Intermediate Care Beds Within the Discharge to Assess Framework

The Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust) is seeking a single care home provider to provide intermediate care beds as part of the Discharge to Assess (D2A) Framework. The Supplier must provide intermediate care and an ‘enabling’ and therapeutic environment for service users who are likely to be Pathway 2 and Pathway 3. The D2A service will include, but not be limited to, 24 hour nursing care in a distinct and separate area within a Care Quality Commission registered Care Home.

The care home beds must be in close enough proximity to the Countess of Chester Hospital to ensure that the patient transport time is minimised (to ensure that the patient does not experience unnecessary discomfort). As the COCH Care of the Elderly consultant will undertake twice weekly visits to the Care Home as part of his/her role, it is essential that the travelling time between COCH and the Care Home beds is minimal.

Initially the Trust requires the supplier to provide 12 intermediate care home beds but this number may increase or decrease throughout the duration of the Framework Agreement, with agreement from the supplier.

The initial contract duration is 12 months with the option to extend for up to further 3 years, in one year increments.

THIS PROCUREMENT IS DEFINED AS HEALTH SERVICES AND IS THEREFORE CLASSED AS A PART B SERVICE UNDER THE PUBLIC CONTRACT REGULATIONS 2006. AS SUCH, THIS TENDER WILL NOT BE ADVERTISED VIA OJEU,

Additional information: HOW THIS PROCESS WILL WORK.

It is recommended the bidders familiarise themselves with the Invitation to tender document, and their own compliance with both this document and the terms and conditions of tender before completing the bidder response and pricing schedules.

Following the receipt of your bid and the final deadline passes, your bid will be opened and assessed for completeness and compliance. Failure to meet any of the mandatory requirements will result in your bid being immediately rejected. Upon satisfying all mandatory requirements your bid will be qualitatively assessed using the award criteria laid out in in the Conditions of Tender. Following the conclusion of the evaluation you will be issued notification of either being successful or unsuccessful. This will be accompanied by a debrief letter advising you of your scores and if appropriate the scores of the winning bid, along with narrative as to how the scores were applied and what the characteristics and relative advantages of the winning bid were.

Clarification Questions from Bidders

Any questions which the Bidder wishes to raise in relation to this Tender should be made via the e-sourcing portal messaging system (www.nhssourcing.co.uk). Questions provided in other formats will not be considered or answered.

Clarification questions received by any other method may constitute canvassing as defined in this ITT. Organisations participating in a bid submission are therefore strongly advised to ensure that any communication with the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and/or its employees about or related to this procurement process is submitted through the Bravo e tendering portal only, as failure to do so may result in their bid submission being disqualified.