Contract

National Air Ambulance Service for The Scottish Ambulance Service

  • Scottish Ambulance Service

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-025179

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-03922f

Published 9 August 2024, 10:46am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Scottish Ambulance Service

National Headquarters, Gyle Square, South Gyle Crescent

Edinburgh

EH12 9EB

Email

danielle.welsh@nhs.scot

Telephone

+44 01313140090

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKM - Scotland

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.scottishambulance.com

Buyer's address

https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00393

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

National Air Ambulance Service for The Scottish Ambulance Service

Reference number

SAS/2022/639

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 60443000 - Air-rescue services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The procurement of a national air ambulance service for the Scottish Ambulance Service.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Value excluding VAT: £241,953,313

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 34710000 - Helicopters, aeroplanes, spacecraft and other powered aircraft
  • 35112000 - Rescue and emergency equipment
  • 35612500 - Search and rescue helicopters
  • 35613000 - Unmanned aerial vehicles
  • 60424120 - Hire of helicopters with crew
  • 60440000 - Aerial and related services
  • 34711110 - Fixed-wing aircrafts
  • 60424110 - Hire of fixed-wing aircraft with crew
  • 34711300 - Piloted aircraft
  • 34711400 - Special-purpose aircraft
  • 34700000 - Aircraft and spacecraft

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance

Scotland - National Service

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Scottish Ambulance Service ("the Service") provides a national air ambulance service to all of Scotland and its islands. This is the only wholly publicly funded air ambulance service in the United Kingdom and provides an invaluable resource to the public of Scotland.

Scotland presents a challenging environment for air ambulance operators. Factors to be considered include:

- Varied terrain.

- Potentially severe weather conditions.

- Longer hours of darkness in winter.

- Limited and varying airport capabilities and hours of operation.

- Future island transport provisions including ferries and airport developments or changes.

- Recognition of the Government targets on sustainability and carbon neutral.

- National planning of specialist services for example thrombectomy and major trauma.

The aims of the procurement are to deliver an innovative, sustainable, resilient and value for money air ambulance service that can respond to changes in service delivery requirements whilst maintaining a high quality care and experience for the patients and public of Scotland.

The future contract is expected to encompass the following elements including but not limited to:

1.The aircraft fleet must be capable of reaching all of Scotland’s population. The rotary aircraft must have 24/7 Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) capability and all aircraft must act as a suitable transport platform for the personnel and equipment associated with our adult, paediatric and neonatal critical care transport and retrieval teams (ScotSTAR).

2. Provision of aircraft hangarage in order to ensure 24/7 availability of aircraft during inclement weather.

3. Provision of maintenance & backup. All planned and reactive maintenance must be carried out in Scotland. Backup aircraft to be provided to the same specification as core aircraft.

4. Provision of 24/7 engineering support.

5. Provision of adequate base facilities for clinical staff. e.g., provision of Ops Room space, lockers and parking facilities etc., In addition, meeting room/training room and overnight accommodation (where necessary) for on-call clinical staff.

6. Provision of air crew member training (e.g., Technical Crew Member training for HEMS).

7.Provision of compliant radio communications system. The aircraft must be capable of compliance with the current Airwave communications system (if this is still in operation at contract commencement), and also compliance with the future Emergency Services Network (ESN) system

8. Provision of on-going monitoring of service provision by way of regular contract monitoring meetings.

9. The Service will provide the clinical staffing. The aircraft, flight crew (pilots), estate & facilities and engineering support will be provided by the successful contractor(s) on a managed service basis.

10. The successful contractor(s) shall support a variety of air ambulance missions; ranging from hospital discharges through to pre-hospital helicopter emergency calls and critical care transfers.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality Ratio / Weighting: 70%

Cost criterion - Name: Cost Ratio / Weighting: 30%

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

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.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Competitive dialogue

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: 2022/S 000-035756


Section five. Award of contract

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

26 July 2024

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 2

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0

Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0

Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 2

Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Gama Aviation (UK) Ltd

1st Floor, 25 Templer Avenue

Farnborough

GU14 6FE

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKJ37 - North Hampshire
The contractor is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot: £241,953,313


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

Bidders should review all procurement documents attached to this Contract Notice before completing the SPD.

(SC Ref:774773)

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Edinburgh Sheriff Court

Edinburgh

Country

United Kingdom