NECS351 Darlington iMSK

North of England Commissioning Support (NECS) is a commissioning support service working for and on behalf of NHS Tees Valley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) (the Contracting Authority) The CCG is commissioning an Integrated MSK service for Darlington. The contract will be for an initial period of 2 years with the option to extend for a further 1 year subject to satisfactory contractual and financial performance and at the discretion of the Contracting Authority. The contract will commence from 01 April 2022.

This procurement process will mirror that of the Open procedure as in compliance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended) in respect of Health Care Services under the Light Touch Regime, Regulations 74 - 76 and the National Health Service (Procurement, Patient Choice & Competition) (No. 2) Regulations 2013.

Under the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 the Contracting Authority must consider: (a) How, what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the area where it exercises its functions; and

(b) How, in conducting the process of procurement, it might act with a view to securing that improvement.

Accordingly, the subject matter of the contract has been scoped to take into account the priorities of the Contracting Authority relating to economic, social and environmental well-being.

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (as amended) may apply. Bidders are advised to obtain their own legal advice and carry out due diligence including the New Fair Deal non-statutory policy setting out how pensions issues are to be dealt with when staff are compulsorily transferred from the public sector to independent providers delivering public services.

NECS is utilising an electronic tendering tool to manage this procurement and communicate with potential bidders. Accordingly, there will be no hard copy documents issued to potential bidders and all communications with NECS, including your submission, will be conducted via the in-tend portal https://in-tendhost.co.uk/nhsnecsu

It is free to register on the portal and it can be accessed at any time of day providing you have a working internet connection. Should bidders have any queries, or are having problems registering on the portal; they should contact the in-tend helpdesk via:

[email protected] or 0845 557 8079 / +44 (0) 114 407 0065

The helpdesk is open Monday - Friday between 9am - 5.30pm

The procurement will be available to view on the In-Tend e-tendering portal on 15 September 2021

The closing date for submission of tenders is 12:00 noon 15 October 2021.

N.B. Due to currently proposed legislation which may mean that the current responsibilities of CCGs will transfer into Integrated Care Systems with effect from 01 March 2022, the ultimate commissioner for this contract may change.