DHSC International Freight and Logistics Solutions

DHSC intends to run a procurement to source International Freight and Logistics services for medical products (including for example Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test kits and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)).

The current intention is that the procurement will include contract award, rather than a framework, for the provision of the following high-level services:

- Air Charter services - Rail freight services* - Sea freight services* - Warehousing services

*These will be managed end-to-end services. This may include (but is not limited to) provision of ground transport for collection from origin and delivery to final destination, ground handling and customs brokerage.

The proposed contracting periods for the high-level services detailed above are 12 months, with the option for the Authority to extend for a further 12 months. The estimated total value of these contracts across the full duration of the contracts is £382,000,000. Further detail on the likely split of this value between the lots is envisaged to be provided during market engagement but will be confirmed at the point any formal procurement is launched.

Note that this value is an estimate and is based on current understanding of requirements and market conditions and may be subject to change.

This notice is an Early Engagement Notice and does not constitute a call for competition. The Department will aim to publish a Contract notice (invitation to tender) on the Find a Tender Service (FTS) and Opportunity Notice on Contract Finder from the end of May 2021, but such timescale may be extended as a result of market engagement and any further scoping requirements.

The intended international freight and logistics tender will be performed through the online application, Atamis Procurement Software.

Suppliers are encouraged, if they have not done so already, to register as quickly as possible with Atamis to ensure access to the tender documentation and the instructions for completion upon FTS and Contract Finder publication. Please see the document attached to this notice for instructions on how to register for Atamis and submit a tender.

Prior to the proposed publication of a contract notice, the Department is seeking to engage with the market.

If suppliers are interested in participating in the market engagement activities, they should register interest by emailing: InternationalFreightProcurement@dhsc.gov.uk. To guarantee that suppliers have access to market engagement event details in advance of the event, suppliers should register interest by no later than 16:00 on Friday 7th May 2021. For suppliers registering interest after this date, the department will endeavour to ensure suppliers have access to market engagement events.

Details of the specific market engagement sessions will be provided via email to those suppliers that register their interest.