Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Department of Health and Social Care
39 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
Contact
Elle Mothersole
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKI32 - Westminster
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care
Buyer's address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
NIHR Evaluations, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC) — National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Central Commissioning Facility (CCF)— NIHR Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure
Reference number
C0291
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 75120000 - Administrative services of agencies
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 98113000 - Services furnished by specialist organisations
- 75120000 - Administrative services of agencies
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement at the time of conclusion of the contract:
• Established processes for commissioning R&D within NIHR and DH were set up to promote probity in spending public money and equality of opportunity. NETSCC will be expected to adopt similar standards of commissioning for all its managed programmes. This is an essential requirement and bidders must demonstrate an understanding of the process and the skills required to deliver it which, crucially, includes scientific secretariat skills.
• NETSCC will be required to provide administrative support to all systems and structures used to identify and prioritise research of relevance to those who plan, provide or receive NHS and other health and care services as well as providing systems and processes for research commissioning, monitoring and project management.
• NETSCC will provide scientific secretariat support, under the direction of a Programme Director, to expert advisory committees and will advise on the prioritisation of research proposals and on commissioning decisions.
• NETSCC will be required to make all necessary arrangements for commissioning and other meetings. For example, the maintenance of committee membership lists, the production and distribution of all papers necessary well in advance of meetings, the taking of minutes of meetings (which will include discussions of science and research methodology) and the prompt circulation of accurate minutes following meetings.
• NETSCC will be responsible for the issuing of project and programme contracts (standard contract format) which will be sent for final signature to the DH Science, Research and Evidence Directorate (SRED).
• All projects and programmes will require a detailed timetable with milestones. NETSCC will monitor projects and programmes and will take receipt of regular reports ensuring that researchers keep to the timetable and achieve milestones. This will require a solid understanding of the science as well as strong administrative skills.
• NETSCC will be responsible for forecasting, profiling and reporting on annual budgets from April 1st to March 31st of each of the years covered, reporting quarterly and monitoring monthly.
• Payments to R&D project and research infrastructure contractors are made by DH normally quarterly in arrears. NETSCC will take responsibility for informing SRED when project/ programme contracts have started in order that scheduled payments may commence, and for alerting SRED of any adverse event necessitating suspension of payments.
• NETSCC will be required to set up and run, in liaison with SRED, financially sound and transparent accounting systems. NETSCC will be expected to adopt information management systems that are compatible with systems already in use by other parts of NIHR. NETSCC will provide progress reports, including financial summaries, in respect of the managed programmes as required. Bidders must be able to demonstrate the necessary skills to deliver this aspect of their bid.
• NETSCC will take such steps as are necessary to ensure that accurate, well presented, peer reviewed final reports and executive summaries are forthcoming promptly from all projects funded, and that these reports and summaries are entered into appropriate database and library systems. Specifically, NETSCC will deliver the NIHR Journals Library series and all outputs from NETSCC will be included in that series. Relevant NIHR funded research commissioned through the NIHR Central Commissioning facility will also be included (namely Programme Grants for Applied Research) as well as selected outputs from other funders where there is a shared interest, namely the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) Methodology Research Programme.
• NETSCC will, as routine, alert the Department to forthcoming outputs through an outputs notification process, highlighting any outputs considered sensitive. As part of that process, NETSCC will, as a minimum, provide notice and copies of forthcoming publications, including press releases, arising from funded research at least 28 days prior to publication. Contractors will alert the Department immediately to such forthcoming publications and ensure that it receives advance copies as soon as these are available.
• NETSCC will use its best endeavours to ensure, as far as possible, that intellectual property rights (IPR) of value to the NHS are properly protected and managed, and agreements are drawn up to ensure the NHS receives an appropriate share of any earnings from IPR.
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Start date
1 April 2018
End date
31 March 2025
In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 4 years
n/a
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: 2017/S 123-249984
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
2016/S 208-376509
Lot No
1
Title
The NIHR Evaluations, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC)
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:
19 May 2017
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
University of Southampton
University Road, Highfield
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
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: £127,458,286
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The High Court
The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.judiciary.uk/courts-and-tribunals/high-court/
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
The High Court
The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
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
- 75120000 - Administrative services of agencies
seven.1.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 98113000 - Services furnished by specialist organisations
seven.1.3) Place of performance
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
United Kingdom
seven.1.4) Description of the procurement:
• Established processes for commissioning R&D within NIHR and DH were set up to promote probity in spending public money and equality of opportunity. NETSCC will be expected to adopt similar standards of commissioning for all its managed programmes. This is an essential requirement and bidders must demonstrate an understanding of the process and the skills required to deliver it which, crucially, includes scientific secretariat skills.
