This procurement is being conducted by NHS England on behalf of itself and those contracting authorities which are listed within each of the groupings set out on the internet pages accessible via the following links (together with any future successors to those contracting authorities), any or all of whom may wish to procure services from a provider or providers through this framework:
— NHS England Area Teams:
http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories/Pages/AreaTeamListing.aspx
— National Health Service Clinical Commissioning Groups in England:
http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories/Pages/CCGListing.aspx
— National Health Service Trusts and Foundation Trusts in England:
http://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/pages/nhstrustlisting.aspx
— National Health Service Mental Health Trusts in England:
http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories/Pages/MentalHealthTrustListing.aspx
— NHS Care Trusts in England:
http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories/Pages/CareTrustListing.aspx
— Those National Health Service bodies in England which are Special Health Authorities:
http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories/Pages/SpecialHealthAuthorityListing.aspx
— Other National Health Service bodies:
http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories/Pages/OtherListing.aspx
— NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA):
http://www.ntda.nhs.uk/
— Arm's Length Bodies:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/arms-length-bodies/our-arms-length-bodies
— And any other provider of primary medical services:
(a) who are a party to any of the following contracts:
— General Medical Services (GMS),
— Personal Medical Services (PMS),
— Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS) and/or
(b) Commissioned by NHS England or other organisations involved in commissioning or overseeing General Practitioner services, as described above.
— Social Enterprises:
http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/
— Local Authorities:
http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/org/la-data.do
Potential Providers should note that in accordance with the UK Government's policies on transparency, the Authority intends to publish the Invitation to Tender (ITT) document and any text of any Framework Agreement awarded, subject to possible redactions at the discretion of the Authority. The terms of the Framework Agreement will also permit a Participating Authority, awarding a contract under this Framework Agreement, to publish the text of that contract, subject to possible redactions at the discretion of the Participating Authority. Further information on transparency can be found at:
http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-and-contracting-transparency-requirements-guidance
The Authority expressly reserves the right (i) not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice; and (ii) to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the procurement exercise; and in no circumstances will the Authority be liable for any costs incurred by candidates. If the Authority decides to enter in to a Framework Agreement with a successful provider, this does not mean that there is any guarantee of subsequent contracts being awarded pursuant to it. Any expenditure, work or effort undertaken prior to contract award is accordingly a matter solely for the commercial judgement of Potential Providers.
Any orders placed under this Framework Agreement will form a separate contract under the scope of this Framework between the Supplier and the specific requesting Participating Authority. The Authority and other Participating Authorities utilising the Framework reserve the right to use any electronic portal during the life of the agreement.
The duration referred to in Section II 2.7) is for the placing of orders.
The value provided in Section II 2.6) is only an estimate. The Authority cannot guarantee to Suppliers any business through this Framework Agreement.