Mandatory Dental Services (MDS) in Kent, Surrey and Sussex to NHS England & NHS Improvement (South East)

NHS England & NHS Improvement - South East are seeking to commission Mandatory Dental Services in the Kent, Surrey and Sussex area. The Commissioner will be contracting for the services using the Standard clauses for a personal dental services agreement.

The contract term will be for a term of up to 56 months, and is due to commence from August 2020. The Commissioner has a maximum budget of £1,590,571 per annum for all Lots.

The procurement is split into a number of lots so as to provide maximum flexibility to both the Commissioner and Bidders and interested parties may bid for one or more lots. The Commissioners seek tender responses from providers who have the capability and capacity to undertake such a contract. This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central & West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.

The Contract includes the following services:

• mandatory dental services • urgent access appointments for patients that do not usually attend the practice and directed to the practice by 111, the Dental Helpline, out of hours services or by self-referral - this is only required for 7,000 UDA contract sizes • provide bookable appointments outside core hours - this is only required for 7,000 UDA contract sizes • health improvement activities targeted at vulnerable adults and children • dental treatment for older people in care alongside a responsibility to build relationships with local care homes to support access • referral to other healthcare providers for advanced mandatory services or any other appropriate and necessary healthcare • advice to the patient and other clinicians where appropriate

Interested parties who wish to take part in the procurement are invited to take part in an Invitation To Tender (ITT) process, based on the open procedure and designed to identify the most economically advantageous tender and therefore determine the incoming provider. All ITT responses must be returned by 12 noon on 12th March 2020, at the latest.

An early engagement market notice was published in relation to this procurement in April 2019, in order to facilitate early engagement with potential providers. Please note that this previous notice was an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right. Although those who responded to that notice will be advised that this contract notice has been published, there will be no process exemptions or preferential treatment afforded to any parties who expressed an interest at that stage.

Additional information: Interested parties can access the opportunity directly by following the link below: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/ProjectManage/1117

In order to access the tender documentation you will need to 'express an interest' and register on the system. Bidders are required to respond to Selection Questionnaire and ITT questions directly within the system and attach any requested documents separately to the placeholders provided.

On registration, please include at least two contacts to allow for access to the system in times of absence.

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 is instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).

The tendering process will be conducted in accordance with the requirements and flexibilities provided by Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations. The Authority will run a transparent tender process, treating all Bidders equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services.

Neither the inclusion of a Bidder selection stage, nor the use of any language or terms found in the Directive or Regulations, nor the description of the procedure voluntarily adopted by the Authority ("Open", "Restricted", "Competitive Procedure with Negotiation", "Competitive Dialogue" or any other description), nor any other indication, shall be taken to mean that the Authority intends to hold itself bound by the Directive or Regulations, save by the provisions applicable to services coming within the scope of Annex XIV of the Directive / Schedule 3 of the Regulations.

The Contracting Authority intends to voluntarily observe the award decision notices provisions and 10 day standstill period described in Regulation 86 of the Regulations. Unsuccessful Bidders will receive scores and reasons for the decision, including the characteristics and relative advantages of the winning bid and the reasons why the Bidder/application was unsuccessful. Deadline for lodging of appeals should be in accordance with Regulation 87 and Regulation 91 of the Regulations.