The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Centre for Dissemination (NCD) function.
Contract notice
Services
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Department of Health
Skipton House, 80 London Road
For the attention of: Beau Morgan
SE1 6LH London
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail:
Internet address(es):
General address of the contracting authority: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health
Address of the buyer profile: http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health/about/procurement
Electronic access to information: http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health/about/procurement
Electronic submission of tenders and requests to participate: http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health/about/procurement
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
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions
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:
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Centre for Dissemination (NCD) function.
II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
Service category No 27: Other services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: England.
Service category No 27: Other services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: England.
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)
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is a large, multi-faceted and nationally distributed organisation. Together, NIHR people, facilities and systems represent the most integrated clinical research system in the world, driving research from bench to bedside for the benefit of patients. The NIHR was established in April 2006 to provide the framework through which the Department of Health can position, maintain and manage the research, research staff and research infrastructure of the NHS in England as a national research facility. The NIHR commissions leading-edge scientific research, while creating the best possible conditions for inward investment by the life-sciences sector, by working in partnership with many sectors including other Government funders, academia, charities and industry.
Since its establishment, the NIHR has transformed research in the NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the economy, and developed and supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research.
NIHR programmes are now producing a significant volume of outputs and there is a need to ensure that the NHS capitalises on the new information generated. Information therefore needs to be targeted at, or designed to be interpreted by, decision makers including those who work in, use and manage the NHS. Researchers have been slow to understand the differing information needs of each of these audiences. There is a need therefore, to disseminate results in ways tailored to different stakeholders to enhance their knowledge, speed up the implementation of research outputs, and encourage awareness of the NIHR more generally.
a)maintain an awareness of key national health and social care policies and issues and use appropriate, recognised scientific and other media to keep track of systematic reviews and the outputs generated to identify those of relevance to the NHS and Social Care. An awareness of systematic reviews and how and where these arte published is essential.
b)disseminate the results of NIHR research in a manner which sets them in the context of existing evidence and of the NHS, thereby enhancing awareness and uptake.
c)disseminate research outputs from other funders, especially reviews,' where these are likely to impact on NHS practice.
f)present an approach to dissemination that demonstrates knowledge of other elements of the NIHR and how NIHR fits within the health care system.
g)act in an advisory role to the Department of Health by assessing the outputs of research managed by the NIHR's three commissioning centres for their policy, clinical and/or social care relevance, sensitivity and
and:
a)disseminate results in a timely way, to coincide with publication of results or shortly thereafter;
b)set results in the context of health need (burden or other importance of the condition), existing research in this area (drawing on, or identifying for commissioning systematic reviews) and expected benefits or pitfalls of the application of the results of research by comparison with typical NHS practice;
c)consider cost effectiveness of the intervention highlighting links to guidelines for example from NICE;
d)identify issues around implementation where the results would support a change in NHS practice.
e)demonstrate an understanding of the policy context of research and an awareness of media interests and issues.
f)use existing software to provide the service as we do not expect the provider to develop, or need to develop, new IT systems to provide the required functionality.
g)in developing materials seek expert opinion as appropriate. The contractor should be able to demonstrate links with a range of clinical and methodological expertise and should be able to describe in detail how this expertise might be deployed.
h)be active in terms of seeking out opportunities to undertake research into methods of dissemination and should seek to publish in this area. However, this activity will not be funded through this contract.
i)as part of placing NIHR research in context maintain and disseminate existing databases (as detailed below) although with less abstraction than at present. Databases should appear as lists with appropriate links to source documents ,
ii.NHS EED (NHS Economic Evaluation Database) focuses primarily on the economic evaluation of health care interventions and aims to help decision makers interpret an increasingly complex and technical literature. Studies conducted in, or that are relevant to the UK health care system are considered priorities and fast tracked. This priority process ensures that evidence of most relevance to the NHS is made available as quickly as possible
iii.Health Technology Assessments database includes completed and on-going health technology assessments from around the world. It is a valuable source for identifying grey literature as much of the information it contains is generally only available directly from individual funding agencies. Database content is supplied by the 52 members of the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA) and 20 other HTA organisations around the world. Details of other on-going systematic reviews are also registered on the HTA database. The HTA database should also contains brief details of on-going HTA projects. These are updated when projects complete. This enables funders and researchers to identify work already in progress and may help reduce unintended duplication of effort.
j)Although NIHR no longer requires routine abstracting, the contractor will be expected to write independent critical abstracts of value to those who manage or provide care in the NHS, Public Health or Social Care. It is envisaged that approximately 350 abstracts a year will be produced and bidders should state how they will identity and prioritise records for abstraction taking full account of key audiences.
