Retail Outlets Dynamic Purchasing System

Public Sector organisations need to maximise the utility of their non-core estate. Retail outlets in areas open to the public can contribute to income but operation of these facilities is not a core competence of Public Sector organisations.

Leasing the space to a commercial organisation could deliver better value than the current utilisation and reduce administration costs for the Public Sector while providing an enhanced service user experience. Public Sector organisations also have an ongoing duty to demonstrate that they achieve best value from their contracts.

Open competition, conducted under transparent rules between suppliers that have already demonstrated competence and compliance with public sector standards, through their appointment to the proposed DPS, is an effective way to show that a Public Sector organisation has met this duty. Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Commercial Procurement Services (CPS) invites applications to join a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Commercial Leases for the purposes of providing Retail Outlets as described in the document "DPS04 Dynamic Purchasing System Outline Specification." The proposed Dynamic Purchasing System will offer a consistent and straightforward route for Public Sector organisations to conduct, and for suppliers to enter, a competition to award a lease contract to the most economically advantageous bidder from a list of qualified suppliers.

The Dynamic Purchasing System will act to reduce friction in the procurement process and ensure that all parties have a clear and consistent view of the contract heads of terms that will apply. Contracts for the acquisition or rental, by whatever financial means, of land, existing buildings or other immovable property, or which concern interests in or rights over any of them are excluded from the Public Contracts Regulations.

In order to provide a consistent, straightforward and familiar process for Public Sector organisations, this Dynamic Purchasing System will voluntarily follow the set-up processes and structure of a DPS as set out in regulation 34 of the Public Contracts Regulations but is not bound by those Regulations. For the avoidance of doubt, Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Commercial Procurement Services is explicitly not bound by regulation 34 or any other part of the Public Contracts Regulations for the purposes of this DPS.