• NETSCC will be required to provide administrative support to all systems and structures used to identify and prioritise research of relevance to those who plan, provide or receive NHS and other health and care services as well as providing systems and processes for research commissioning, monitoring and project management.
• NETSCC will provide scientific secretariat support, under the direction of a Programme Director, to expert advisory committees and will advise on the prioritisation of research proposals and on commissioning decisions.
• NETSCC will be required to make all necessary arrangements for commissioning and other meetings. For example, the maintenance of committee membership lists, the production and distribution of all papers necessary well in advance of meetings, the taking of minutes of meetings (which will include discussions of science and research methodology) and the prompt circulation of accurate minutes following meetings.
• NETSCC will be responsible for the issuing of project and programme contracts (standard contract format) which will be sent for final signature to the DH Science, Research and Evidence Directorate (SRED).
• All projects and programmes will require a detailed timetable with milestones. NETSCC will monitor projects and programmes and will take receipt of regular reports ensuring that researchers keep to the timetable and achieve milestones. This will require a solid understanding of the science as well as strong administrative skills.
• NETSCC will be responsible for forecasting, profiling and reporting on annual budgets from April 1st to March 31st of each of the years covered, reporting quarterly and monitoring monthly.
• Payments to R&D project and research infrastructure contractors are made by DH normally quarterly in arrears. NETSCC will take responsibility for informing SRED when project/ programme contracts have started in order that scheduled payments may commence, and for alerting SRED of any adverse event necessitating suspension of payments.
• NETSCC will be required to set up and run, in liaison with SRED, financially sound and transparent accounting systems. NETSCC will be expected to adopt information management systems that are compatible with systems already in use by other parts of NIHR. NETSCC will provide progress reports, including financial summaries, in respect of the managed programmes as required. Bidders must be able to demonstrate the necessary skills to deliver this aspect of their bid.
• NETSCC will take such steps as are necessary to ensure that accurate, well presented, peer reviewed final reports and executive summaries are forthcoming promptly from all projects funded, and that these reports and summaries are entered into appropriate database and library systems. Specifically, NETSCC will deliver the NIHR Journals Library series and all outputs from NETSCC will be included in that series. Relevant NIHR funded research commissioned through the NIHR Central Commissioning facility will also be included (namely Programme Grants for Applied Research) as well as selected outputs from other funders where there is a shared interest, namely the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) Methodology Research Programme.
• NETSCC will, as routine, alert the Department to forthcoming outputs through an outputs notification process, highlighting any outputs considered sensitive. As part of that process, NETSCC will, as a minimum, provide notice and copies of forthcoming publications, including press releases, arising from funded research at least 28 days prior to publication. Contractors will alert the Department immediately to such forthcoming publications and ensure that it receives advance copies as soon as these are available.
• NETSCC will use its best endeavours to ensure, as far as possible, that intellectual property rights (IPR) of value to the NHS are properly protected and managed, and agreements are drawn up to ensure the NHS receives an appropriate share of any earnings from IPR.
seven.1.5) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Start date
1 April 2018
End date
31 March 2025
In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 4 years:
n/a
seven.1.6) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession:
£137,277,418
seven.1.7) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
University of Southampton
University Road, Highfield
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
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):
This modification extends NETSCC’s existing core functions to provide identification, prioritisation, research commissioning and management facilities to:
• Establish new research funding programmes and improve patient and public involvement in research commissioning.
• Support management of NIHR’s Open Access policy, improve NIHR’s sustainability and support better participant representation in NIHR funded research
• Support implementation of the new NIHR funding management systems and ongoing NIHR-wide digital transformation programme within NETSCC.
Previous changes to the contract have been made, bringing the current contract value to 127,458,286 GBP (this value excludes this modification and excludes the possible 2-year extension period from March 2025 - March 2027 that is not yet exercised.)
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:
The Authority believes that the modification was permitted under Regulation 72(1)(b) of the PCR 2015 (SI 102) due to the following reasons:
a)the modification was necessary to respond to a significant growth in demand for, and/or improvements in, NIHR NETSCC research services and associated outputs arising after the date, on which the NETSCC Contract had been entered into
b)a change of contractor could not have been made for economic or technical reasons as such additional services required highly specialised, health and care research management expertise, reliance on extensive, established stakeholder relationships and an up-to-date working knowledge of NIHR strategy, policies and systems
c) a change of contractor would have caused significant inconvenience and substantial duplication of costs as a result of:
i)the fragmentation and duplication of existing NIHR research programmes;
ii)significant, increased contractual management costs
iii)significantly higher admin costs
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: £127,458,286
Total contract value after the modifications
Value excluding VAT: £137,277,418