NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board - Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services

Three partners of the Somerset Integrated Care System, Somerset Integrated Care Board, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, and Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust are seeking the provision of Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) in the following two categories which will be procured as two separate Lots within a single process.

Lot 1 - Patient Discharge and (inter-hospital) Transfers (PD&T)

Lot 2 - Planned NEPTS Journeys (Planned)

The County of Somerset covers a large geographical area. It has a dispersed, mainly rural population of approximately 564,000 people, with only one in four of its residents living in one of its three largest towns; Taunton; Yeovil; and Bridgwater.

Somerset has two Acute Trusts within its borders (Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust) as well as 12 community hospitals (run by Somerset NHS Foundation Trust), 64 GP practices, a hospice and several care homes. The Somerset population also relies on access to services in a few neighbouring out of county Trusts. These journeys, referred to as Zone B journeys, are generally for services which are more specialist in nature.

Full details for each of the Lots including specification, activity, scope and requirements can be found within the procurement documentation. For the avoidance of doubt this procurement does not cover car services.

Bidders should be aware that NHS Somerset has appointed Somerset NHS Foundation Trust as the Lead Provider Trust for Lot 1 - Patient Discharge and (inter-hospital Transfers) with the responsibility of managing this activity. The successful provider will contract directly with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust via the NHS Standard Contract - subcontracted for this element. For the avoidance of doubt NHS Somerset will contract with the successful Lot 2 - Planned provider for this service.

The duration of the agreement will be for 60 months, with an option to extend up to a further 24 months at the discretion of the Commissioner.

The contract value per annum for each lot is:

• Lot 1 PD&T - £1,818,120 giving a contract value of £9,090,600 for the initial 60-month period and £12,726,840 if the full extension period of 24 months is adopted.

• Lot 2 Planned - £3,240,824 giving a contract value of £16,204,120 for the initial 60-month period and £22,685,768 if the full extension period of 24 months is adopted.

This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.

Additional information: 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 deemed to be subject to the full regime of current UK procurement legislation and as such this tender will be conducted in accordance with, and governed by, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. This contract will therefore be awarded in accordance with the provisions applicable in Section 5 (sub-section 7) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

The contracting authority will observe the provisions and 10-day standstill period described in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Unsuccessful Bidders and applicants will receive scores and reasons for the decision, including the characteristics and relative advantages of the winning bid and the reasons why the Bidder/applicant was unsuccessful.