Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
NHS England - Specialised Commissioning
na
80 London Road
London
SE1 6LH
UK
Contact person: Josselin Canévet
Telephone: +44 1234567890
E-mail: josselin.canevet@nhs.net
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.england.nhs.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://uk.eu-supply.com/ctm/Company/CompanyInformation/Index/68205
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
Provision of Multiple Sclerosis Management Service for Children
Reference number: 62208 - Multiple Sclerosis
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit (AGCSU), on behalf of NHS England Highly Specialised Services (referred to as the Commissioner), is undertaking a market engagement exercise to understand the current and future capacity and capability of providers and potential providers within this highly specialised area. All interested parties, including incumbent providers, are encouraged to register their interest and participate in the market engagement questionnaire which will provide feedback to commissioners. Please note that this is not a call for competition although the commissioner would encourage all potential providers to respond to this market engagement exercise. The outcome of this market engagement will help inform commissioners of the current and future capacity and capability of the market and will be considered to inform the commissioning approach.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
9 853 146.00
GBP
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1
II.2.1) Title
Lot 1 - North comprising the NHS England Regions: the North East and Yorkshire; the North West,
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
85000000
85100000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKE
UKD
UKC
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This exercise is to commission a service that is able to expertly manage the provision of the Multiple Sclerosis Management Service for Children, including patients with suspected Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or equally rare ‘MS-like’, recurrent acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADS) or who have had a first demyelination episode and have a high risk of relapse which would require a similar treatment approach, including: Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMO, NMOSD) and other AQP4 antibody associated demyelination; Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG) antibody associated relapsing demyelination and other forms of recurrent relapsing demyelination.
The MS Hub Lead Centres will be geographically spaced across the Regional areas of NHS England as follows:
i) Lot 1 - North comprising the NHS England Regions: the North East and Yorkshire; the North West,
ii) Lot 2 - the Midlands comprising the NHS England Regions: the Midlands; the East of England
iii) Lot 3 - London and the South: comprising the South East; the South West; London
We would like to hear from incumbent and potential paediatric providers who can meet the following essential criteria:
I. Have staff in place with paediatric neuroinflammatory expertise as listed in the service specification : (https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/multiple-sclerosis-mgt-for-children-sept-2017.pdf);
II. Be currently actively managing, as an expert care provider and have seen face to face in the last year, a minimum of 20 children with paediatric Remitting Demyelinating Syndromes (RDS) (including first presentation or first event MS or high risk RDS);
III. Be actively prescribing innovative therapeutic pharmacological MS treatments for these children using the NHS England BluTeq online system;
IV. Have received in a tertiary capacity for expert review, five to ten new paediatric referrals of acute multiple sclerosis/MS-like cases per year in each of the last three years (2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21. With the requests being for second opinions/advice on the treatment plan.
V. Must be an existing provider of tertiary paediatric neurosciences.
The anticipated contract period is 3 years.
The Commissioner reserves the right to direct award where competition is absent.
This notice is to advise incumbent and prospective providers in the market of the commissioner’s intention to commission this service and to provide an opportunity to engage with and participate in a market engagement questionnaire. The outcome of this market engagement will help inform commissioners of the current and future capacity and capability of the market and will be considered with other evidence to inform the commissioning approach,
Applications may be made jointly where partners can demonstrate appropriate expertise and meet the service criteria set out in the questionnaire and service specification: multiple-sclerosis-mgt-for-children-sept-2017.pdf (england.nhs.uk)..
The questionnaire is available through the EU Supply portal: https://uk.eu-supply.com/login.asp?B=agcsu
The reference is 62208 and the closing date for submission of the completed questionnaire will be: 12pm, midday on Tuesday 20th December 2022.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Cost criterion: Technical
/ Weighting: 100
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
Lot No: 2
II.2.1) Title
Lot 2 - the Midlands comprising the NHS England Regions: the Midlands; the East of England
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
85000000
85100000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKH
UKG
UKF
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This exercise is to commission a service that is able to expertly manage the provision of the Multiple Sclerosis Management Service for Children, including patients with suspected Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or equally rare ‘MS-like’, recurrent acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADS) or who have had a first demyelination episode and have a high risk of relapse which would require a similar treatment approach, including: Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMO, NMOSD) and other AQP4 antibody associated demyelination; Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG) antibody associated relapsing demyelination and other forms of recurrent relapsing demyelination.
