Community Based Sexual Health Services in Pharmacies - Pharmacy Partners

Pre-qualification questionnairefor Potential Providers applying to be admitted to a DPS toprovide

Community Based Sexual Health Services in Pharmacies - “Pharmacy Partners”

OJEU Number: 2016/S 139-252175

Deadline for receipt of pre-qualification questionnaireresponses:

17 August 2016 at 12:00

Version 1.0 Final 21/07/2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1GLOSSARY

2INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

3PROCUREMENT TIMETABLE

4ACCEPTANCE ONTO THE DPS

5AWARD OF CALL-OFF CONTRACTS

6TERMS OF PARTICIPATION

1GLOSSARY

The following capitalised terms used throughout this document shall have the following meanings ascribed to them:

Authority / the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust;
BCC Ward / means any ward located within the Birmingham Local Authority boundary;
Call-Off Contracts / shall mean any contract opportunities which may be subsequently awarded to Potential Providers admitted to the DPS and which shall be subject to the Pharmacy Services Subcontract;
Contract Notice / Shall have the meaning given to in paragraph 0;
DPS / shall have the meaning given to it in paragraph 2.1;
ITT / means any invitation to tender distributed to those Potential Providers who are admitted to the DPS;
Main Contract / shall have the meaning given to in paragraph 2.21;
Pharmacy Partners / means each registered pharmacy/branch of a Sub-contractor which has been awarded an opportunity to provide Services;
Pharmacy Services Sub-contract / means the form of contract that the Authority proposes to enter into with each Potential Provider which is subsequently awarded a Call-Off Contract;
Potential Providers / means those entities who wish to be admitted to the DPS to provide the Services;
PQQ / means pre-qualification questionnaire;
Regulations / means the Public Contracts Regulations 2015;
Services / shall mean either the Tier 1 Services or the Tier 2 Services as more particularly described in the Service Specification (a copy of which has been made available to Potential Providers via the Portal);
Sub-contractors / means those Potential Providers which are subsequently awarded a Call-Off Contract.

2INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

2.1The University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust(the "Authority") is publishing apre-qualification questionnaire ("PQQ") to parties wishing to apply for admission to the “Pharmacy Partners”dynamic purchasing system ("DPS") under which the Authority may purchase CommunityBased Sexual Health Services in Pharmacies (the "Services"). This document contains important information about the procurement process.

What is a Dynamic Purchasing System

2.2A DPS is a completely electronic system established by a Contracting Authority (as defined in regulation 2 of the Regulations) to purchase commonly used goods, works or services.

2.3A DPS does not operate in the same way as a framework agreement in that it is an ‘open market’ designed to provide access to a pool of suppliers where new suppliers can join at any time.

2.4Potential Providerswishing to join the DPS must complete an on-line PQQ. The Authority will evaluate the PQQ responses and admit to the DPS allPotentialProviderswho pass the PQQ assessment. Completed PQQs will be evaluated to establish the Potential Provider’s general capability for the provision of the Services. The evaluation works on a Pass/Fail basis and therefore weightings are not applied. Based on the results of the evaluation, the Potential Provider is either accepted onto the DPS or rejected and provided with feedback in order to enable them to re-apply at a later date should they wish to do so.

2.5The Authority may issue invitations to tender ("ITT") to award individual call-off contracts ("Call-Off Contracts")to all those Potential Providers who pass the PQQ and are admitted to the relevant Lot (see paragraph 2.30 below for a description of each Lot). Any contracts awarded under the DPS will be based on the Pharmacy Services Sub-Contract (a copy of which has been made available to Potential Providers via the Portal).

2.6The Authority is using the Bravoe-tendering portal to conduct the procurement process ("the e-Tendering Portal"). The e-Tendering Portal can be accessed via Allcommunications (including submission of PQQ responses) should be carried out via the e-Tendering Portal.

