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Contract Notice

Nursery Milk Reimbursement Unit (NMRU)

  • First published: 24 August 2021
  • Last modified: 24 August 2021

The buyer is not using this website to administer the notice.

To record your interest or obtain additional information or documents please find instructions within the Full Notice Text. (NOTE: Contract Award Notices and Prior Information Notices do not normally require a response)

Contents

Summary

OCID:
Published by:
NHS Business Services Authority
Authority ID:
AA72104
Publication date:
24 August 2021
Deadline date:
11 October 2021
Notice type:
Contract Notice
Has documents:
No
Has SPD:
No
Has Carbon Reduction Plan:
N/A

Abstract

The broad scope of the contract includes the provision of a registration, validation and reimbursement service to Childcare Settings who provide milk to children in their care and wish to claim payment for this milk under the Welfare Food Regulations 1996. The Nursery Milk Scheme (NMS) is a statutory, universal, scheme aimed at children under five who attend an eligible day-care institution for at least two hours a day. Eligible day-care institutions include childminders, nurseries run by the voluntary sector, the private sector and Local Authorities, and reception classes in schools. Eligible institutions are referred to as ‘Childcare Settings’ under the NMS. Children receive 189ml (1/3 pint) of milk each day. Registered Childcare Settings can claim back the cost of providing milk to eligible children via the Nursey Milk Reimbursement Unit (NMRU), through the Welfare Food Scheme Regulations 1996, either themselves directly or via the use of a ‘Milk Agent’.Around 45,000 settings are currently registered with the NMS and approximately 268m portions of milk worth in the region of £50m are reimbursed annually via the NMRU, through around 450,000 claims per year. The current service operates in England and Wales only; separate arrangements are in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland. This procurement also includes the requirement for the delivery of a robust fraud prevention and detection strategy, to reduce the instances of fraud, abuse and error and any associated overpayments within the Scheme, as well as the provision of a contact centre to manage queries from Childcare Settings, Milk Agents and Local Authorities. The Scheme is supported by a website and an online claiming portal and system, and suppliers can elect to use the existing system or to develop their own to meet the Buyer’s requirements. It is anticipated that the Buyer will award the Contract by January 2022 with the contract Start Date being 01st August 2022. The Contract Term is an initial period of 3 years which excludes transition and implementation up to 31st July 2022 with the option to extend for a further 12 months up to 31st July 2026; such option to be exercised at the discretion of the Buyer. Suppliers who are not already registered on the NHSBSA e-sourcing portal must go to https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome and click Register then follow the instructions. Once registered Suppliers will be able to view and access the full invitation to tender documentation using reference C43089

Full notice text

Contract notice

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1) Name and addresses

NHS Business Services Authority

Stella House, Goldcrest Way, Newburn Riverside

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE15 8NY

UK

Contact person: Laura Heal

E-mail: laura.heal@nhs.net

NUTS: UKC22

Internet address(es)

Main address: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/

Address of the buyer profile: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/

I.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:

http://health.atamis.co.uk


Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address


Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:

http://health.atamis.co.uk


Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address


Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at:

http://health.atamis.co.uk


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

Nursery Milk Reimbursement Unit (NMRU)

Reference number: C43089

II.1.2) Main CPV code

85140000

 

II.1.3) Type of contract

Services

II.1.4) Short description

The Buyer requires a supplier to provide a service to facilitate the provision of a registration, validation and reimbursement service to Childcare Settings who provide milk to children in their care and wish to claim payment for this milk under the Welfare Food Regulations 1996. This service is provided by the Buyer, on behalf of the Buyer’s Sponsor, the Department of Health and Social Care in England and on behalf of the Welsh Government. The Buyer is seeking to maintain the effectiveness of the existing service with minimal disruption to current users, with a focus on the prevention and detection of fraud within the system and to ensure compliance by Childcare Settings, Milk Agents and Local Authorities within the rules of the Scheme.Suppliers not already registered on the NHSBSA e-sourcing portal must go to https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome and click Register then follow the instructions. Once registered Suppliers will be able to view and access the full ITT documentation