The MS Hub Lead Centres will be geographically spaced across the Regional areas of NHS England as follows:
i) Lot 1 - North comprising the NHS England Regions: the North East and Yorkshire; the North West,
ii) Lot 2 - the Midlands comprising the NHS England Regions: the Midlands; the East of England
iii) Lot 3 - London and the South: comprising the South East; the South West; London
We would like to hear from incumbent and potential paediatric providers who can meet the following essential criteria:
I. Have staff in place with paediatric neuroinflammatory expertise as listed in the service specification : (https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/multiple-sclerosis-mgt-for-children-sept-2017.pdf);
II. Be currently actively managing, as an expert care provider and have seen face to face in the last year, a minimum of 20 children with paediatric Remitting Demyelinating Syndromes (RDS) (including first presentation or first event MS or high risk RDS);
III. Be actively prescribing innovative therapeutic pharmacological MS treatments for these children using the NHS England BluTeq online system;
IV. Have received in a tertiary capacity for expert review, five to ten new paediatric referrals of acute multiple sclerosis/MS-like cases per year in each of the last three years (2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21. With the requests being for second opinions/advice on the treatment plan.
V. Must be an existing provider of tertiary paediatric neurosciences.
The anticipated contract period is 3 years.
The Commissioner reserves the right to direct award where competition is absent.
This notice is to advise incumbent and prospective providers in the market of the commissioner’s intention to commission this service and to provide an opportunity to engage with and participate in a market engagement questionnaire. The outcome of this market engagement will help inform commissioners of the current and future capacity and capability of the market and will be considered with other evidence to inform the commissioning approach,
Applications may be made jointly where partners can demonstrate appropriate expertise and meet the service criteria set out in the questionnaire and service specification: multiple-sclerosis-mgt-for-children-sept-2017.pdf (england.nhs.uk)..
The questionnaire is available through the EU Supply portal: https://uk.eu-supply.com/login.asp?B=agcsu
The reference is 62208 and the closing date for submission of the completed questionnaire will be: 12pm, midday on Tuesday 20th December 2022.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Cost criterion: Technical
/ Weighting: 100
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
Lot No: 3
II.2.1) Title
Lot 3 - London and the South: comprising the South East; the South West; London
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
85000000
85100000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
UKJ
UKI
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This exercise is to commission a service that is able to expertly manage the provision of the Multiple Sclerosis Management Service for Children, including patients with suspected Multiple Sclerosis (MS) or equally rare ‘MS-like’, recurrent acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADS) or who have had a first demyelination episode and have a high risk of relapse which would require a similar treatment approach, including: Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMO, NMOSD) and other AQP4 antibody associated demyelination; Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG) antibody associated relapsing demyelination and other forms of recurrent relapsing demyelination.
The MS Hub Lead Centres will be geographically spaced across the Regional areas of NHS England as follows:
i) Lot 1 - North comprising the NHS England Regions: the North East and Yorkshire; the North West,
ii) Lot 2 - the Midlands comprising the NHS England Regions: the Midlands; the East of England
iii) Lot 3 - London and the South: comprising the South East; the South West; London
We would like to hear from incumbent and potential paediatric providers who can meet the following essential criteria:
I. Have staff in place with paediatric neuroinflammatory expertise as listed in the service specification : (https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/multiple-sclerosis-mgt-for-children-sept-2017.pdf);
II. Be currently actively managing, as an expert care provider and have seen face to face in the last year, a minimum of 20 children with paediatric Remitting Demyelinating Syndromes (RDS) (including first presentation or first event MS or high risk RDS);
III. Be actively prescribing innovative therapeutic pharmacological MS treatments for these children using the NHS England BluTeq online system;
IV. Have received in a tertiary capacity for expert review, five to ten new paediatric referrals of acute multiple sclerosis/MS-like cases per year in each of the last three years (2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21. With the requests being for second opinions/advice on the treatment plan.
