NENC044e North Cumbria Acute Respiratory Infection Services
NHS NORTH EAST AND NORTH CUMBRIA INTEGRATED CARE BOARDEstimated Value
Up to £636,984
Deadline
10 August 2026
Published
20 July 2026
Type
services
Overview
NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB) (the Relevant Authority) are undertaking a competition to commission North Cumbria Acute Respiratory Infection Services under the NHS Standard Contract 2026/27 (or any subsequent version). This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract Notice.
The awarding of this contract is subject to the Healthcare Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (PSR). For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award.
The contract term is for an initial period of two years commencing on 01 October 2026, with an option to extend for a further two years at the discretion of the Relevant Authority and subject to satisfactory contractual and financial performance. Annual Financial Envelope: £159,246 The closing date for submission of competition response is by 12 NOON 10 August 2026.
Key dates
- Commences
- 01 October 2026
Regulations cited
- Healthcare Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023
- Procurement Act 2023
- Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006
Contact & helpdesk
Should providers have any queries, or are having problems registering on the portal; they should contact the Atamis helpdesk via: Support-health@Atamis.co.uk or phone number +448000988201 The helpdesk is open Monday - Friday between 08.00 am - 06.00 pm Competition documentation will be available on the e-tendering site from 20 July 2026.
Additional details
Firstly, it is believed the "Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006" as amended by the "Collective Redundancies and Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) (Amendment) Regulation 2014" (TUPE) does not apply to this contract. However, Providers 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.
Secondly, previous publication concerning this procedure publication reference 2026/S 000-053660. NENC ICB is utilising an electronic tendering tool to manage this competition and communicate with potential providers.
Accordingly, there will be no hard copy documents issued to potential providers and all communications with NENC ICB, including response submissions, will be conducted via the Atamis portal at: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome. 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.
AI Analysis
Powered by AI — always verify against official documents
NHS North East and North Cumbria is gathering market information about who can deliver urgent respiratory infection services in North Cumbria. This is an early-stage fact-finding exercise (called a Prior Information Notice) — not yet a formal tender, but they want to understand what providers and solutions exist before they launch a proper procurement process.
Requirements
- Ability to provide same-day assessment and specialist advice for acute respiratory infections
- Capability to collect and report operational and clinical outcome data (mandatory in any future contract)
- Service must be accessible and equitable with consideration for geographic location across North Cumbria
- Must address Core20PLUS population needs to reduce health inequalities
- Capacity to separate infectious patient flow from standard GP waiting rooms to reduce cross-infection risk
- No specific professional qualifications or certifications mentioned in this RFI stage — check full tender documents when issued
Key Tasks & Deliverables
- Complete the online RFI questionnaire via the Atamis portal by 22 June 2026
- Describe your organisation's capability to deliver same-day respiratory assessment services
- Outline how you would reduce emergency ambulance callouts and A&E attendances for manageable respiratory cases
- Explain your approach to data collection and reporting of operational and clinical outcomes
- Detail your plans for serving the North Cumbria population equitably and managing infectious disease transmission
- Demonstrate how your service would reduce pressure on GP practices
How to Read This Tender
- 1This is NOT a tender yet — it's market research. Answering the RFI is voluntary and does NOT guarantee you'll be invited to bid later. However, answering well positions you if a formal tender is issued.
- 2The NHS is testing the market to see what's available and feasible. They want honest information about what you can and cannot do — don't oversell. They will use your answers to shape the actual contract later.
- 3Data reporting is non-negotiable. The document emphasises three times that operational and clinical outcome data is mandatory. This means you'll need systems in place to capture and submit regular reports. If you can't do this reliably, this may not be the right opportunity.
- 4Look for the full RFI questionnaire on the Atamis portal — this breakdown covers the background, but the actual questions will be in the online form. The questions will tell you exactly what information NHS wants.
- 5The service must work across North Cumbria geography. If you're based in one town, think about how you'd cover the wider area — this might mean partnerships, mobile clinics, or telemedicine.
Tips for Small Businesses
- You don't need to be a large organisation to respond. Respiratory clinics, urgent care providers, walk-in centres, or even digital health platforms might be relevant. If you're small, consider partnering with a larger NHS provider or other SMEs to make a stronger response.
- Data capability is your competitive advantage. If you already have IT systems that track clinical outcomes and patient flow, mention this prominently. Many smaller providers struggle with NHS-grade data reporting — if you can do it, you stand out.
- This is the time to ask questions and negotiate. An RFI is informal. If the portal doesn't explain what data they want, email the helpdesk now (Support-health@Atamis.co.uk) and ask for clarification. Better to get this right now than bid blind later.
Likely incumbents
Suppliers who won similar work from this buyer in the last 5 years.
- 1
Durham Dales Health Federation
- 2
Chester le Street Health Limited
- 3
Central Durham GP Providers
- 4
Derwentside Healthcare Ltd
- 5
South Durham GP CIC Federation
Durham Dales Health Federation is the most likely incumbent based on recency and category match. To win, bidders typically need a clearly differentiated proposition or a price advantage.
Actions
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How to Apply
Step-by-step submission guide
Submission Portal
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Complete the Selection Questionnaire
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Submit electronically
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Buyer Profile
NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care BoardKey Dates
Published
20 July 2026
Submission deadline
10 August 2026
Notice type
tender
Source
find a tender
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