NECS466 Termination of Pregnancy Service (TOPS) for and on behalf of NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board

North of England Commissioning Support (NECS) is a commissioning support service working for and on behalf of NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NHS NENC ICB) (the Contracting Authority), who are undertaking a procurement to commission Termination of Pregnancy Service across the NHS NENC ICB regional footprint under NHS Standard Contract 2023/24 Full-length (Particulars, Service Conditions, General Conditions) or any edition or any subsequent revisions.

The contract term is for an initial period of 3 years commencing on 01 April 2024, with an option to extend for a further 2 years at the discretion of the Contracting Authority and subject to satisfactory contractual and financial performance.

The closing date for submission of tenders was by 12 noon on 13 October 2023.

Additional information

Firstly, the "Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006" as amended by the "Collective Redundancies and Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) (Amendment) Regulation 2014" (TUPE) [may/does not] apply to this contract. However, Bidders are advised to obtain their own legal advice and carry out due diligence including the New Fair Deal non-statutory policy setting out how pensions issues are to be dealt with when staff are compulsorily transferred from the public sector to independent providers delivering public services.

Secondly, previous publications concerning this procedure, publication references 2023/S 000-016790 and 2023/S 000-017048.

This contract value within this notice is indicative and will be used for evaluation purposes. The indicative financial thresholds may be subject to decrease or increase following contract award as a result of an increase or decrease in activity levels.

NECS is utilising an electronic tendering tool to manage this procurement and communicate with potential bidders. Accordingly, there will be no hard copy documents issued to potential bidders and all communications with NECS, including bid submissions, will be conducted via the Atamis portal at: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome. It is free to register on the portal and it can be accessed at any time of day providing you have a working internet connection. Should bidders have any queries, or are having problems registering on the portal; they should contact the Atamis helpdesk via:Support-health@Atamis.co.uk or phone number 0800 9956035 The helpdesk is open Monday - Friday between 9am - 5.30pm

Tender documentation was available on the e-tendering site from 13 September 2023.

Additional information: The contract term was for an initial period of 3 years commencing on 01 April 2024, with an option to extend for a further 2 years at the discretion of the Contracting Authority and subject to satisfactory contractual and financial performance. The closing date for submission of tenders was by 12 noon on 13 October 2023. Additional information Firstly, the "Transfer of Undertakings(Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006" as amended by the "Collective Redundancies and Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) (Amendment) Regulation 2014" (TUPE) [may/does not] apply to this contract. However, Bidders are advised to obtain their own legal advice and carry out due diligence including the New Fair Deal non-statutory policy setting out how pensions issues are to be dealt with when staff are compulsorily transferred from the public sector to independent providers delivering public services.Secondly, previous publications concerning this procedure, publication references 2023/S000-016790 and 2023/S 000-017048.

This contract value within this notice is indicative and will be used for evaluation purposes. The indicative financial thresholds may be subject to decrease or increase following contract award as a result of an increase or decrease in activity levels. NECS is utilising an electronic tendering tool to manage this procurement and

communicate with potential bidders. Accordingly, there will be no hard copy documents issued to potential bidders and all communications with NECS, including bid submissions, will be conducted via the Atamis portal at: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome. It is free to register on the portal and it can be accessed at any time of day providing you have a working internet connection. Should bidders have any queries, or are having problems registering on the portal; they should contact the Atamis helpdesk via:Support-health@Atamis.co.uk or phone number 0800 9956035 The helpdesk is open Monday - Friday between 9am - 5.30pm.Tender documentation was available on the e-tendering site from 13 September 2023.

Period of contract: 3 years with effect from 01 April 2024 with an option to extend for an additional period of 24 months at the discretion of the Contracting Authority and subject to satisfactory financial and contractual performance; Closing date and time for Bidder clarification questions was : 17:00hrs 29 September 2023

Closing date and time for return of tender was: 12 noon 13 October 2023; and Variant bids were not accepted.

Legal, economic, financial, and technical information

Conditions for participation Objective rules and criteria for participation Under the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, Contracting Authorities must consider: (a) How what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social, and environmental well-being of the area where they exercise their functions; and (b) How, in conducting the process of procurement, they might act with a view to securing that improvement.