GP Services Purchasing System (PDPS) for APMS contracts: GP services and GP Caretaking services

Tender description

NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI) is seeking to launch a new online purchasing system (technically known as a 'Pseudo' Dynamic Purchasing System or PDPS) where pre-approved GP providers can apply to join a list of pre-approved providers. Those providers approved to join the system can then be invited by local commissioners to bid to provide APMS services when local needs arise. The PDPS is a 4-year procurement exercise managed through a new e-procurement platform and will see: - GP providers appointed to an electronically managed list of approved providers - GP providers can apply and be added to this list at any time during the 4-year period, unlike a traditional procurement framework, - once approved onto the PDPS, GP providers can be invited via the e-platform to respond to requests for APMS services from local commissioners. These local 'call-offs' will be matched to the bespoke needs of local commissioners. To ensure the PDPS can be managed efficiently while also being sensitive to local commissioner (and provider) needs it will be broken down in to Lots Lot 1 - Substantive APMS Contracts Lot 2 - GP Caretaker Contracts The PDPS will be further broken down into geographical sub-Lots (7 sub-Lots in line with the 7 NHSEI regional areas). GP Providers can apply to be an approved APMS and/or caretaker provider in one or more of the stated Lots and Sub-Lots. Application on to the approved provider list does not commit providers to providing APMS services, nor does it guarantee a provider will be awarded a contract through the PDPS, but it does mean providers will be able to bid when local needs arise. Applications to join the PDPS will be managed in consecutive "Rounds". These Rounds have specific start and end dates by which applications must be submitted. If a provider misses the deadline to submit an application for a particular Round, they can submit their application for evaluation as part of the next Round. The deadline for applications for the first Round is 12.00 (noon) on 14.02.20. The second Round will run from 14.02.20 to 13.03.20. Further Rounds are scheduled to follow. It is anticipated that the system will be in place ready to undertake Call-Off procurements by April 2020. Please refer to the online document set available at the EU Supply e-tendering portal (link provided) for further details. The Services in the scope of this procurement fall 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" (LTR) contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77). Neither the employment of any particular terminology nor any other indication shall be taken to mean that The Authority intends to hold itself bound by any of the Regulations save those applicable to Regulation 74.