Market Engagement - School Aged Immunisation Service in Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire

NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI) is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOIs) and responses to a market engagement questionnaire from providers who have the capability and capacity to deliver a School Aged Immunisation (SAI) Service within the Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire areas.

Responses will help to inform the commissioning strategy, particularly in respect of geographical delivery (lots).

At this stage, it is the Commissioner's intention to undertake a procurement exercise with the aim of securing high quality, responsive, safe and sustainable School Aged Immunisation programmes for BaNES, Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire (BGSW).

Whilst precise timelines are to be confirmed, the Commissioner anticipates that an Invitation to Tender (ITT) will be published in September 2021. The new contract(s) are scheduled to start in August 2022.

The geographical lots and contract length are still to be determined; however, the approximate annual value is £2,000,000 across the whole geography.

This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice in order to determine market interest levels and relates only to pre-procurement market engagement. Providers who express interest at this stage are not bound to participate in any future procurement exercise.

This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.

If you wish to express an interest in provision of these services, in one or more of the Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire areas, please return your completed market engagement questionnaire to Rebecca Rogers ([email protected]) by COP 30th July 2021

Any future procurement exercise and tender that is undertaken will be published on the e-tendering portal In-Tend. To register on In-Tend please visit: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Registration

This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit NHSEI or respondees to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. NHSEI will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise.

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations"), which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but are instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).

Additional information: Immunisation is one of the most successful and cost-effective health protection interventions. High immunisation rates are key to preventing the spread of infectious disease, complications and possible early death among individuals and to protecting the population's health.

School Aged Immunisation programmes provide vaccinations to all children and young people of school age, whether they attend state school, independent school, complex needs schools or alternative settings. Children and young people that are educated at home can attend community clinics or their local school to receive the vaccines. Vaccinations are provided, on behalf of the NHS, in line with the National Childhood Immunisation Programme which aims to prevent school aged children from developing vaccine preventable childhood diseases that are associated with significant mortality and morbidity

The programmes currently in scope are: • Diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis (Td/IPV adolescent booster); • Meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY); • Human papillomavirus (HPV); • Seasonal influenza (flu) immunisation programmes for school aged children (the cohort is expected to expand in future years); and • Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) catch-up.

This scope may be extended in future to include additional programmes as advised/recommended by the Joint Committee of Vaccinations and Immunisations and/or at the request of the Commissioner.

Objectives of service The aim of the service will be achieved by delivering safe and effective, evidence-based, population-wide immunisation programmes. The service offer will incorporate the following features:

• a planned and co-ordinated programme of timely delivery with strong local leadership focussed on maximising coverage and uptake • identification of, and full offer to, the whole eligible population, with repeated offers until school leaving age as required to achieve maximum coverage • delivery in a way which addresses local health inequalities, tailoring and targeting interventions when necessary • the service will be delivered in a culturally sensitive way to meet the needs of local diverse populations • safe and effective delivery by suitably trained, competent healthcare professionals with effective use of skill mix to achieve efficiency and value for money • accurate and timely recording, collation and reporting of vaccinations both for individuals and at population level • a programme of promotion activities to encourage vaccine uptake. This will include collaborating with and supporting NHS England and NHS Improvement and Public Health England in any campaigns or activities they undertake There is an expectation that the contract holder(s) for all lots will work with public health nursing and other children's services across the geography/ies to maximise collaboration and opportunities for an integrated service offer and deliver