Nursing and Midwifery Council Overseas Registration Project.
Contract notice
Services
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Nursing and Midwifery Council
23 Portland Place
Contact point(s): Procurement Department
For the attention of: Head of Procurement
W1B 1PZ London
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 2076815488
E-mail:
Fax: +44 2074363805
Internet address(es):
General address of the contracting authority: www.nmc-uk.org
Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: The above mentioned contact point(s)
I.2)Type of the contracting authority
Other: Professional Health Regulator
I.3)Main activity
Health
I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no
Section II: Object of the contract
II.1)Description
II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:
Nursing and Midwifery Council Overseas Registration Project.
II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
Service category No 24: Education and vocational education services
Service category No 24: Education and vocational education services
NUTS code UK
II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)
The notice involves a public contract
II.1.4)Information on framework agreement
II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
Educational software package. Educational software development services. Operation of an educational centre. Information technology services. The NMC is seeking to renew its assessment of overseas nurses and midwives competence using online exam and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) formats for approximately 1100 people per year (this volume of applicants may fluctuate annually, and the NMC cannot guarantee any minimum number of overseas applicants). The services required for this project are grouped as 5 lots: 1) Online Exam Content Development 2) a) Online Exam IT platform and b) Exam Centres 3) OSCE Content Development 4) OSCE Delivery Facilities 5) Clinical Placement in a real-life health/clinical environment.
II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
48190000, 72212190, 80490000, 72222300
II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): no
II.1.8)Lots
This contract is divided into lots: yes
Tenders may be submitted for one or more lots
Tenders may be submitted for one or more lots
II.1.9)Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: yes
II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract
II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:
The current Overseas Registration process referred 1100 applicants onto its Overseas Nursing Programme this year. It is estimated that the volume of applicants may go up or down during the life of the contract. However, it is anticipated that the new online test of competence may help to encourage more overseas applicants, particularly in years beyond the initial ones when, subject to the service being successful, will be expanded so that it can accessed via secure facilities overseas, and hence make it easier and less costly for applicants to participate in this first stage of the registration process. The programme timescales estimate it starting in the Autumn of 2014.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 1 000 000 and 10 000 000 GBP
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 1 000 000 and 10 000 000 GBP
II.2.2)Information about options
Options: yes
Description of these options: The NMC is a professional regulator and plans to collaborate with other regulators who tender for similar services in support of their overseas applicants' registration process. The purpose of opening this tender up to other regulators, is so as to stimulate collaboration, and it aims to identify future need of other regulators within the first 36 months of the contract. Therefore, although the range shown spans £1m to £10m, the NMC anticipates that its own requirements will comprise of approximately £3m of set up costs (including in-house project support costs) in the first year, followed by approximately £750K of annual maintenance costs (therefore, totally approximately £5m over the life of the contract). N.B. These ranges are only estimates and intended only as a guide.
Provisional timetable for recourse to these options:
in months: 60 (from the award of the contract)
Description of these options: The NMC is a professional regulator and plans to collaborate with other regulators who tender for similar services in support of their overseas applicants' registration process. The purpose of opening this tender up to other regulators, is so as to stimulate collaboration, and it aims to identify future need of other regulators within the first 36 months of the contract. Therefore, although the range shown spans £1m to £10m, the NMC anticipates that its own requirements will comprise of approximately £3m of set up costs (including in-house project support costs) in the first year, followed by approximately £750K of annual maintenance costs (therefore, totally approximately £5m over the life of the contract). N.B. These ranges are only estimates and intended only as a guide.
Provisional timetable for recourse to these options:
in months: 60 (from the award of the contract)
II.2.3)Information about renewals
This contract is subject to renewal: yes
II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Duration in months: 60 (from the award of the contract)
Information about lots
Lot No: 1 Lot title: Online Examination Content Development1)Short description
The NMC is seeking suppliers for development of academic health related questions to test the competency of overseas Nurses and Midwives. The questions will form the basis of a question bank which will can then be uploaded to a secure information technology training website.
