Voluntary ex ante transparency notice
Directive 2014/24/EU
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership on behalf of Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board
Procurement Department, Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board, Woodlands House, Maes-Y-Coed Road,
Cardiff
CF14 4HH
UK
Contact person: Emma Lane
Telephone: +44 02921836450
E-mail: emma.lane@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
Weqas Protective Packaging Solutions for EQA Material
II.1.2) Main CPV code
42671100
II.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
II.1.4) Short description
The NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership, hosted by Velindre NHS Trust are acting on behalf of Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board who are seeking to appoint a suitably qualified supplier to supply a range of protective packaging solutions for EQA material for the Welsh External Quality Assurance Service (Weqas).
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
350 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
42671100
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKL
Main site or place of performance:
Cardiff and Vale UHB
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Weqas is one of the largest External Quality Assessment providers in the UK, with over 50 years of experience in delivering global Quality Assurance Programmes in Laboratory Medicine. Weqas operates as an independent organisation, hosted by Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board, based at Unit 6, Parc Ty Glas, Cardiff.
Supplying to more than 35,000 sites per month, Weqas provides over 40 EQA Programmes, including external audit, performance analysis and an educational advisory service. The majority of Weqas' EQA material is manufactured in-house, and Weqas wish to award a two year with an option to extend for up to a further two years for the supply of protective packaging.
The requirement is for a complete packaging solution to ship EQA material across the UK and overseas (including transporters, cold packs, outer envelopes). All products will be recyclable or made from sustainable material where possible. The specimen transporters must meet international transport regulations as a leak-proof secondary packaging for Exempt and Category B Biological Specimens.
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
The Health Board is including up to two years extension option in this contract.
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:
MedDX Solutions are the only company that are able to supply specimen transporters that are specifically designed to hold the required combination of Weqas unique vial sizes for distribution of their EQA material.
The packaging solutions are required to be rigid and offer a high level of protection to the primaries. Each primary must be in contact with sufficient absorbent material to absorb the entire contents of the container. The absorbent material needs to be laminated / secured to the rigid material. Primary containers must be held securely in place so that they do not move during transport, to reduce potential for breakages. When closed the secondary packaging must be leak-proof. Both leak-proof and drop test certification is required to support the performance features of the component. The packing of the primaries into the secondary packaging must be quick and easy. This should be reflected when unpacking and primary containers must be visible through the packaging.
MedDX offer a patented leak-proof clamshell with internally laminated Super Absorbent. The transporter packaging is efficiently moulded to separate and hold bespoke primary containers. They are simple and intuitive to pack/close and un-pack. In addition, they deliver an efficient packaging experience in terms of time to pack; no extra absorbent material needs to be added. The transporters offer excellent protection to the Weqas vials. They meet international transport regulations as a leak-proof secondary packaging for Exempt and Category B Biological Specimens.
All PE envelopes supplied are fully recyclable and the transporters and envelopes are printed with the Weqas logo as part of the requirement.
On the basis of the above, the Health Board are issuing this notice to the market and applying a 10 day standstill period prior to awarding the two year contract which will include an option to extend for up to two further years.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section V: Award of contract/concession
V.2 Award of contract/concession
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession
03/08/2021
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
MedDX Solutions Ltd
Unit 3, Skylon Place, Hursey Road
Hereford
HR26NX
UK
NUTS: UKG11
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:
350 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
(WA Ref:112934)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
High Court
Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
UK
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership on behalf of Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board will allow a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period between notifying the award decision and awarding the contract.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
04/08/2021