2.7The contents of the on-line PQQ are set out below:

PQQquestions (to be answered by Potential Providers)
Section1 / Supplier information
Section2 / Grounds for mandatory exclusion
Section3 / Grounds for discretionary exclusion – Part 1
Section 4 / Grounds for discretionary exclusion – Part 2
Not Used
Section5 / Economic and Financial Standing – Not Used
Section6 / Technical and Professional Ability – Not Used
Section 7Ai / Supplier location
Section 7Aii / Internet access
Section 7Aiii / Overarching registration with GPhC
Section 7Aiv / Staff Vetting
Section 7Av / PharmOutcomes
Section 7Avi / Compliance with Standards
Section 7Avii / Safeguarding
Section 7Aviii / Data Protection
Section 7Aix / Privacy arrangements (Lot 2 only)
Section 7Ax / Infection Control (Lot 2 only)
Section 7Axi / Injectables (Lot 2 only)
Section 7B / Insurance
Section 7C / Compliance with equality legislation
Section7D / Environmental Management
Section7E / Healthand Safety
Section8 / Declaration

Background to Umbrella

2.8Umbrella is a new and uniquely comprehensive partnership of local providers of services including community pharmacists, general practitioners, third sector and other partners, NHS Trusts and Birmingham City Council services.

2.9The Umbrella name and logo have been carefully chosen to provide an identity for this partnership that has strong visual impact and will rapidly become easily recognisable to the residents of Birmingham and Solihull as the sign of high quality, person centred, comprehensive and expert sexual health services.

2.10The lead partner and accountable body in Umbrella is University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), a large and financially sound organisation which currently provides the majority of sexual health services in Birmingham and Solihull including the only purpose-built city centre clinic (Whittall Street) and the innovative, young person friendly, 7 day/week integrated specialist sexual health clinic in Boots Birmingham city centre.

2.11Umbrella includes delivery partners who are responsible for providing particular designated services and with whom UHB will have formal contracting arrangements (i.e. suppliers), and community partners who will contribute to, and be supported by, the Umbrella system without formal contracting arrangements.

2.12Further information about Umbrella can be found at

Background to University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB)

2.13Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), which is run by UHB, is recognised as one of the leading hospitals in Europe and has an international reputation for quality of care, informatics/IT, clinical training and research.

2.14QEHB provides direct clinical services to nearly one million patients every year, serving a regional, national and international population. It is a regional centre for cancer, trauma, renal dialysis, burns and plastics, and has the largest solid organ transplantation programme in Europe. UHB has the largest kidney programme in the UK, is a major specialist centre for burns and plastic surgery, and neurosciences, and has a specialist cancer centre.

2.15UHB provides a series of highly specialist cardiac, liver, oncology and neurosurgery services to patients from across the UK.

2.16QEHB is world-renowned for its trauma care and has developed pioneering surgical techniques in the management of ballistic and blast injuries, including bespoke surgical solutions for previously unseen injuries. As a result of its clinical expertise in treating trauma patients and military casualties, QEHB has been designated both a Level 1 Trauma Centre and host of the UK’s only £20m National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre (SRMRC).

2.17UHBemploys more than 9,000 members of staff and runs the largest single-site hospital in the country.The £545m QEHB opened its doors to patients on 16 June 2010. It has 1,213 inpatient beds, 30 operating theatres and a 100-bed critical care unit, the largest co-located critical care unit in the world. Due to demand on its services, UHB has also opened a further 170 beds in the original Queen Elizabeth Hospital, now known as the Heritage Building, as well as a second Ambulatory Care facility and two extra theatres.

2.18QEHB is host to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) and treats all seriously injured British military personnel evacuated from overseas. It also treats military casualties from other countries, such as Denmark.

2.19The location on one site of QEHB, RCDM, the University of Birmingham Medical School and Birmingham Women’s Hospital makes our healthcare campus one of the largest in the world. QEHB also has close strategic and operational links with other nearby hospital trusts, including Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital.

2.20Further information about QEHB can be found at

Background to the requirement for a DPS

2.21In 2015 Birmingham City Council ("BCC") and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council ("SMBC")awarded a 5 year contract ("MainContract") to the Authority for Integrated Sexual Health Services in Birmingham and Solihull that aims to effect quality improvements and cost savings in the area by reconfiguring service provision. The Main Contract runs from 10 August 2015 until 31 August 2020 (with an option for a 2 year extension).