The transition period will commence from 1.4.2014 and the contract delivery from 1.4.2015 to 31.3.2019, with an option to extend up to a further 12 months to expire on 31.3.2020.
Please be advised that TUPE may apply to this contract.
Since its establishment, the NIHR has transformed research in the NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the economy, and developed and supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research.
NIHR programmes are now producing a significant volume of outputs and there is a need to ensure that the NHS capitalises on the new information generated. Information therefore needs to be targeted at, or designed to be interpreted by, decision makers including those who work in, use and manage the NHS. Researchers have been slow to understand the differing information needs of each of these audiences. There is a need therefore, to disseminate results in ways tailored to different stakeholders to enhance their knowledge, speed up the implementation of research outputs, and encourage awareness of the NIHR more generally.
The effective dissemination of research is an important factor in facilitating the more rapid uptake of new ideas by the health system, leading to better health and well-being of individuals and populations. Services that promote systematic reviews play an important part in this. Therefore The Department of Health invites Tenderers to submit a tender for an NIHR dissemination facility for systematic reviews and other key outputs(http://www.nihr.ac.uk)
The Contractor will undertake the role of the NIHR's Centre for Dissemination and Tenderers are asked to outline their plans to deliver a Centre (NCD) that will:a)maintain an awareness of key national health and social care policies and issues and use appropriate, recognised scientific and other media to keep track of systematic reviews and the outputs generated to identify those of relevance to the NHS and Social Care. An awareness of systematic reviews and how and where these arte published is essential.
b)disseminate the results of NIHR research in a manner which sets them in the context of existing evidence and of the NHS, thereby enhancing awareness and uptake.
c)disseminate research outputs from other funders, especially reviews,' where these are likely to impact on NHS practice.
d)acknowledge the target audience for this dissemination which will include patients, the public, clinicians, NHS managers and policy makers in the Department of Health and other relevant bodies such as NHS England, Public Health England, Clinical Commissioning Groups, Care Quality Commission, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. In considering the information needs of patients and the public, take on board the Plain English policy being developed by the NIHR's patient and public involvement lead organisation, INVOLVE, at: http://www.invo.org.uk/resource-centre/plain-english-summaries/we-are-currently-working-on/
e)set out an approach to multi-media dissemination in what is a fast changing world-media environment. Bidders are asked to suggest the most effective and cost effective approach to disseminate information to the audiences identified above. Electronic media including social media should be considered along with a limited amount of targeted face to face dissemination via workshops or similar and the production of teaching or other support materials.f)present an approach to dissemination that demonstrates knowledge of other elements of the NIHR and how NIHR fits within the health care system.
g)act in an advisory role to the Department of Health by assessing the outputs of research managed by the NIHR's three commissioning centres for their policy, clinical and/or social care relevance, sensitivity and
and:
a)disseminate results in a timely way, to coincide with publication of results or shortly thereafter;
b)set results in the context of health need (burden or other importance of the condition), existing research in this area (drawing on, or identifying for commissioning systematic reviews) and expected benefits or pitfalls of the application of the results of research by comparison with typical NHS practice;
c)consider cost effectiveness of the intervention highlighting links to guidelines for example from NICE;
d)identify issues around implementation where the results would support a change in NHS practice.
e)demonstrate an understanding of the policy context of research and an awareness of media interests and issues.
f)use existing software to provide the service as we do not expect the provider to develop, or need to develop, new IT systems to provide the required functionality.
g)in developing materials seek expert opinion as appropriate. The contractor should be able to demonstrate links with a range of clinical and methodological expertise and should be able to describe in detail how this expertise might be deployed.
h)be active in terms of seeking out opportunities to undertake research into methods of dissemination and should seek to publish in this area. However, this activity will not be funded through this contract.
