Voluntary ex ante transparency notice
Directive 2014/24/EU
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership-Procurement Services (hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust)
4-5 Charnwood Court,, Heol Billingsley, Parc Nantgarw
Cardiff
CF15 7QZ
UK
Telephone: +44 1443848585
E-mail: richard.clayfield@wales.nhs.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/procurement-services/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA0221
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Health
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Blood Glucose Meters & Associated Consumables
II.1.2) Main CPV code
33696200
II.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
II.1.4) Short description
Supply of Blood testing equipment (Glucose Meters) & associated consumables (Test-strips). together with EQA & IQA
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
468 765.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKL18
Main site or place of performance:
Swansea Bay University Health Board Hospital sites and Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend.
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Blood glucose monitoring refers to testing the concentration of glucose in the blood to aid the management of Diabetes types 1 & 2. Similarly, monitoring the presence of ketones in the blood is also important as high levels can result in complications such as Ketoacidosis.
This procurement will involve the supply of Blood glucose monitoring equipment(meters) and associated consumables (Test-strips for the Point of Care Testing Service at Swansea Bay University Health Board & Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend. This will be to renew the existing arrangement with Abbott Laboratories Ltd.
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Directive
Explanation:
The current contract with Abbott Laboratories Ltd ended on the 30th September 2021. The Health Board's intention was to enter into a 2 year contract with Abbott Laboratories Ltd through a direct award under the terms of a Public Sector Framework. This would enable sufficient time for NWSSP Shared Services Procurement to undertake a formal market-test exercise, to award a new All Wales Framework in Autumn 2023. Currently, the Health Board's POCT Service are not able to contemplate an alternative supplier for the reasons outlined below:
Within SBU there are 3,279 active operators and the SBU POCT Team also support another 937 on the Princess of Wales (PoW) site under the terms of an SLA
The migration of operators to a completely new device would need to be completed on a rolling basis with full training for every member of staff. The POCT Team is not in a position to support this due to the extra training demands in relation to Covid-19 and the clinical areas are still finding it difficult to release staff to attend training, due to staffing pressures.
The current management of testing allows for staff to move flexibly from one area or site to another. During the process of migration this flexibility will be lost to a degree with some areas using the new meter and other areas using the existing meter, this could expose the HB to risk, given current staffing pressures.
Unfortunately, the Health Board cannot find a Public Sector Framework with which to engage with Abbott Laboratories Ltd at this time and therefore, there is no opportunity to make a compliant direct award.
For the reasons outlined above and to ensure continuity of service for patient care, the Health Board has no option but to extend for two years without any formal underpinning Framework arrangement.
In the interim the Health Board is committed to the All Wales market test which will come to fruition in Autumn 2023, for a new formal contract for Point of Care Blood Glucose & Ketone Testing.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
Section V: Award of contract/concession
V.2 Award of contract/concession
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession
05/10/2021
V.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Abbott Laboratories Ltd
Abbott House, Vanwall Business Park
Maidenhead
SL64XE
UK
Telephone: +44 1628644
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the concession and main financing terms (excluding VAT)
Total value of the concession/lot:
468 765.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=115068.
(WA Ref:115068)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
High Court
Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
UK
Telephone: +44 2079477501
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
21/10/2021