industry relating to the Challenge. This may be related to devices/ solutions or both

Endoscopy waiting lists in Wales continue to face significant pressure. During the height of the pandemic the provision of diagnostic, therapeutic and surveillance endoscopy services were extremely challenged with a significant increase in those awaiting a procedure. Today, even as capacity returns slowly towards normal, the overall numbers of patients awaiting a procedure continues to grow.

Strict review and triage of lists has required the absolute prioritisation of urgent and higher risk cases. However, overall time to intervention for such cases is not at the level desired.

Patients deemed non-urgent such as those waiting for surveillance colonoscopy and those thought to be at less risk of cancer continue to wait due to the lack of capacity. There is evidence that even patients with high risk symptoms or positive screening tests are also having to wait far longer than desirable. The requirement for in-patient admissions for some patients and the necessary wait before an endoscopic examination can be completed adds additional pressure on availability of beds and overall patient flow through hospitals.

Current endoscopy technology is reusable and capital costs are between GBP60,000.00 to GBP100,000.00 per endoscope system. After each use, the endoscope needs to be decontaminated using specialist units costing roughly GBP1 million per year to run.

As described above, Endoscopy waiting lists represent a continuing challenge for the NHS in Wales. The additional demand exceeds available capacity therefore, increasing the value secured through spend on endoscopy is critical to secure a sustainable future for the service.

The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB) are looking to offer the opportunity to rapidly assess and develop novel solutions and technologies that have the potential to accelerate disruptive innovation in reducing the burden of work on endoscopy suites, which could

cover several areas such as Technologies or approaches that would obviate the need for an endoscopic procedure such as (but not limited to) :

- New training methods to upskill Health Care Professionals to improve the quality of referrals and increase workforce capacity

- New endoscopy procedures and approaches

- Faster decontamination/cleaning/workflow systems

- Development and/or implementation of new non-invasive technology

- AI/advance analytics to monitor, manage and signpost patients on the waiting list

The aims are as follows;

- Better management of demand, ensuring maximum value is delivered by the service whilst maintaining a high quality, safe service

- People will get a Faster, definitive diagnosis

- Improved capacity and capability within the service

- Fewer complications

-Improved, expedited recovery and discharge from hospital

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.1.4) Objective rules and criteria for participation

List and brief description of rules and criteria

The Health Board is seeking to engage in dialogue with providers who are able to provide an innovative approach/solution to meeting the needs of this challenge. We are not looking for anything already available that is market ready and intend to use the funding available to help support industry into moving ideas into development and commercialisation to support the challenge going forward.

There will be a qualification stage set for participation and shortlisting and then following initial dialogue further information will be shared around the criteria for shortlisting and allocation of funds to the shortlisted providers to commence Phase 1 of the Development stage, and so on to the remaining phases until we reach the final Tender stage for taking a preferred solution through to final tender process and award.

three.2) Conditions related to the contract

three.2.2) Contract performance conditions

The funding provided is to support innovation and there will be some scored criteria that will cover the related links to social, economic and community benefits


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Form of procedure

Procedure involving negotiation

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

16 September 2022

Local time

12:00pm

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English


Section six. Complementary information

six.2) Information about electronic workflows

Electronic ordering will be used

Electronic invoicing will be accepted

Electronic payment will be used

six.3) Additional information

Please note additional information on this procurement:

1. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to award the contract in whole, in part or annul the tendering process and not award any

contract.

2. Bidders should note that they will be required to enter into terms and conditions of contract as set out in the ITT and that save for matters of clarification or consistency the Contracting Authority will not negotiate the terms.

3. The Contracting Authority will not accept completed ITT's after the stated closing date.

4. All documents to be priced (where applicable) in sterling and all payments made in sterling.

5. All tender costs and liabilities incurred by bidders shall be the sole responsibility of the bidders.

6. Prospective suppliers should note that NHS Shared Services Partnership - Procurement Services is acting on behalf of Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board.

7. This Procurement is being undertaken via the Light Touch Regime.

8. Bidders wishing to participate should visit the Bravo e-tenderwales portal

NOTE: The authority is using eTenderwales to carry out this procurement process. To obtain further information record your interest on Sell2Wales at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales

NOTE: The authority is using eTenderwales to carry out this procurement process. To obtain further information record your interest on Sell2Wales at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=123420

(WA Ref:123420)

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

High Court

Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand

London

WC2A 2LL

Telephone

+44 2079477501

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership on behalf of Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board will allow a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period between notifying the award decision and awarding the contract. Unsuccessful tenderers and applicants are entitled to receive reasons for the decision, including the characteristics and relative advantages of the winning bid and the reasons why the tenderer/applicant was unsuccessful.

Should additional information be required it should be requested of the addressee in section I.1. Aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by breach of the procurement rules have the right to take action in the High Court (England and Wales). Any such action is subject to strict time limits in accordance with the Public Contracts (Amendments) Regulations 2015.