Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Department of Finance
C/O 303 Airport Road West
BELFAST
BT3 9ED
SSDAdmin.CPD@finance-ni.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Buyer's address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
DAC 149/22 ID 4609155 - DOF NICSHR Occupational Health Service
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This DAC is to provide Occupational Health Services to the Department. There are resourcing issues and the state of the labour market were unforseen and unattributable to the Department. There are capacity issues in this area, competition for resources in both the private and public sector and the Dept must act quickly to secure. The Department is considering longer term solutions including employment but services must be covered in the interim.
These are urgent, critical services. There is no option to do nothing.
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: £766,335
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This DAC is to provide Occupational Health Services to the Department. There are resourcing issues and the state of the labour market were unforseen and unattributable to the Department. There are capacity issues in this area, competition for resources in both the private and public sector and the Dept must act quickly to secure. The Department is considering longer term solutions including employment but services must be covered in the interim.
These are urgent, critical services. There is no option to do nothing.
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
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
The provider is an established and experienced occupational health service provider, and they have confirmed that they can deliver a range of occupational health services to assist the NICS. The ability to procure these services to support OHS activities will safeguard the delivery of occupational health services, assist in the use of limited OHS resource, and proved an opportunity to consider and implement longer term solutions to the challenges being faced Given the possible impact of these challenges on the NICS and the requirement to address the situation urgently, approval is being sought to procure these services through a Direct Award Contract (DAC) as an interim arrangement while longer term solutions are implemented. Under Regulation 32 of PCR 2015, there are derogations to award a contract to a single supplier where the supplies or services can only be supplied by a particular supplier.
In this case specifically applying the derogation under Regulation 32(2)(c) whereby it is strictly necessary where, for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting authority, the time limits for the open or restricted procedures or competitive procedures with negotiation cannot be complied with.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section five. Award of contract/concession
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
13 December 2022
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Blackwell Associates
Belfast
enquiries@blackwellassociates.co.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKM - Scotland
Internet address
https://www.blackwellassociates.co.uk/
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £766,335
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The UK does not have any special review body with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures in public procurement competitions. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015.
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
: The Public Contract Regulations 2015 provide for aggrieved parties who have.. been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). The authority incorporates a standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) before this contract is awarded.