2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
75121000 - FA01
3)Quantity or scope
The development of a question bank of clinical questions relating to nurses and midwives which can be used for a test of competency. The NMC currently receives approximately 1100 applicants from overseas nurses and midwives per year. This volume may fluctuate on a yearly basis and the NMC cannot guarantee any minimum number of applicants in any one year.
4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion
5)Additional information about lots
The timescales for development and completion of questions for the Test of Competence service are anticipated to start in the Autumn of 2014.
Lot No: 2 Lot title: Provision of Online Test of Competency Examination Information Technology Platform
1)Short description
The NMC requires provision of an online IT platform to administer its Overseas Registration Programme Test of Competency examinations.
2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
48190000, 72212190, 80000000, 72222300
3)Quantity or scope
The NMC currently receives approximately 1100 applications from overseas (non EU based) nurses and midwives wishing to register to practice in the UK. The NMC wishes to procure an online IT platform from which to run its new competency tests for these applicants. The IT platform needs to have security features that are compatible and recognised by the European Union in order to safeguard the integrity of the examination data and results.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 50 000 and 1 000 000 GBP
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 50 000 and 1 000 000 GBP
4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion
Duration in months: 60 (from the award of the contract)
5)Additional information about lots
Lot No: 3 Lot title: Development of content for an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
1)Short description
Development of content for an Objective Structured Clinical Examination for Overseas Nurses and Midwives wishing to register with the NMC so that they can practice in the UK.
2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
48814400 - FA01
3)Quantity or scope
It is anticipated that the OSCE will be initially delivered in the UK, however, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) reserves the right to explore the option in subsequent years of administration of this examination in a country close to the country of residence of the overseas nurse or midwife applying for inclusion on the NMC register. The NMC currently receives approximately 1100 applications from overseas nurses and midwives seeking registration so that they can practice in the UK. The volume of applications may fluctuate during the life of the contract and the NMC cannot guarantee a minimum volume of applications in any one year.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 500 000 and 5 000 000 GBP
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 500 000 and 5 000 000 GBP
4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion
Duration in months: 60 (from the award of the contract)
5)Additional information about lots
Lot No: 4 Lot title: Provision of Delivery Facilities from which Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) can be hosted
1)Short description
The NMC is seeking suitable facilities where it can administer its Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs). OSCE are set up as a kind of mock-clinical setting where nurses and midwives practical and theoretical competences and skills can be observed and examined. Suppliers would need to be able to provide an OSCE setting that either was based in a hospital, a medical centre, or a similar environment where access to common medical and clinical props are available and accurate.
2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
75122000, 70332000, 75121000, 80490000
3)Quantity or scope
The NMC currently processes approximately 1100 applications for overseas nurses and midwives wishing to register to practice in the UK. The volume of demand for OSCE provision may fluctuate over the life of the contract. Suppliers with premises where day to day clinical activities take place and/or where a bespoke training facility for clinical assessments is already in operation may feel that the risk of having such facilities in place may be lower than if a new supplier needed to invest in the provision of such venues that did not already exist.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 500 000 and 5 000 000 GBP
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 500 000 and 5 000 000 GBP
4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion
Duration in months: 60 (from the award of the contract)
5)Additional information about lots
Lot No: 5 Lot title: Clinical Placements for Overseas Nurses and Midwives as part of the NMC Registrations Requirements
1)Short description
The provision of a clinical placement stage for overseas nurses and midwives who have passed the online test of competency and the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a option which NMC may wish to explore. Expressions of interest are therefore sought from providers of such services so that the NMC can engage in competitive dialogue with suppliers to this market to ascertain whether adding this extra or alternative stage to the Overseas Registration Process will add value, and whether to proceed with this additional element of the process.
