A Provision of Nutritional Supplies, Associated Products and Support Services

In consideration of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and post pandemic recovery, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) is extending the current contract for the Supply of Enteral Feeds & Associated Products into the Community & Secondary Care for Southampton and Winchester with Nutricia Limited. This includes supply to and associated services for Hampshire Hospitals NHS FT, University Hospitals Southampton NHS FT, Solent NHS Trust & Southern Health NHS FT. The contract is being extended for a period of 12 months, until 30th April 2024. The value of the proposed extension has been based on 2021-22 spend, for all the contracting authorities, at £2,435,230 including VAT. The specification remains unchanged from that published in the invitation to tender (ITT), except as amended by relevant bidder clarification questions raised during the Tender. The contract expiry date remains coterminous with the rest of the enteral feed contracts in the Hampshire geography, which will be re-procured via a single upcoming tender process. Additional information: The Contracting Authorities consider that an extension of the Contract is permitted in accordance with Regulation 72(1) (c) of the Public Contract Regulations 2015. COVID-19 has brought about circumstances which the Contracting Authorities could not have foreseen, that the modification does not alter the overall nature of the contract and any increase in price does not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract or framework agreement. Accordingly, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB has decided to continue with the current contract with Nutricia Limited for a further 12 months, for the following reasons: • Access to clinical teams to undertake a review of the service specification has continued to be impacted by pressures relating to Covid 19 and the post pandemic recovery, resulting in significant patient flow and bed pressures which have burdened our acute settings • The Contracting Authorities wish to ensure a suitable mobilisation period for the new service, because: - A change of provider will require a changeover of feed pumps in both the hospitals and for service users in the home, requiring hospital clinical oversight and, availability of all hospital staff to undertake equipment and product training during post pandemic recovery; - A change of provider before NHS services have greater certainty around post pandemic recovery, could disrupt continuity and, would be to the detriment of patient care and the local health system. The exit and mobilisation period will be a key consideration for ensuring there is sufficient clinical cover to safely transfer patients across from one service to the next; - Given the current status of the global availability of many products, a reasonable length mobilisation period will give a new provider a buffer of additional time to secure new feed pumps.