Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
The Common Services Agency (more commonly known as NHS National Services Scotland) ("NSS")
Gyle Square (NSS Head Office), 1 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh
EH12 9EB
UK
Telephone: +44 7804475952
E-mail: michael.walker3@nhs.scot
NUTS: UKM
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.nss.nhs.scot/browse/procurement-and-logistics
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA11883
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.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
NHS Internet Enabled Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (ieCBT)
Reference number: NP605923
II.1.2) Main CPV code
72000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
NHS Scotland wishes to procure an Internet Enabled CBT service, with CBT delivered by qualified therapy staff through a digital solution by written word. The Contract will include the provision of support and maintenance of the software solution and other services associated with the software, and the delivery of evidence-based CBT treatment in a safe and ethical way.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
3 600 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM
Main site or place of performance:
Scotland
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
NHS Scotland wishes to procure an Internet Enabled CBT service, with CBT delivered by qualified therapy staff through a digital solution by written word. The Contract will include the provision of support and maintenance of the software solution and other services associated with the software, and the delivery of evidence-based CBT treatment in a safe and ethical way.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 85
Price
/ Weighting:
15
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 24
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
This procurement will allow for an optional contract extension period of up to 12 months.
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
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria:
SPD Q.4B.1.1: Bidders are required to provide statement of accounts or extracts relating to their business for the previous 3 years. Where any are risks identified by NSS as part of the due diligence carried out on the above information NSS may require Bidders to provide additional information to demonstrate financial standing. Additional information can include but not be limited to:
- parent company accounts (if applicable)
- deeds of guarantee
- bankers statements and references
- accountants’ references
- management accounts
- financial projections, including cash flow forecasts
- details and evidence of previous contracts, including contract values
- capital availability.
Bidders who cannot provide suitable evidence of a secure financial standing may be excluded from the procurement.
Q.4B.5.1 and Q.4B.5.2: It is a requirement of this contract that bidders hold, or can commit to obtain prior to the commence of any subsequently awarded contract, the types and levels of insurance indicated below:
Employers liability insurance: 5 000 000 GBP;
Public liability insurance: 1 000 000 GBP;
Professional indemnity insurance: 1 000 000 GBP
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
List and brief description of selection criteria:
4C.1.2 Please provide details of three relevant examples of services carried out during the last three years.
4.C.2 Bidders are required to confirm compliance with standards, such as ISO or equivalent, set by technical bodies, especially those responsible for quality control. Please provide examples such as the following:
- Cyber Essentials
- ISO 9001 - Quality Management Systems
- ISO 27001 - Information Security Management
- ISO 27017 - Code of practice for information security controls
- ISO 27018 - Code of practice for protection of personally identifiable information (PII) in public clouds acting as PII processors
- UK Government 14 Cloud Security Principles
Please state the relevance of any such educational and professional qualifications.
4C.6: Bidders will be required to confirm that they and/or the service provider have relevant educational and professional qualifications such as the following: ISO27001 or equivalent ITIL qualifications [Helpdesk, etc] or equivalent other professional qualifications relevant to the Services outlined in the Contract Notice.
And:
4C.6.1: Bidders will be required to confirm that they and/or the service provider's managerial staff have relevant educational and professional qualifications such as the following: ISO27001 or equivalent ITIL qualifications [Helpdesk, etc] or equivalent other professional qualifications relevant to the Services outlined in the Contract Notice.
4C.7: Bidders will be required to confirm that they will employ environmental management measures that meet the following requirements:
Compliance with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE).
4C.10: Bidders will be required to confirm whether they intend to subcontract and, if so, for what proportion of the contract.
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
25/09/2023
Local time: 12:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
25/09/2023
Local time: 12:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
VI.3) Additional information
Estimated Value:
The estimated value provided in section II.1.5 include the initial 24 month contract period and the optional 12 month extension period.
Cyber Security:
Bidders must complete the CSPST as detailed within the ITT. It is vital that Bidders leave sufficient time to complete the CSPST ahead of the submission deadline.
Fair Work Practices:
Bidders must describe how they will commit to fair work practices for workers (including any agency or subcontractor workers) engaged in the delivery of the contract as detailed within the ITT.
Carbon Reduction:
Bidders must provide their Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP) for the main organisation(s) where the service or systems will be operated from under the Contract. This information will be used to demonstrate that suppliers awarded to to public sector contracts are supporting the Scottish ambition of a net zero position by 2040.
The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 24996. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see: https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-procurement/
A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows:
It is a mandatory requirement that Bidders agree to support the concept, provision and ongoing development of community benefits provision in relation to this Contract. Bidders are required to agree to this mandatory requirement. They are also requested to provide a brief summary of the community benefits that have recently been delivered within Scotland, and also what impact and outcomes these have achieved. Bidders are required to summarise any community/social benefits that will be delivered as part of this Contract if successful, or, alternatively, Bidders confirm that they will engage with the NHS Scotland Community Benefits Gateway (CBG). This gateway, developed through requests from suppliers seeking opportunities to support the delivery of community benefits within the contracting region, provides information community benefit opportunities. The CBG is a free and easy to use online service that connects NHS Scotland suppliers with third sector community organisations within Scotland and will be used for tracking and reporting, and is an approved, compliant route to the realisation of community benefits. For further information please visit: https://www.nss.nhs.scot/procurement-and-logistics/sustainability/access-our-community-benefit-gateway/.
(SC Ref:742444)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Sheriff Court House
27 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LB
UK
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
Economic operators should approach the contracting authority in the first instance. However, the only formal remedy is to apply to the courts:
An economic operator that suffers, or is at risk of suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 or the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or the Court of Session.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
25/08/2023