2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
80490000 - RD10
3)Quantity or scope
The NMC currently receives approximately 1100 applications per year from overseas (non EU) nurses and midwives wishing to be added to the Nursing and Midwifery Council Register so that they can legally practice in the UK. The volume of applications may fluctuate over the life of the contract and the NMC cannot give any assurances or guarantee any minimum number of applications in any one year.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 500 000 and 5 000 000 GBP
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 500 000 and 5 000 000 GBP
4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion
Duration in months: 60 (from the award of the contract)
5)Additional information about lots
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
For newly formed organisations with insufficient requirements of evidence of 3 years trading and audited accounts, the NMC reserve the right to ask for bank references and/or bank guarantees or performance bonds, or where the organisation is linked to a larger parent company, financial assurances by way of parent guarantee.
III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
Payments to suppliers will be paid in installments at key dates agreed between the contractual parties linked to satisfactory delivery and performance of that stage of the contract. Payment will be made 30 days from receipt of a correct and authorised and agreed invoice submitted by the supplier.
III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
Joint and several liability.
III.1.4)Other particular conditions
III.2)Conditions for participation
III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: The Authority will apply all the offences listed in Article 45(1) of Directive 2004/18/EC (implemented as Regulation 23(1) of the Public Contract Regulations (PCR) 2006 in the UK) and all of the professional misconducts listed at Article 45(2) of Directive 2004/18/EC (see also Regulation 23(2) in the PCR 2006) to the decision of whether a Candidate is eligible to be invited to tender.
Candidates who have been convicted of any of the offences under Article 45(1) are ineligible and will not be selected to bid, unless there are overriding requirements in the general interest for doing so.
Candidates who are guilty of any of the offences, circumstances or misconduct under Article 45(2) may be excluded from being selected to bid at the discretion of the Authority.
A full list of the Regulation 23(1) and 23(2) criteria are at http://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/project/reasonsForExclusion.html#pcr
Candidates will be required to answer these questions as part of the qualification process. For candidates who are registered overseas, you will need to declare if you have any offences/misconduct under your own countries laws, where these laws are equivalent to the Regulation 23 lists.Candidates who have been convicted of any of the offences under Article 45(1) are ineligible and will not be selected to bid, unless there are overriding requirements in the general interest for doing so.
Candidates who are guilty of any of the offences, circumstances or misconduct under Article 45(2) may be excluded from being selected to bid at the discretion of the Authority.
III.2.2)Economic and financial ability
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: (a) Appropriate statements from banks or, where appropriate, evidence of relevant professional risk indemnity insurance,
(b) The presentation of balance-sheets or extracts from the balance-sheets, where publication of the balance-sheet is required under the law of the country in which the economic operator is established,
(c) A statement of the undertaking's overall turnover and, where appropriate, of turnover in the area covered by the contract for a maximum of the last three financial years available, depending on the date on which the undertaking was set up or the economic operator started trading, as far as the information on these turnovers is available.
(b) The presentation of balance-sheets or extracts from the balance-sheets, where publication of the balance-sheet is required under the law of the country in which the economic operator is established,
(c) A statement of the undertaking's overall turnover and, where appropriate, of turnover in the area covered by the contract for a maximum of the last three financial years available, depending on the date on which the undertaking was set up or the economic operator started trading, as far as the information on these turnovers is available.
