Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Services London

The London Borough of Hounslow is leading the procurement to establish an Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service (through a Framework Agreement). In addition to the London Borough of Hounslow, 26 other London Boroughs are parties to this contract to whom these services shall also be delivered to under this contract.

UK-Hounslow: Administrative healthcare services

2013/S 007-007846

Contract notice

Services

Directive 2004/18/EC

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)

London Borough of Hounslow
The Civic Centre, Lampton Road
Contact point(s): Corporate Procurement Unit
TW3 4DN Hounslow
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 2085832000
E-mail: procurement@hounslow.gov.uk

Internet address(es):

General address of the contracting authority: www.hounslow.gov.uk

Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)

Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)

Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: The above mentioned contact point(s)

I.2)Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

I.3)Main activity

General public services

I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities

The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: yes

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
Civic Centre, Rainham Road North
RM10 7BN Dagenham
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Barnet
Building 4, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road South
N11 1NP London
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Brent
Town Hall, Forty Lane
HA9 9HD Wembley
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Bromley
Civic Centre, Stockwell Close
BR1 3UH Bromley
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Camden
Town Hall, Judd Street
WC1H 9JE London
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Croydon
Taberner House, Park Lane
CR9 3JS Croydon
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Ealing
Perceval House, 14/16 Uxbridge Road
W5 2HL London
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Enfield
Civic Centre, Silver Street
EN1 3XA Enfield
UNITED KINGDOM

Royal Borough of Greenwich
Town Hall, Wellington Street
SE18 6PW London
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
Town Hall, King Street
W6 9JU London
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Hackney
Town Hall, Mare Street
E8 1EA London
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Haringey
Civic Centre, High Road, Wood Green
N22 8LE London
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Havering
Town Hall, Main Road
RM1 3BD Romford
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Hillingdon
Civic Centre, High Street
UB8 1UW Uxbridge
UNITED KINGDOM

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Guildhall, High Street
KT1 1EU Kingston upon Thames
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Lambeth
Town Hall, Brixton Hill
SW2 1RW Lambeth
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Redbridge
Town Hall, High Road
IG1 1DD Ilford
UNITED KINGDOM

Lodnon Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Civic Centre, York Street
TW1 3BZ Twickenham
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Southwark
160 Tooley Street,
SE1 2QH London
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Mulberry Place, 2 Clove Crescent
E14 2BG London
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Wandsworth
Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street
SW18 2PU London
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Islington
Town Hall, Upper Street
N1 2UD London
UNITED KINGDOM

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Town Hall, Hornton Street
W8 7NX London
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Lewisham
Town Hall, Catford
SE6 4RU London
UNITED KINGDOM

London Borough of Merton
Civic Centre, London Road
SM4 5DX Morden
UNITED KINGDOM

City of Westminster
Westminster City Hall, 64 Victoria Street
SW1E 6QP London
UNITED KINGDOM

Section II: Object of the contract

II.1)Description

II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:

Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Services (INCAS)

II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance

Services
Service category No 25: Health and social services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, London Borough of Barnet, London Borough of Brent, London Borough of Bromley, London Borough of Camden, London Borough of Croydon, London Borough of Ealing, London Borough of Enfield, Royal Borough of Greenwich, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, London Borough of Hackney, London Borough of Haringey, London Borough of Havering, London Borough of Hillingdon, London Borough of Hounslow, London Borough of Islington, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames, London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Lewisham, London Borough of Merton, London Borough of Redbridge, London Borough of Richmond, London Borough of Southwark, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London Borough of Wandsworth, City of Westminster.
NUTS code

II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)

