Provision of Alternative Provider of Medical Services (APMS) Contracts under six Lots across Thurrock and Southend

This is a Contract Award Notice to communicate the outcome of a procurement for the provision of Alternative Provider of Medical Services (APMS) Contracts under six Lots across Thurrock and Southend. The Contracting Authority (hereinafter referred to as "the Authority") for this procurement was: NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB). The aim of the procurement was to award contracts for Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, to deliver Primary Medical Services across all six Lots, via Alternative Provider of Medical Services (APMS) contracts.

The services will continue to be provided at the existing sites and the Authority wish to ensure that there is no interruption to patients' continuity of care and access requirements. The Authority has undertaken a single one-stage procurement under the Light Touch Regime for all six contracts, with each acting as a separate and individual 'lot' and subsequent contract, to enable the mobilisation of the new provider from 1 April 2023 for Lots 1, 2 3, 4 and 6 and from 1st July 2023 for Lot 5.

• Lot 1 - Y00999 - Oddfellows Health Centre & St Clements Health Centre - commencing 1st April 2023

until 31st March 2038

• Lot 2 - F81110 - Tilbury Health Centre - commencing 1st April 2023 until 31st March 2038
• Lot 3 - Y02807 - Thurrock Health Centre - commencing 1st April 2023 until 31st March 2038
• Lot 4 - F81206 - Commonwealth Health Centre - commencing 1st April 2023 until 31st March 2038
• Lot 5 - Y00033 - Purfleet Care Centre - commencing 1st July 2023 until 30th June 2038
• Lot 6 - F81684 - North Shoebury Surgery - commencing 1st April 2023 until 31st March 2038

The Authority procured all six lots as APMS contracts due to the time limited nature of them and flexibilities that they permit in terms of bidding audience e.g. whole of the market and the ability to agree the reporting schedules enabling KPIs that support delivery of the Long-term Plan and facilitates and enables the development of "at scale" provision through the PCN model of delivery. In line with the strategic aims for Mid & South Essex ICB, the system is committed to deliver primary care on a standard contract term to allow for delivery at scale and innovation by offering longer term arrangements.

The aim was for each contract to be awarded for a period of 15 years to give greater certainty to the provider to improve value for money, ability to recruit, willingness to invest time and resources. The aggregate value of the contract across all 6 Lots including maximum Allowable Mobilisation Budget) as advertised in Find a Tender Service was proposed at £91,153,559 (£91,003,559 minus the maximum Allowable Mobilisation Budget).

On 18th January 2023, the Authority published a Contract Award Notice in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended by The Public Procurement (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020) (2023/S 000-001557) to confirm an award was made for all six Lots to Spirit Healthcare Ltd, however since that time, the Contracts for each of the six Lots have not been able to be executed between the Preferred Bidder and the Authority, with sufficient time to ensure safe and effective mobilisation prior to 1st April 2023. As such this Corrigendum is being published to provide clarity to the market regarding the changes to the status of the procurement and award decision since 18th January 2023.

A decision has been made by the Preferred Bidder to step away from the Contract and not proceed to signature. As such, a decision has been made by the Authority to cancel the procurement and put in place emergency arrangements with incumbent providers to ensure continuity of provision of Primary Care Services for the population associated with each of the six lots across Southend and Thurrock. Appropriate Notices will be issued to the market in due course to provide clarity about the Authority's intended approach.