III.2.3)Technical capacity
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
(a) a list of the works carried out over the past five years, accompanied by certificates of satisfactory execution for the most important works. These certificates shall indicate the value, date and site of the works and shall specify whether they were carried out according to the rules of the trade and properly completed. Where appropriate, the competent authority shall submit these certificates to the contracting authority direct
(b) a list of the principal deliveries effected or the main services provided in the past three years, with the sums, dates and recipients, whether public or private, involved. Evidence of delivery and services provided shall be given: - where the recipient was a contracting authority, in the form of certificates issued or countersigned by the competent authority, - where the recipient was a private purchaser, by the purchaser's certification or, failing this, simply by a declaration by the economic operator
(c) an indication of the technicians or technical bodies involved, whether or not belonging directly to the economic operator's undertaking, especially those responsible for quality control and, in the case of public works contracts, those upon whom the contractor can call in order to carry out the work
(d) A description of the technical facilities and measures used by the supplier or service provider for ensuring quality and the undertaking's study and research facilities
(e) Where the products or services to be supplied are complex or, exceptionally, are required for a special purpose, a check carried out by the contracting authorities or on their behalf by a competent official body of the country in which the supplier or service provider is established, subject to that body's agreement, on the production capacities of the supplier or the technical capacity of the service provider and, if necessary, on the means of study and research which are available to it and the quality control measures it will operate
(f) The educational and professional qualifications of the service provider or contractor and/or those of the undertaking's managerial staff and, in particular, those of the person or persons responsible for providing the services or managing the work
(g) For public works contracts and public services contracts, and only in appropriate cases, an indication of the environmental management measures that the economic operator will be able to apply when performing the contract
(h) A statement of the average annual manpower of the service provider or contractor and the number of managerial staff for the last three years
(i) A statement of the tools, plant or technical equipment available to the service provider or contractor for carrying out the contract
(j) An indication of the proportion of the contract which the services provider intends possibly to subcontract
(k) With regard to the products to be supplied: (i) samples, descriptions and/or photographs, the authenticity of which must be certified if the contracting authority so requests; (ii) certificates drawn up by official quality control institutes or agencies of recognised competence attesting the conformity of products clearly identified by references to specifications or standards
A pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) will be issued to suppliers as a means of responding to the key threshold requirements as shown in a) to k).
In order to shortlist suppliers who have sufficient knowledge of the requirements and/or experience of providing similar services for the administration and delivery of Clinical Placement facilities to overseas nurses and midwives seeking registration so that they may practice in the UK. Suppliers will also be asked in the PQQ to provide answers to the following questions:
1) Please describe at a high level your understanding of the end to end process relating to similar projects; from the point at when a need for the administration of the clinical placement is identified, through to the point where candidates have completed their clinical placement, and the organising organisation is informed of their performance/results.
2) Please list the key areas of risks that you envisage in relation to the provision of clincial placements for projects similar to this one for overseas nurses and midwives seeking UK registration with the NMC, and how you would classify and manage each of these risks.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
The NMC is setting a high level evaluation criteria at 70 % quality and 30 % price.
Numerous questions will be asked at the PQQ in relation to the quality aspects which will be evaluated on the basis of a 0-5 scoring process, with 0 being the score for answers that fail to meet the minimum criteria, through to a maximum of 5 which is the score given to potential tenderers who exceed the minimum criteria. The minimum criteria to be shortlisted to the competitive dialogue stage of this tender is that 50 % of the answers to the quality section need to achieve a minimum score of 3.
(a) a list of the works carried out over the past five years, accompanied by certificates of satisfactory execution for the most important works. These certificates shall indicate the value, date and site of the works and shall specify whether they were carried out according to the rules of the trade and properly completed. Where appropriate, the competent authority shall submit these certificates to the contracting authority direct
(b) a list of the principal deliveries effected or the main services provided in the past three years, with the sums, dates and recipients, whether public or private, involved. Evidence of delivery and services provided shall be given: - where the recipient was a contracting authority, in the form of certificates issued or countersigned by the competent authority, - where the recipient was a private purchaser, by the purchaser's certification or, failing this, simply by a declaration by the economic operator
(c) an indication of the technicians or technical bodies involved, whether or not belonging directly to the economic operator's undertaking, especially those responsible for quality control and, in the case of public works contracts, those upon whom the contractor can call in order to carry out the work
(d) A description of the technical facilities and measures used by the supplier or service provider for ensuring quality and the undertaking's study and research facilities
(e) Where the products or services to be supplied are complex or, exceptionally, are required for a special purpose, a check carried out by the contracting authorities or on their behalf by a competent official body of the country in which the supplier or service provider is established, subject to that body's agreement, on the production capacities of the supplier or the technical capacity of the service provider and, if necessary, on the means of study and research which are available to it and the quality control measures it will operate
(f) The educational and professional qualifications of the service provider or contractor and/or those of the undertaking's managerial staff and, in particular, those of the person or persons responsible for providing the services or managing the work
(g) For public works contracts and public services contracts, and only in appropriate cases, an indication of the environmental management measures that the economic operator will be able to apply when performing the contract
(h) A statement of the average annual manpower of the service provider or contractor and the number of managerial staff for the last three years
(i) A statement of the tools, plant or technical equipment available to the service provider or contractor for carrying out the contract
(j) An indication of the proportion of the contract which the services provider intends possibly to subcontract
(k) With regard to the products to be supplied: (i) samples, descriptions and/or photographs, the authenticity of which must be certified if the contracting authority so requests; (ii) certificates drawn up by official quality control institutes or agencies of recognised competence attesting the conformity of products clearly identified by references to specifications or standards
A pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) will be issued to suppliers as a means of responding to the key threshold requirements as shown in a) to k).
