Voluntary ex ante transparency notice
Directive 2014/24/EU
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
Beacon House
Cwmbran
NP44 3AB
UK
E-mail: emma.burns@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
Clinical Decision Support Software
Reference number: STW.5147
II.1.2) Main CPV code
48000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
II.1.4) Short description
This contract is for the provision of clinical decision support software to be deployed within the NHS 111 Wales service. Remote clinical assessment is required following initial call taking to the service by a Call Handler.
A Call Handler will commence the non-clinical triage process, utilising sperate non-clinical decision support software, to determine the condition of the patient and whether the patient subsequently needs to speak to a clinician. Remote clinical assessment will then either be undertaken by a clinician within the clinical decision support software or the call transferred to another software system, dependent upon the reason for the call and assigned clinical priority, to be assessed by another provider across NHS Wales urgent primary care services.
The software solution is required to provide clinical decision support software for clinicians in the NHS 111 Wales service to support the assessment and management of patients remotely.
In addition, the contract is for the supply of professional services to enable the implementation and training of the solution and as well as the relevant software licences for the software application itself. The contract is also for the supply of the associated ongoing support and maintenance services.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
3 175 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
48800000
48810000
48814000
48000000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKL
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This contract is for the provision of clinical decision support software to be deployed within the NHS 111 Wales service to enable clinicians to triage calls received.
A Call Handler will commence the non-clinical triage process, in sperate non-clinical decision support software supplied under a separate contract, to determine the condition of the patient and whether the patient subsequently needs to speak to a clinician. Following initial call taking by a Call Handler Remote clinical assessment will then subsequently be undertaken by a clinician within the clinical decision support software (to be supplied under this contract), signposted to another provider or the call transferred to a separate system, to be assessed, dependent upon the reason for the call and assigned clinical priority, by a another provider across NHS Wales urgent primary care services.
The clinical decision support software is required to support clinicians to assess and manage patients remotely. Calls are required to be passed from the patient management system into the clinical decision support software to reduce the risk of mistakes being made when entering new details. The solution is to allow subsequent calls to be matched to the previous assessments and repeat callers are to be highlighted to the clinician to help to manage patient care. Calls will then subsequently be required to be appropriately returned to the patient management system.
The clinical decision support software is required to include a series of protocols to allow the clinician to interpret the callers' symptoms and form a clinical governance structure to ensure efficient, effective, clinically appropriate and prudent healthcare for patients. The system is required to reduce variation in the assessment of conditions, ensuring a research, evidence-based approach to the assessment, offering transparency regarding advice to patients, support and alternative provision. The clinical decision support software is required to be able to support access to the NHS 111 Wales service via video and provide an intuitive, safe interface for end users.
The clinical decision support software must be able to work seamlessly with the patient management system and the non-clinical decision support software (supplied separately) to ensure safe and efficient transfer of patient details to and from remote clinical assessments. The solution is required to provide full digital clinical audit capability (Themes, Trends, Statistical Reporting on staff performance), allow seamless sharing of clinical information between service providers, and work intelligently with electronic patient care records systems.
In addition, this requirement is for the supply of professional services to enable the implementation and training of the solution and as well as the relevant software licences for the clinical decision support software this requirement is also for the supply of the associated ongoing software support and maintenance services.
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
Option to extend for a further period of 24 months in annual increments or for the full 24-month period at the sole discretion of the contracting authority.
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
Negotiated procedure without prior publication
Justification for selected award procedure:
Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority and in accordance with the strict conditions stated in the Directive
Explanation:
The legacy software currently utilised by the NHS 111 Wales service must be replaced as the software has reached end of life and the contract will expire on the 20th May 2024. A competitive dialogue procurement was undertaken to procure a replacement solution and a contract awarded but following a joint review of the project with the supplier a decision was reached to end the delivery of the replacement software solution. There is now an urgent need to replace the legacy software and the replacement must be fully implemented and go-live by the 30th April 2024, to safely decommission the legacy software and transition to the new software solution. This is to ensure NHS 111 Wales service provision can continue, with minimal disruption, in the interim to any future national NHS 111 Wales and urgent primary care strategic plans for a longer-term solution.
It is essential disruption is kept to a minimum whilst minimising implementation risks. Key requirements include:
(1) Must be available for implementation without any further implications to develop and test the software whilst recognising configuration of the solution would be required.
(2) Must be able to interface with the non-clinical decision support software and the patient management system without any constrained development time required.
(3) End Users of the system must be able to be trained in the implementation timeframe available including training in the use of the clinical algorithms.
(4) Data and information are required to be easily exported and information feeds provided to link the Welsh Ambulance Service internal data warehouse.
(5) The system should be able to integrate with the Welsh Ambulance Services existing 999 system without significant impact to either system to allow improved call handling efficiencies as many calls originate from the 999 service as well as calls being passed from the 111 service to the 999 system.
Additional factors taken into consideration include quality and patient safety, business needs, access to the technology, the strategic fit and the supplier’s capacity and capability.
The solution is required to maintain interoperability with NHS Wales Local Health Boards’ urgent primary care systems. The level of complexity and the associated implementation lead-times have been considered as well as the impact upon end users of the system to minimise training complexities given the urgent need.
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
Contract No: STW.5147
V.2 Award of contract/concession
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession
20/12/2023
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
Priority Solutions Inc.
110 S Regent St, STE 500
SLC
84111
US
NUTS: US
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the concession and main financing terms (excluding VAT)
Total value of the concession/lot:
3 170 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
The Contract Value provided in this VEAT Notice is in aggregate and is inclusive of the 36-month term and the 24-month optional extension period.
This interim solution is being implemented to meet an urgent need to ensure operational services can seamlessly continue with minimal disruption and strategic procurement plans for a longer-term digital solution to meet NHS 111 Wales and urgent primary care needs will be re-visited and developed before the expiry of this contract.
(WA Ref:137521)
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
20/12/2023