Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board
Charter House Parkway
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 6JL
Contact
Martyn Richardson
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH23 - Hertfordshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.hertsandwestessex.icb.nhs.uk/
Buyer's address
https://www.hertsandwestessex.icb.nhs.uk/
one.1) Name and addresses
Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board
Charter House, Parkway
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 6JL
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH - East of England
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://hertsandwestessex.icb.nhs.uk/
Buyer's address
http://www.hertsprocurement.nhs.uk/joomla/
one.1) Name and addresses
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
Lister Hospital, Coreys Mill Lane
Stevenage
SG1 4AB
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH - East of England
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.enherts-tr.nhs.uk/
Buyer's address
http://www.hertsprocurement.nhs.uk/joomla/
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement
In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law
UK
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
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
HWE ICB, ENHT - Microbiology and Virology Services
Reference number
C220900
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85111800 - Pathology services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (the “ICB”) and East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust (the “Trust”) are seeking Microbiology and Virology Services for GP Direct Access work and non-urgent tests for the Trust (the “Contract”).
The Contract is to replace an existing contract that is being terminated and will run until a procurement is completed to establish a full Pathology Network Service across the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care System area.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £4,500,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH - East of England
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Microbiology and Virology Services under the Contract must start on 1 April 2024.
It is anticipated that the term of the Contract will be for one year with options to extend for two periods of six months although final details will be confirmed in any future procurement process.
The GP Direct Access work is for approximately 38 practices or Health Centres within the area of the former East and North Hertfordshire CCG.
The tests total in excess of 400,000 per annum. The breakdown for the last full year is available on request.
The Service must be running by 31st March 2024 and will include:
• Testing Service.
• Logistics to collect samples from GP practices and the Trust.
• Supplier LIMS connected to the Trust and GP via ICE Order Communications to enable ordering of tests and communication of results.
Taking account of the above and the short time available to the ICB and the Trust to run a procurement process, anyone with experience of delivering large scale volumes of Microbiology and Virology tests to NHS organisations and who could deliver the Services under the Contract from 1 April 2024 should respond to this notice by 22nd November 2023.
This will then inform the ICB and Trust’s procurement strategy for the Contract. The ICB and Trust anticipate that an accelerated procurement process could be required.
two.2.14) Additional information
Please note that this is not a call for competition and no Contract will be awarded as a result of this pre-market engagement exercise.
Following market engagement, should the ICB and Trust need to run a competitive procurement exercise, a further notice will be published in Find a Tender to start any formal procurement process.
Any resulting procurement process that starts prior to 1 January 2024 will be subject to the so-called “Light Touch Regime” under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
The ICB and the Trust are not responsible for any costs incurred by interested parties participating in this market engagement exercise.
This market engagement is being administered via the Atamis e-Tendering Portal (https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome) - ref C220900. Interested parties should contact the named buyer via email to martyn.richardson@nhs.net.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
4 December 2023
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No