NHS England - Provision of School Aged Immunisation Services for the Thames Valley, Kent and Medway, and Sussex

The NHS School Aged Immunisation (SAI) programmes cover vaccinations to all children and young people of school age, whether they attend state school, independent school, complex needs schools or alternative settings. Children and young people that are educated at home can attend community clinics or their local school to receive the vaccines.

NHS England Public Health Commissioning Teams are responsible for the commissioning of local SAI services under the Section 7a mandate in line with the national programme requirements and a national service specification.

NHS England South East is recommissioning the SAI Programme across the population of Thames Valley, Kent and Medway, and Sussex. The current contracts with the incumbent providers end on the 31 July 2024, and the new contracts will commence on 1 August 2024, with a 5 year initial term and the option to extend for up to 2 further years.

The procurement is split into 3 lots, as detailed below:

The combined annual contract value across all lots is currently estimated to be in the region of £ 7,799,827, based on 2023/24 contract values and assuming 95% uptake across adolescent immunisation programmes and 60% for the influenza immunisation for the school years of Reception through to Year 6. This value also includes a sum to support action to address variation and inequalities.

Immunisation is one of the most successful and cost-effective health protection interventions. High immunisation rates are key to preventing the spread of infectious disease, complications and possible early death among individuals and to protecting the population's health.

Vaccinations are provided, on behalf of the NHS, in line with the National Childhood Immunisation Programme which aims to prevent school aged children from developing vaccine preventable childhood diseases that are associated with significant mortality and morbidity.

The scope for each lot may be extended in future to include additional programmes as advised/recommended by the Joint Committee of Vaccinations and Immunisations and/or at the request of the Commissioner.

Where the service specification is updated during the life of the contract, School Aged Immunisation services must maintain compliance with the service specification. As such, the Commissioner reserves the right to vary contracts to incorporate any future programme changes, subject to negotiation with the provider/s.

The aim and objectives of the service can be found later in the notice.

The provider will work with the commissioner to implement the recommendations of the national immunisation strategy (publication imminent) which is expected to include continuing to build innovative and integrated services, linking with wider models of vaccination delivery at system level.

Additional information: This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners. Interested providers will be able to view this opportunity on Atamis (https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome) searching for the project title 'NHS England - Provision of School Aged Immunisation Services for the Thames Valley, Kent and Medway, and Sussex'

Interested providers will be able to view this opportunity via the live opportunities list on the 'Health Family' e-procurement system, Atamis. Click on 'View our Live Opportunities' from the home page, available on the following link: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome.

Once you have found the opportunity (via the search function, using the title or reference number), to gain full access to the bid documentation (including questionnaires), you will need to click on 'Register interest' - this will take you to the log-in page.

If you are not already registered on the system, you will need to do so before gaining full access to the documentation and be able to submit a bid.

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but are instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).

The tendering process will be conducted in accordance with the requirements and flexibilities provided by Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations. The Authority will run a transparent tender process, treating all Bidders equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services.

Neither the inclusion of a Bidder selection stage, nor the use of any language or terms found in the Directive or Regulations, nor the description of the procedure voluntarily adopted by the Authority ("Open", "Restricted", "Competitive Procedure with Negotiation", "Competitive Dialogue" or any other description), nor any other indication, shall be taken to mean that the Authority intends to hold itself bound by the Directive or Regulations, save by the provisions applicable to services coming within the scope of Annex XIV of the Directive / Schedule 3 of the Regulations.

The Regulations provide that aggrieved parties are to take action in the High Court (England and Wales).