V. Must be an existing provider of tertiary paediatric neurosciences.
The anticipated contract period is 3 years.
The Commissioner reserves the right to direct award where competition is absent.
This notice is to advise incumbent and prospective providers in the market of the commissioner’s intention to commission this service and to provide an opportunity to engage with and participate in a market engagement questionnaire. The outcome of this market engagement will help inform commissioners of the current and future capacity and capability of the market and will be considered with other evidence to inform the commissioning approach,
Applications may be made jointly where partners can demonstrate appropriate expertise and meet the service criteria set out in the questionnaire and service specification: multiple-sclerosis-mgt-for-children-sept-2017.pdf (england.nhs.uk)..
The questionnaire is available through the EU Supply portal: https://uk.eu-supply.com/login.asp?B=agcsu
The reference is 62208 and the closing date for submission of the completed questionnaire will be: 12pm, midday on Tuesday 20th December 2022.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Cost criterion: Technical
/ Weighting: 100
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
Following the PIN notice and market engagement exercise, it was apparent that competition was absent and direct awards have been placed with all capable providers for each of the Lots. The PIN and market engagement documentation clearly stated that commissioners would consider placing direct awards where competition is deemed to be absent following a review of the market engagement responses.
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:
2022/S 000-033046
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 1
Contract No: 1
Title: Lot 1 - North comprising the NHS England Regions: the North East and Yorkshire; the North West,
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
10/03/2023
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Manchester
UK
NUTS: UKD
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 2 797 834.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 2
Contract No: 2
Title: Lot 2 - the Midlands comprising the NHS England Regions: the Midlands; the East of England
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
10/03/2023
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
Yes
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Birmingham
UK
NUTS: UKG
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Cambridge
UK
NUTS: UKH
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 1 480 332.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 3
Contract No: 3
Title: Lot 3 - London and the South: comprising the South East; the South West; London
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
10/03/2023
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 4
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
Yes
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
London
UK
NUTS: UKI
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
London
UK
NUTS: UKI
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Oxford
UK
NUTS: UKI
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 5 574 979.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
Patients and their family/carers will have the option to choose which MS Hub Lead Centre they wish to be referred to in discussion with their referring clinician, although it is envisaged that patient flows will be mainly geographic, with patients attending the Hub Lead Centre for their Regional area.
The existing contracts are due to expire on 31st March 2023 and the Commissioner is running this market engagement exercise to ascertain whether there is competition in the market and to help inform future commissioning plans.
Each year in UK, there are likely to be 78 new paediatric patients who need detailed assessment and treatment in the highly specialised service. These are individuals who present with recurrent demyelination and immediately fulfil the criteria for MS or who are at risk of being diagnosed with paediatric MS within the first 12 months after presentation or who have relapsing demyelination/other acquired demyelinating syndromes. The mean age of presentation is 12 years of age. There is understood to be a current caseload of some 230 paediatric patients in England who have been diagnosed with MS, or with an ‘MS-like’ recurrent acquired demyelinating condition that requires the same treatment.
As well as the caseload of more complex patients, at any point in time, there will be other patients being assessed, most of whom will not remain on the caseload once assessment has been completed and any care planning for local delivery has been completed. This is due to these individuals having a low level of care need or because MS or an ‘MS-like’ condition has been ruled out.
Incumbent providers are required to respond to this market engagement exercise along with prospective providers.
Contract value and activity levels have been derived based on past experience. The estimated total value of the contracts for all three Lots is £2,550,000 and payment will be either the standard national tariffs or existing local tariffs as is currently the case. There is anticipated to be no net change in the number of patients accessing care in the NHS or the related cost.
NHS England highly specialised commissioning is the contracting and commissioning authority for this service and wishes to commission centres across three Lots in England (North, Midlands and London and the South) to be delivered as part of a network arrangement as detailed in the questionnaire.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Arden & GEM Commissioning Support Unit
Derby
UK
VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
Arden & GEM Commissioning Support Unit
Derby
UK
VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Arden & GEM Commissioning Support Unit
Derby
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
16/10/2023