Construction work

Tender description

This prior information notice (PIN) has been issued to provide advanced notice of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's intention to appoint a main contractor for the construction of the new Aseptic Production Unit. Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a 1 200+ bed teaching hospital providing acute care to 900 000 people living in Norfolk. It provides a full range of acute clinical services, including more specialist services. Opened in 2001, the Pharmacy Aseptic production unit was built to support 18 650 cycles of chemotherapy prepared per annum. As of 2018, the unit is preparing 30 700 cycles of chemotherapy per annum from the same footprint. The aseptic unit produces the following per annum: — chemoTherapy treatment cycles: 34 400 cycles of which over 3 000 are part of clinical trial work. — Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) products which support a patient’s nutritional requirements when experiencing various issues including intestinal failure. The Trust currently supplies 8 000-10 000 TPN bags per annum (approximate 3 000-4 000 produced by the Trust with the remainder outsourced). — 10 CIVAS products per annum, which are sight saving products for the Trust Ophthalmology patients. These are often prepared at very short notice and cannot easily be outsourced. Due to the current issues some outsourcing is utilised and some product is made with a significantly reduced shelf life as advised by SPS. The construction will provide a two-storey Aseptic Production Unit (GIFA approximately 1 000 m2) on the Norwich and Norfolk University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust site to provide cleanrooms on ground floor with administration and non-process support rooms on the first floor. The PAS shall be built adjacent to the existing hospital buildings on an area designated. This Aseptic Unit shall provide a facility suitable to be licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for the processing and production of aseptically prepared products for the Trust and external customers, in particular cancer chemotherapy treatment (cytotoxic) but also a range of general intravenous preparations (IV) and Parenteral Nutrition (PN). Please note: — The cleanrooms will operate under an EU-GMP Grade C (BS EN ISO 14644 Class 7) environment; — The isolators shall be designed to provide an environment to EC GMP Grade A within the main chamber and transfer hatches. Construction details include piled foundations, steel frame, masonry and rain screen clad external walls and concrete floors. The contractor will be required to employ a specialist nominated subcontractor to undertake design and installation of the clean room areas and associated services. All internal finishes and fittings are required to be provided in line with a specification commensurate with a facility of this type. The project also includes for provision of associated external works and services. The construction budget is to be determined, this being dependent on final detailed design (currently underway). The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust intends to follow an open procedure under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and a single-stage tender, design and build route. Estimated programme: — issue invitation to tender: 5 February 2021; — return of ITT’s (30 days): 5 April 2021; — evaluate tenders: 3 May 2021; — notify suppliers: 7 May 2021; — appoint successful contractor post funding confirmation estimated July 2021; — 12-month approximate build programme (handover by Autumn 2022). Tender documents are not available at this time and will be issued in line with the timelines detailed above via the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust procurement portal. There is no requirement for suppliers to respond to this PIN, however they are advised to register at the portal in advance to ensure they are notified and able to immediately access the tender documents when published.