Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) for Mid and South Essex CCGs

The Contracting Authorities (hereinafter referred to as "the Authority") for this procurement are: NHS Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (as Coordinating Commissioner), NHS Basildon & Brentwood Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS Castle Point and Rochford Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS Southend Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group.
The Authority is looking for a capable provider to deliver a single contract for the delivery of Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) for the population of mid and south Essex (MSE), for all land-based provision (across all ages) with the exception of secure mental health transport. Additionally, the service will be provided to patients registered with NHS West Essex CCG in relation to journeys to/from the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre. Lotting this service was deemed inappropriate as it would result in unnecessary fragmentation and complexities.
The NEPTS will encompass:
– Booking & Eligibility Assessment;
– Transportation of patients; and
– On Site support at local NHS Acute Trust sites.
During 2019/20, approximately 178,000 journeys were undertaken across the in-scope NEPTS provision. Although there are no current plans in place that will change the expected activity levels for the in-scope provision, the proposed contract model will provide flexibility for any fundamental changes in activity to be adjusted for within the term.
NEPTS are a key enabler underpinning access to elective care and supporting timely and efficient discharge processes for acute and community providers. As a partner within the system, the NEPTS provider for MSE will support improvements in the latter stages of urgent and emergency care pathways, enabling patient choice and equitable access for elective care.
The Contract will be for a term of 60 months (five years), with the possibility of extending the term for a period of 24 additional months (two years) beyond the initial contracted duration by agreement between the Authority and the Bidder.
The anticipated aggregate contract value including extensions, variations, growth and inflation as advertised in the Find a Tender Service Contract Notice is £73,150,000.
Price scoring will be undertaken on Bidders Price for the first five years of the contract only. Commissioners will accept total bids up to £40,800,000 over the full 5 years contract term, acting as a total affordability envelope for this procurement for the purposes of bidding. Any bids received in excess of such affordability envelope will be rejected as non-compliant.
The contract model for the NEPTS is a block, no additional costs above the bid price will be rechargeable to the Authority. Tolerance levels of 5% will be applied to the contract, which will be monitored on a mobility level, with adjustment to the block being considered if activity goes above tolerance levels.
Further information is available within the ITT pack.