2.22The Authority procured a number of suitably qualified partners to join the Authority in developing and delivering a new model of care in integrated sexual health service provision. These included GP Partners, Pharmacy Partners, Facility Partners, Access Partners, Promotion Partners, Support Partners and a Pathology Partner. Collectively this partnership is known as ‘Umbrella’. This DPS relates only to the procurement of Pharmacy Partners within the Birmingham Local Authority boundary.

2.23Aprocurement was undertaken in 2015 to appoint pharmacy partners to provide CommunityBased Sexual Health Services in Pharmacies. As a result of this exercise, 97 individual registered pharmacies in Birminghamwere appointed to provide a range of sexual health services for 5 years from August 2015 with a break option after one and three years. The services were split into 2 tiers – “Tier 1” and “Tier 2”. 13 pharmacies were awarded Tier 2 status and 84 Tier 1 status. Only 39contracts were awarded as some suppliers had multiple pharmacies appointed to provide the services.

2.24At the outset of the original procurement exercise it was envisaged that there would be 2 implementation stages to the award of contracts – tranche 1 and tranche 2. Tranche 2 pharmacies would be appointed as part of the original procurement procedure but would not become operational until a later date. However for various reasons the decision was taken to appoint pharmacies for tranche 1 only meaning that a further procurement would be needed to appoint pharmacies for tranche 2 and beyond.

2.25The Main Contract with BCC requires the Authority to increase the number of appointed Tier 1 and Tier 2 Pharmacy Partners over the term of the Main Contract broadly in accordance with the table below:

Start Date / Deliverable
Tier 1Target No. / Tier 2Target No.
10/8/2016 / 200 / 40
10/8/2017 / 250 / 50
10/8/2018 / 250 / 60
10/8/2019 / 250 / 60

Why the Authority has chosen a DPS for Pharmacy Partners

2.26The Authority has taken the decision that the optimum procurement route is to set up a DPS. A DPS was chosen as the most suitable commercial vehicle following feedback from internal stakeholders and engaging with the market.

2.27Establishing a DPS with multiple providers will help to create an environment which encourages fair competition, allowing suppliers to join at any time and choose whether to compete for all or any individual requirements (each of which shall be competed separately through the issue of an ITT).

2.28A DPS remains open to new Potential Providers throughout the period of the DPS. This enables Potential Providers who may not be able to meet the selection criteria during the establishment period, to review their processes and capabilities and apply for acceptance onto the DPS at a later stage. In addition, it allows (and encourages) existing DPS members to revise their offerings at any stage within the operation of the DPS (and so Potential Providers originally accepted as a Tier 1 Potential Provider,can at a later date apply to become a Tier 2Potential Provider). This supports small and medium enterprises, or businesses with little or no experience in tendering for work with the public sector.

2.29The DPS will streamline procurement for both the Authority and Potential Providers as it is an entirely electronic process.

Short Description of the Services

2.30The DPS will consist of the following Lots and Potential Providers may apply for admission to one or both lots:

• Lot 1: Tier 1 Services – Birmingham
• Lot 2: Tier 2 Services – Birmingham
• All Potential Providers wishing to provide theServices must apply for admission to the DPS, including those awarded a contract as a result of the original 2015 procurement exercise.
• The Service elements within Tier 1 pharmacies include:

• Emergency hormonal contraception
• Advance provision of emergency contraception
• Condom distribution
• Dispense STI testing kits
• Targeted Chlamydia screening
• Signposting to other Umbrella services
• The Service elements within Tier 2 pharmacies include:

• Emergency hormonal contraception
• Advance provision of emergency contraception
• Condom distribution
• DispenseSTI testing kits
• Initiate STI testing and provide STI testing kits
• Hepatitis B vaccination
• Initiate combined oral contraception, progesterone only oral contraception and contraception injections
• Dispense and administer on-going contraception injections
• Dispense treatment for chlamydia
• Further detail of what services are within Tier 1 and Tier 2 are shown in the Service Specification (a copy of which has been made available to Potential Providers via the Portal).
• For each Call-Off Contract under the DPS, the Authority will apply the award criteria listed in Section 4. The Authority intends to formulate the award criteria more precisely in each ITT.

