Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board
Unit 10, Phoenix Court
Basildon
SS14 3HG
Contact
Kevin Edwards
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH3 - Essex
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.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
938980
Reference number
ACE-659-2022-MSE
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72511000 - Network management software services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This is a voluntary ex ante transparency notice and is intended to provide notice of NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board ("the ICB") intention to award a 12-month contract term, with the option to extend the contract for up to an additional 12-month period, for the provision of Corporate IT Service Management across Mid and South Essex.
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: £938,980
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72322000 - Data management services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
Main site or place of performance
Mid and South Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This is a voluntary ex ante transparency notice and is intended to provide notice of MSE ICB’s intention to award a 12-month contract (1st July 2023 – 30th June 2024) with the option to extend the contract by up to an additional 12-month period (1st July 2024-30th June 2025); a maximum contract term of 24-months. It is MSE ICB’s intention to award this contract to the existing supplier, NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit (AGEM CSU) for the provision of Corporate IT Service Management to Mid and South Essex integrated Care Board.
The national guidance confirms that Commissioning support units (CSUs) operate within the NHS family across England, providing services that have been independently evaluated for quality and value for money. The expectation is that CSUs will continue to develop as trusted delivery partners to ICSs, providing economies of scale.
Nationally NHS England have put in place a moratorium to protect core CSU services whilst clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are dissolved and transitioned to ICB. No definitive date has been given for when the protected status will end.
The ICB have concluded that there is an unacceptable risk associated with change of service provision whilst the system is in a significant state of transition and valuable resources must be duly focused on ensuring Business as Usual (BAU) services and steady state across the new MSE ICB. The ICB deem that the incumbent provider is the only technically capable provider to deliver the services within the timescale and budget available. Additionally, there is insufficient time to complete a robust contract mobilisation, involving critical mobilisation and transition risks including workforce and transfer of data and systems, which is estimated to require 12+ months to implement in a robust and safe manner, based on previous experience. In the face of current ICB transition environment and in the absence a longer mobilisation period, no reasonable alternative or substitute exists.
MSE ICB have decided that the best solution to ensure that corporate users across Mid and South Essex benefit from Corporate IT Service Management is to ensure continuity of service provision with the existing supplier, who is uniquely placed to successfully deliver Corporate IT Service Management in accordance with the NHS England Moratorium and the available timescales. As such the ICB propose to award a contract to AGEM CSU for the provision of Corporate IT Service Management, service delivery commencing 1st July 2023-30th June 2024 (with the option to extend by a further 12 months).
The contracting authority will award the contract utilising the NHS supply of goods and provision of service, with similar contract mechanisms utilised within the Health Systems Services Framework (HSSF).
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 100
Price - Weighting: 100
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:
This is a voluntary ex ante transparency notice and is intended to provide notice of MSE ICB’s intention to award a 12-month contract (1st July 2023 – 30th June 2024) with the option to extend the contract by up to an additional 12-month period (1st July 2024-30th June 2025); a maximum contract term of 24-months. It is MSE ICB’s intention to award this contract to the existing supplier, NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit (AGEM CSU) for the provision of Corporate IT Service Management to Mid and South Essex integrated Care Board.
The national guidance confirms that Commissioning support units (CSUs) operate within the NHS family across England, providing services that have been independently evaluated for quality and value for money. The expectation is that CSUs will continue to develop as trusted delivery partners to ICSs, providing economies of scale.
Nationally NHS England have put in place a moratorium to protect core CSU services whilst clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are dissolved and transitioned to ICB. No definitive date has been given for when the protected status will end.
The ICB have concluded that there is an unacceptable risk associated with change of service provision whilst the system is in a significant state of transition and valuable resources must be duly focused on ensuring Business as Usual (BAU) services and steady state across the new MSE ICB. The ICB deem that the incumbent provider is the only technically capable provider to deliver the services within the timescale and budget available. Additionally, there is insufficient time to complete a robust contract mobilisation, involving critical mobilisation and transition risks including workforce and transfer of data and systems, which is estimated to require 12+ months to implement in a robust and safe manner, based on previous experience. In the face of current ICB transition environment and in the absence a longer mobilisation period, no reasonable alternative or substitute exists.
MSE ICB have decided that the best solution to ensure that corporate users across Mid and South Essex benefit from Corporate IT Service Management is to ensure continuity of service provision with the existing supplier, who is uniquely placed to successfully deliver Corporate IT Service Management in accordance with the NHS England Moratorium and the available timescales. As such the ICB propose to award a contract to AGEM CSU for the provision of Corporate IT Service Management, service delivery commencing 1st July 2023-30th June 2024 (with the option to extend by a further 12 months).
The contracting authority will award the contract utilising the NHS supply of goods and provision of service, with similar contract mechanisms utilised within the Health Systems Services Framework (HSSF).
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
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
7 September 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
NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit
Suite 2, Phoenix Place, Christopher Martin Road
Basildon
SS14 3HG
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKH3 - Essex
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £938,980
five.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The Royal Courts of Justice
London
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
The Royal Courts of Justice
The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom