Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
Trust Headquarters, Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Ethelbert Road
Canterbury
CT1 3NG
Contact
Senior Category Manager - Corporate (C385190)
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ44 - East Kent
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
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
Insourcing of clinical services_Mechanical Thrombectomy
Reference number
C385190
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
2gether Support Solutions, on behalf of East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (the "Trust"), is looking to award a contract under the Most Suitable Provider process of the Provider Selection Regime ("PSR"), i.e., able to identify the most suitable provider without running a competitive exercise, for the provision of insourced clinical services to support the establishment and delivery of the Trust's new Mechanical Thrombectomy 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: £1,052,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85141000 - Services provided by medical personnel
- 85110000 - Hospital and related services
- 85121200 - Medical specialist services
- 85141200 - Services provided by nurses
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ44 - East Kent
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
In accordance with Regulation 10 of The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, 2gether Support Solutions, on behalf of East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (the "Trust"), is looking to award a contract under the Most Suitable Provider process, i.e., able to identify the most suitable provider without running a competitive exercise, for the provision of insourced clinical services to support the establishment and delivery of the Trust's new Mechanical Thrombectomy service.
A most suitable provider has been identified by the Trust to provide:
1) specifically trained and competent Interventional Neuroradiologists to operate the Trust's Mechanical Thrombectomy service, including the delivery of an effective Mechanical Thrombectomy training programme to the Trust's substantive Interventional Radiologists within this period, to allow for the Mechanical Thrombectomy service to operate independently (without insourced staffing) at the end of the Proposed Contract's term; and
2) specifically skilled and competent Interventional Neuroradiology Radiographers and Interventional Neuroradiology Nurses to support and train the Trust's substantive Interventional Radiology Radiographers and Interventional Radiology Nurses during the initial establishment of the Mechanical Thrombectomy service (maximum period of eight weeks); and
3) provide independently competent Interventional Radiologists with the specific clinical skillset required to operate and support the existing Interventional Radiology service (caseload) for the Proposed Contract term.
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention of award notice.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Cost criterion - Name: Most suitable provider process with regard to the key criteria / Weighting: 100
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition, as selected in the preliminary questions.
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 Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act Regulations 2023 do NOT apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers before midnight on 1st October 2025. The Proposed Contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
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
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
19 September 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Athona Limited
2nd Floor, Kingsgate House, 1 King Edward Road
Brentwood
CM14 4HG
Telephone
+44 1277217777
Fax
+44 1277217755
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
04854351
Internet address
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £1,052,000
Lowest offer: £1,052,000 / Highest offer: £1,052,000 taken into consideration
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice.
The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act Regulations 2023 do NOT apply to this award.
The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority before midnight on 1st October 2025. Any representations must be made to email address: ekh-tr.procurement@nhs.net, with the subject line titled: 'C385190_MSP_PSR_Representations_[insert your company name]'.
This contract has NOT yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
The Contracting Authority is of the view that after having taken into account likely providers and all relevant information available to it at this time, that it has identified the most suitable provider. Each of the five key criteria elements (quality and innovation; value, integration, collaboration and service sustainability; improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitation choice; and social value) were considered and balanced with equal importance.
This decision has been made as per the Contracting Authority's governance processes. No declared conflicts or potential conflicts of interest of the individuals making the decision were identified.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
2Gether Support Solutions Limited
William Harvey Hospital, Kennington Road, Ashford
Kent
TN24 0LZ
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.2gethersupportsolutions.org/
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
2Gether Support Solutions Limited
William Harvey Hospital, Kennington Road, Ashford
Kent
TN24 0LZ
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.2gethersupportsolutions.org/
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
2Gether Support Solutions Limited
William Harvey Hospital, Kennington Road, Ashford
Kent
TN24 0LZ
Country
United Kingdom