NHS England South (South East) - Kent & Sussex School & Community Immunisations Service (0-19 years)

NHS England South (South East) seeks to commission school & community based immunisations services (0-19 years) under two lots: 1: Kent & Medway 2: Sussex (covering East Sussex, Brighton & Hove and West Sussex). Interested parties may bid for one or both lots.

The scheduled school-aged immunisation programmes are based on age-related cohorts. These immunisations for cohort will be carried out within a school calendar year according to the specification.

The main aims of the service will be to: • Deliver uptake and coverage targets, to national standards, for each scheduled programme (4-19), each year • Improve on historic immunisation uptake in disadvantaged groups • Provide an effective solution for catch up opportunities for the scheduled programmes and all other childhood immunisation programmes (0-19 years), that contributes to increased uptake figures • Use IT and technology innovatively to support the provision of information and the ease of response and uptake (e.g. electronic communications with parents, e-consent process, development of apps etc) • Provide support and help to co-ordinate additional immunisation activity in response to outbreaks and pandemic situations The school aged immunisation programmes to be provided by the service(s) are: • Meningococcal groups ACWY / Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio • Childhood seasonal flu • Human Papilloma Virus. • For the Sussex lot, complete, as a one off service, the programme of HPV2 to Year 9 girls within the West Sussex, Brighton & Hove areas during academic year 2018/19. This cohort will have received their HPV1 in Year 8 and are not due to receive HPV2 until Year 9, thus completing the programme for that cohort.

The contract will operate on a set tariff basis, with monthly payments made in line with projected income, then a reconciliation according to actual activity undertaken. The tariffs will be as follows: HPV: £12 Men ACWY/ Td/IPV: £12 Childhood Flu: £10.50 Other Catch-Up Activity: £12 The contract is due to run for five years, commencing on 1st August 2018 and ending on 31st July 2023.

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.

This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central & West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners. All ITT responses must be returned by 12 Noon on 30th November 2017, at the latest.

Additional information: Interested providers will be able to view this notice via the 'current tenders' list on the e-procurement portal (In-Tend). https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Home In order to submit a bid, you will need to register on the e-procurement portal and 'express an interest' and then complete all necessary questions as specified within the documents. On registration, please include at least two contacts to allow for access to the portal 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.