Prior information notice
This notice is a call for competition
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
London House, London Road
Bracknell
RG12 2UT
UK
Contact person: Mike Pollard
E-mail: mike.pollard@berkshire.nhs.uk
NUTS: UKJ11
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://atamis-1928.my.site.com/s/Welcome
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://atamis-1928.my.site.com/s/Welcome
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:
https://atamis-1928.my.site.com/s/Welcome
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Other: NHS Trust
I.5) Main activity
Health
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Single Point of Access Market Engagement
Reference number: PR BHFT 0848
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85142100
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The development of an automated digital musculoskeletal (MSK) Single Point of Access (SPA) tool for BHFT's community physiotherapy (MSK Physio), specialist physiotherapy (Community Specialist Service – CSS), integrated pain and spinal service (IPASS) and MSK podiatry.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
1.00
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:
UKJ11
Main site or place of performance:
Berkshire
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
See II.2.14.1 for detail of the market engagement.<br/><br/>The purpose of this soft market testing exercise is to understand the provider landscape and potential providers who are capable of delivering this solution. The outcome of the soft market engagement will assist BHFT to develop and obtain a sufficiently detailed knowledge of the provider landscape and to refine its requirements and approach to market in order to invite businesses to quote.<br/><br/>The timescales for the market assessment detailed in II.2.7.3 and II.2.7.4 of this notice are estimated.<br/><br/>There is no competition associated with the pre-market engagement. BHFT will liaise with any supplier with suitable experience and service offering, to inform its views of how to structure a potential downstream procurement project. Please ignore II.2.5 Award Criteria.<br/><br/>Once the pre-market engagement concludes, BHFT may take forward a project to develop the required solution under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. Whilst IV.1.1.1 states that restricted procurement procedure will be followed, any downstream procurement project will be sourced via the Competitive Process route under the Provider Selection Regime. Any downstream procurement project will involve multiple award criteria across technical, quality, social value and price criteria.<br/><br/>Participation or non-participation in this soft market engagement shall not prevent any supplier participating in any potential future procurement, nor is it intended that any information supplied as part of this process shall place any supplier at an advantage in any potential procurement process.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Price
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start:
16/11/2026
End:
21/05/2027
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
See 'MSK Triage Single Point of Access (SPA) market engagement fact sheet' in the referenced PME document pack. Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BHFT) are seeking to understand the potential to deliver a solution from suppliers that currently deliver digital clinical triage solutions that independently assess and manage patients without human intervention. It is likely that the developed tool sought by BHFT will require registration as a medical device. The developed SPA must be able to receive referrals from primary care, community services and secondary care via eRS in addition to patient self-referral via an online portal that BHFT is developing.<br/><br/>BHFT seeks providers of digital clinical triage services that can assess MSK conditions throughout the body and direct the patient into discrete and specialist MSK services without human intervention. <br/><br/>The level of automated clinical expertise to differentiate between general MSK physiotherapy, specialist MSK services, chronic pain and spinal services during assessment will be significant.<br/><br/>If possible, the tool should be made available in the most common languages relevant to the population of Berkshire – English, Polish, Punjabi, Nepalese and Urdu.
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:
This is a Prior Information Notice notice for a health service that falls under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.<br/><br/>We are seeking to understand the potential to deliver a solution from suppliers that currently deliver digital clinical triage solutions that independently assess and manage patient referrals without human intervention.<br/><br/>Participation in the soft market engagement process will be at each supplier's own cost. No expense in responding to this process will be reimbursed by BHFT.
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Restricted 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 expressions of interest
Date:
02/11/2026
Local time: 12:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
London House, London Road
Bracknell
RG12 2UT
UK
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
12/10/2026