Duration

2.36This is a new venture for the Authority and continued operation of the DPS will be dependent on it achieving the aims of the Authority. The DPS for Pharmacy Partners is expected to run for 5 years, from 18 July 2016. This period may be later extended to a maximum of 10 years (on a yearly basis, or by a further five years or any duration between 1-5 years as the Authority requires), or conversely shortened or terminated if the Authority’s circumstances change. Interested parties are also asked to note that the Authority reserves the right to exercise a ‘break’ clause on 31 August 2018.

SMEs

2.37The Authority is committed to supporting the Government’s small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) initiative; its aspiration is that 25% of spend, direct and through the supply chain, goes to SMEs by 2015. Suppliers are encouraged to work with the Authority to support the wider SME initiative.

2.38The link below to the Cabinet Office website provides information on the Government’s Crown Representative for SMEs, a link to the definition of an SME and details on the SME initiative

Questions about the PQQ

2.39Please submit any queries that you have relating to this PQQ via the e-Tendering Portal.

2.40Any specific queries should clearly reference the appropriate section in the PQQ and, to the extent possible, should be aggregated rather than sent individually.

2.41Answers to the questions received by the Authority may be made available to all Potential Providers via the e-Tendering Portal. Answers will not reveal the identity of the individual Potential Provider that asked a particular question.

Comments on the draft ITT documents

2.42The Authority has published a draft ITT in respect of the first round of Call-Off Contracts under this DPS ("TenderRound1")which includes a Service Specification and draft form of the Pharmacy Services Sub-contract. These documents are available at [insert URL link].

2.43Potential Providers should note that as this procurement is being undertaken pursuant to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, there is no opportunity for any resultant contract to be negotiated between the parties. With this in mind Potential Providers should submit any comments they may have in respect of the Pharmacy Services Sub-contract attached at Annex 4 to the ITT document via the messaging function on the e-Tendering portal by 17 August 2016. Potential Providers should ensure that any comments submitted include references to the specific paragraphs/clauses to which their comments relate.

2.44The Authority may consider such comments and whether any changes to the Pharmacy Services Sub-contract are required. Should the Authority decide to incorporate any suggestions/comments, it will distribute an amended form of the Pharmacy Services Sub-contract prior to commencement of Tender Round 1. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority reserves the right not to incorporate any suggested amendments to the Pharmacy Services Sub-contract and the extent of any changes incorporated shall be at its sole discretion. Where the Authority decides not to incorporate any changes to the Pharmacy Services Sub-contract, the original version of the Pharmacy Services Sub-contract will be the form of contract the Authority will execute with successful Potential Providers following conclusion of Tender Round 1.

2.45In submitting a response to this PQQ and/or the ITT, Potential Providers acknowledge that any subsequent Call-Off Contracts awarded pursuant to this DPS shall be subject to the final form of the Pharmacy Services Sub-contract distributed by the Authority following the process outlined in paragraphs 2.42 to 2.44 above. Any further attempts by Potential Providers to qualify subsequent tender responses and/or propose amendments to the terms and conditions of the final form of Pharmacy Partner Sub-contract may result in the rejection of their tender.

3
PROCUREMENT TIMETABLE

Key dates

3.1The procurement will follow a clear, structured and transparent process to ensure a fair and level playing field so that all Potential Providers are treated equally.

3.2Set out below is the proposed procurement timetable to establish the DPS. This is intended as a guide and, whilst the Authority does not intend to depart from the timetable, it reserves the right to do so at any time.

3.3The DPS process was initiated by way of a contract notice which was published in the Official Journal of the European Union ("OJEU")with reference OJEU Number: 2016/S 139-252175. Potential Providers who may be interested in the opportunity will then have a period of 30 calendar days to submit a PQQ in order to be considered for the initial tranche of contracts which shall be subject to competition amongst Lot 1 and 2 suppliers ("Tender Round 1"). The Authority shall aim to evaluate the initial completed PQQs and notify the applicants of the result by 1September2016.