Special-purpose road passenger-transport services

Tender description

Sussex CCGs (West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, and East Sussex) are pleased to announce the commissioning of a new term of provision for Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service from April 2022. This is a market engagement exercise. This is a market engagement exercise. Sussex CCGs (West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, and East Sussex) are pleased to announce the commissioning of a new term of provision for Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service from April 2022. Value of contract = circa GBP 126 million — GBP 133 million. Contract period is anticipated to be 5 years (commencing 1 April 2022) with an option of the commissioners to extend the contract by up to a further 2 years. The value stated above represents an estimate of the maximum value including optional extension. The aim of this service is to provide transport for eligible Sussex patients with a medical need, between their places of residence, primary, community, social care and acute settings transporting patients in safe, timely, comfortable and clinically appropriate transport without detriment to their medical condition. There is a need for the NEPTS Provider in the post-Covid pandemic to be able to respond to rapidly changing regional demand patterns to cater for the patient, the Acute Trusts and stakeholder partners. Key aims and objectives The CCG has the following ambitions for the service that it wishes to commission: • a service that can demonstrate flexibility and responsiveness within contract value to meet complex conveyance needs, including bariatric and higher acuity patients; • a service that demonstrates the ability to provide a flexible and resilient service able to meet changing demands whilst maintaining business continuity at all times; • the ability to provide innovative and efficient communication channels to patients and a variety of NHS-funded stakeholder sites in the engagement and provision of its service; • a service capable of completing all transport journeys within the agreed timescales; • work with system partners and contribute to the wider Sussex Health Care system; • ensure that all patients who meet the eligibility criteria are conveyed safely, with dignity and in comfort to their destination; • provide a consistent standardised delivery of service from a suitable range of vehicles, staffed by a professional and skilled workforce. It is anticipated that the service would be offered for tender under a standard NHS contract for a period of 5 years commencing on the 1 April 2022 with option to extend for a maximum of up to a further 2 years. This market engagement process is designed to help the Commissioners form a view of the best way to commission the service and is not the beginning of a tender exercise. A further tender advertisement will be issued at the appropriate time as/if required. You will not be disadvantaged in any subsequent tender process if you choose not to be involved in this market engagement but the Commissioners do wish to understand your views at this early stage. Market engagement event – Monday 19th October 2-3 p.m. An online market engagement Webinar event will be held on Monday 19th October 2-3 p.m. Please use the procurement portal correspondence feature to register your attendance by no later than 18 October 2020 and include the following details: Name of attendee, organisation, email address, telephone number. A draft service specification will be shared approximately 7 days in advance of the event via the procurement portal. The Commissioners wish to encourage providers to submit questions about the requirements via the portal before the event as this may influence the content of the presentation on the day. Diary invites will be sent out to all attendees in advance of this online event and a log of questions and Commissioner responses will be shared after (via the portal).