The notice involves the establishment of a framework agreement

II.1.4)Information on framework agreement

Framework agreement with a single operator

II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 transfers the responsibility of commissioning NHS Complaints Advocacy Services from Central Government to Local Government. The current ‘Independent Complaints Advocacy Services’ contracts end on 31.3.2013 and replacement Service, as procured through this process will start on 1.4.2013.
The London Borough of Hounslow is leading the procurement to establish an Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service (through a Framework Agreement). In addition to the London Borough of Hounslow, 26 other London Boroughs are parties to this contract to whom these services shall also be delivered to under this contract. These Boroughs are The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, London Borough of Barnet, London Borough of Brent, London Borough of Bromley, London Borough of Camden, London Borough of Croydon, London Borough of Ealing, London Borough of Enfield, Royal Borough of Greenwich, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, London Borough of Hackney, London Borough of Haringey, London Borough of Havering, London Borough of Hillingdon, London Borough of Islington, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames, London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Lewisham, London Borough of Merton, London Borough of Redbridge, London Borough of Richmond, London Borough of Southwark, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London Borough of Wandsworth and the City of Westminster described collectively in the procurement and contract documentation as “the Participating Authorities”.
The Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service (INCAS) will ensure that independent advocacy skills are used to provide practical support and direction focus on empowering and supporting Service Users, through the complaints procedures for health services, to assist them in finding a resolution to their complaint.
The support provided by the Service will be through various methods and will support patients, service users, residents, their family, carer or representative, with a complaint or grievance related to any aspect of healthcare as described in the Health and Social Care Act 2012, such as complaints about poor treatment or service provided through health services in England. The Service will deliver services that meet the legal requirements as described in the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and any current or future regulations.

II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

75122000, 85140000, 85100000, 79000000

II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): no

II.1.8)Lots

This contract is divided into lots: no

II.1.9)Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: no

II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract

II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:

Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Services (INCAS).
Estimated value excluding VAT: 7 000 000 GBP

II.2.2)Information about options

Options: no

II.2.3)Information about renewals

This contract is subject to renewal: no

II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion

Duration in months: 36 (from the award of the contract)

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information

III.1)Conditions relating to the contract

III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:

The contracting authority reserves the right to require deposits, guarantees, bonds or other forms of appropriate security. The contracting authority will require direct agreements from principal service providers, supported, where appropriate, by parent company guarantees. Further details will be provided in the tender documentation.

III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:

Details to be provided in the invitation to tender.

III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:

Grouped or consortia bidders will be required to be jointly and severally liable to the contracting authority. The contracting authority reserves the right to require a separate SPV to be formed prior to entering into a contract.

III.1.4)Other particular conditions

The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: no

III.2)Conditions for participation

III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: The contracting authority will evaluate all Invitation to Tender responses in accordance with Articles 45 to 50 of Directive 2004/18/EC and Regulations 23 to 25 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006, and as set out in the Invitation to Tender documentation available from the address in section I.1.

III.2.2)Economic and financial ability

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: In accordance with Article 47 of Directive 2004/18/EC and Regulation 24 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: As set out in the Invitation to Tender documentation available from the address in section I.1.

III.2.3)Technical capacity

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
In accordance with Articles 48 to 50 of Directive 2004/18/EC and Regulation 25 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
As set out in the Invitation to Tender documentation available from the address in section I.1.

III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts

III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts

III.3.1)Information about a particular profession

Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: no

III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service

Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: no

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)Type of procedure

IV.1.1)Type of procedure

Open

IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate

IV.1.3)Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue

IV.2)Award criteria

IV.2.1)Award criteria

The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document

IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction

An electronic auction will be used: no

IV.3)Administrative information

IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:

C&A/NHS Advocacy/2013.

IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract

IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document

IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

6.2.2013 – 13:00

IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up

English.

IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders

Date: 6.2.2013 – 13:00

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.1)Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: no

VI.2)Information about European Union funds

The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no

VI.3)Additional information

The London Borough of Hounslow notes that this contract falls within Part B of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006, or that the contract is wholly outside of those Regulations. Accordingly, the tendering procedure which will be followed, and set out in the tender documentation, will reflect the limited application of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 to Part B contracts. To receive the Invitation to Tender documentation, Expressions of Interest must be received by email to procurement@hounslow.gov.uk

Any questions or queries should be made in writing by e-mail to procurement@hounslow.gov.uk and must be received no later than 13:00 on 30.1.2013, the deadline for submission of tenders is 13:00 on 6.2.2013.

VI.4)Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures

VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals

VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained

VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:7.1.2013