II.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: 1 600 000.00  GBP

II.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

II.2) Description

II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

85100000

48217000

48812000

72253000

79512000

72314000

79420000

98300000

II.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS code:

UK

II.2.4) Description of the procurement

The broad scope of the contract includes the provision of a registration, validation and reimbursement service to Childcare Settings who provide milk to children in their care and wish to claim payment for this milk under the Welfare Food Regulations 1996. The Nursery Milk Scheme (NMS) is a statutory, universal, scheme aimed at children under five who attend an eligible day-care institution for at least two hours a day. Eligible day-care institutions include childminders, nurseries run by the voluntary sector, the private sector and Local Authorities, and reception classes in schools. Eligible institutions are referred to as ‘Childcare Settings’ under the NMS. Children receive 189ml (1/3 pint) of milk each day. Registered Childcare Settings can claim back the cost of providing milk to eligible children via the Nursey Milk Reimbursement Unit (NMRU), through the Welfare Food Scheme Regulations 1996, either themselves directly or via the use of a ‘Milk Agent’.Around 45,000 settings are currently registered with the NMS and approximately 268m portions of milk worth in the region of £50m are reimbursed annually via the NMRU, through around 450,000 claims per year. The current service operates in England and Wales only; separate arrangements are in place in Scotland and Northern Ireland. This procurement also includes the requirement for the delivery of a robust fraud prevention and detection strategy, to reduce the instances of fraud, abuse and error and any associated overpayments within the Scheme, as well as the provision of a contact centre to manage queries from Childcare Settings, Milk Agents and Local Authorities. The Scheme is supported by a website and an online claiming portal and system, and suppliers can elect to use the existing system or to develop their own to meet the Buyer’s requirements. It is anticipated that the Buyer will award the Contract by January 2022 with the contract Start Date being 01st August 2022. The Contract Term is an initial period of 3 years which excludes transition and implementation up to 31st July 2022 with the option to extend for a further 12 months up to 31st July 2026; such option to be exercised at the discretion of the Buyer. Suppliers who are not already registered on the NHSBSA e-sourcing portal must go to https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome and click Register then follow the instructions. Once registered Suppliers will be able to view and access the full invitation to tender documentation using reference C43089

II.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

II.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: 1 600 000.00  GBP

II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Start: 01/08/2022

End: 31/07/2026

This contract is subject to renewal: No

II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited

II.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

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

II.2.14) Additional information

Pre Tender Market Engagement was conducted for this service - Find a Tender Service Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006028-2021?origin=SearchResults&p=1The Pre-Tender Market Engagement report can be downloaded from the document pack which supports this ITT, available on the NHSBSA e-sourcing portal.

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1) Description

IV.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

IV.2) Administrative information

IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number in the OJ S:

2021/S 000-006028

IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date: 11/10/2021

Local time: 12:00

IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

EN

IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date: 11/10/2021

Local time: 12:00

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: Yes

VI.4) Procedures for review

VI.4.1) Review body

NHS Business Services Authority

Stella House, Goldcrest Way

Newcastle Upon Tyne

NE15 8NY

UK

E-mail: nhsbsa.commercialservicesteam@nhs.net

Internet address(es)

URL: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/

VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained

NHS Business Services Authority

Stella House, Goldcrest Way, Newburn Riverside

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE15 8NY

UK

Internet address(es)

URL: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice

23/08/2021

Coding

Commodity categories

ID Title Parent category
79512000 Call centre Telephone-answering services
72314000 Data collection and collation services Data-processing services
48812000 Financial information systems Information systems
85100000 Health services Health and social work services
72253000 Helpdesk and support services System and support services
79420000 Management-related services Business and management consultancy and related services
85140000 Miscellaneous health services Health services
98300000 Miscellaneous services Other community, social and personal services
48217000 Transaction-processing software package Networking software package

Delivery locations

ID Description
100 UK - All

Alert region restrictions

The buyer has restricted the alert for this notice to suppliers based in the following regions.

ID Description
There are no alert restrictions for this notice.

About the buyer

Main contact:
laura.heal@nhs.net
Admin contact:
N/a
Technical contact:
N/a
Other contact:
N/a

Further information

Date Details
No further information has been uploaded.

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