In order to shortlist suppliers who have sufficient knowledge of the requirements and/or experience of providing similar services for the administration and delivery of Clinical Placement facilities to overseas nurses and midwives seeking registration so that they may practice in the UK. Suppliers will also be asked in the PQQ to provide answers to the following questions:
1) Please describe at a high level your understanding of the end to end process relating to similar projects; from the point at when a need for the administration of the clinical placement is identified, through to the point where candidates have completed their clinical placement, and the organising organisation is informed of their performance/results.
2) Please list the key areas of risks that you envisage in relation to the provision of clincial placements for projects similar to this one for overseas nurses and midwives seeking UK registration with the NMC, and how you would classify and manage each of these risks.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
The NMC is setting a high level evaluation criteria at 70 % quality and 30 % price.
Numerous questions will be asked at the PQQ in relation to the quality aspects which will be evaluated on the basis of a 0-5 scoring process, with 0 being the score for answers that fail to meet the minimum criteria, through to a maximum of 5 which is the score given to potential tenderers who exceed the minimum criteria. The minimum criteria to be shortlisted to the competitive dialogue stage of this tender is that 50 % of the answers to the quality section need to achieve a minimum score of 3.
III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts
III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts
III.3.1)Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: no
III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service
Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: yes
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1)Type of procedure
IV.1.1)Type of procedure
competitive dialogue
IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
Envisaged minimum number 2: and maximum number 6
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Suppliers must score a minimum of 3 or more in 50 % or more of the total technical questions.
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Suppliers must score a minimum of 3 or more in 50 % or more of the total technical questions.
IV.1.3)Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue
IV.2)Award criteria
IV.2.1)Award criteria
The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated below
1. Quality - Technical - Competence, compatibility with NMC/other operating systems, Availability, Reliability, Functionality, Maintenance. Weighting 30
2. Quality - Security ( IPR, , scope of future delivery channels, content variations, disposal/renewals). Weighting 20
3. Quality - Customer satisfaction. Weighting 10
4. Sustainability (Equality and diversity considerations, environmental impacts). Weighting 10
5. Price. Weighting 30
IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction will be used: no
IV.3)Administrative information
IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:
RT325
IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
no
IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document
Time limit for receipt of requests for documents or for accessing documents: 24.1.2014 - 15:00
Payable documents: no
Payable documents: no
IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
31.1.2014 - 15:00
IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
18.2.2014
IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
English.
IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: 2019
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: 2019
VI.2)Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
VI.3)Additional information
The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement, and the contract will be awarded on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-London:-Educational-software-package./XMRYT59643
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/XMRYT59643
GO Reference: GO-20131223-PRO-5354183VI.4)Procedures for appeal
VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures
Nursing and Midwifery Council
23 Portland Place
W1B 1PZ London
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail:
Telephone: +44 2076815488
Body responsible for mediation procedures
Nursing and Midwifery Council
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail:
Telephone: +44 2076815488
Internet address: www.nmc-uk.org
VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals
VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:
23.12.2013