i)as part of placing NIHR research in context maintain and disseminate existing databases (as detailed below) although with less abstraction than at present. Databases should appear as lists with appropriate links to source documents ,
a.PROSPERO: is an international database of prospectively registered systematic reviews in health and social care. Key features from the review protocol are recorded and maintained as a permanent record in PROSPERO. This will provide a comprehensive listing of systematic reviews registered at inception, and enable comparison of reported review findings with what was planned in the protocol. The research community is the primary audience for this database. A reference tool, the key aim of PROSPERO is to reduce unplanned duplication of reviews and promote the most efficient use of resources for research. (See http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/)
i.DARE (Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects), focuses primarily on systematic reviews that evaluate the effects of health care interventions and the delivery and organisation of health services. The database also includes reviews of the wider determinants of health such as housing, transport, and social care where these impact directly on health, or have the potential to impact on health.ii.NHS EED (NHS Economic Evaluation Database) focuses primarily on the economic evaluation of health care interventions and aims to help decision makers interpret an increasingly complex and technical literature. Studies conducted in, or that are relevant to the UK health care system are considered priorities and fast tracked. This priority process ensures that evidence of most relevance to the NHS is made available as quickly as possible
iii.Health Technology Assessments database includes completed and on-going health technology assessments from around the world. It is a valuable source for identifying grey literature as much of the information it contains is generally only available directly from individual funding agencies. Database content is supplied by the 52 members of the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA) and 20 other HTA organisations around the world. Details of other on-going systematic reviews are also registered on the HTA database. The HTA database should also contains brief details of on-going HTA projects. These are updated when projects complete. This enables funders and researchers to identify work already in progress and may help reduce unintended duplication of effort.
j)Although NIHR no longer requires routine abstracting, the contractor will be expected to write independent critical abstracts of value to those who manage or provide care in the NHS, Public Health or Social Care. It is envisaged that approximately 350 abstracts a year will be produced and bidders should state how they will identity and prioritise records for abstraction taking full account of key audiences.
The transition period will commence from 1.4.2014 and the contract delivery from 1.4.2015 to 31.3.2019, with an option to extend up to a further 12 months to expire on 31.3.2020.
Please be advised that TUPE may apply to this contract.
II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
98113000, 73110000, 98111000, 98112000, 73000000, 73200000, 73300000, 79310000, 72320000, 72310000, 32417000, 75100000, 75112000, 79900000, 72312000, 72316000
II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): yes
II.1.8)Lots
This contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.9)Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: no
II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract
II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:
The transition period will commence from 1.4.2014 and the contract delivery from 1.4.2015 to 31.3.2019, with an option to extend up to a further 12 months to expire on 31.3.2020.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 4 000 000 and 6 000 000 GBP
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 4 000 000 and 6 000 000 GBP
II.2.2)Information about options
Options: yes
Description of these options: Option to extend up to a further 12 months.
Description of these options: Option to extend up to a further 12 months.
II.2.3)Information about renewals
This contract is subject to renewal: no
II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Duration in months: 60 (from the award of the contract)
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
Parent Company or other guarantees may be required in certain circumstances. See the Invitation to Tender for further details.
III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
See the Invitation to Tender for further details
III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
Requests to participate will be accepted from groupings of economic operators (consortia) and each grouping
should explain how they envisage the consortia to operate. In the event of a successful consortium bid, the DH
reserves the right to require groupings of entities to take a particular legal form and/or require that a single
consortium member takes primary liability or that each member undertakes joint and several liability irrespective
of the legal form adopted.
should explain how they envisage the consortia to operate. In the event of a successful consortium bid, the DH
reserves the right to require groupings of entities to take a particular legal form and/or require that a single
consortium member takes primary liability or that each member undertakes joint and several liability irrespective
of the legal form adopted.
III.1.4)Other particular conditions
The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: yes
Description of particular conditions: See the Invitation to Tender for further details.
Description of particular conditions: See the Invitation to Tender for further details.
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: Any supplier may be disqualified who has breached Regulation 23 of the Public Contract Regulations 2006.
III.2.2)Economic and financial ability
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: See the Invitation to Tender for further details
III.2.3)Technical capacity
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
See the Invitation to Tender for further details
See the Invitation to Tender for further details
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: no
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1)Type of procedure
IV.1.1)Type of procedure
Open
IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
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 in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document
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:
59138
IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
Prior information notice
Notice number in the OJEU: 2013/S 185-319346 of 24.9.2013
IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document
IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
2.1.2014 - 12:00
IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
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
in days: 90 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders
Date: 2.1.2014 - 12:00
Place:
London, England
Persons authorised to be present at the opening of tenders: noSection VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: no
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
If you require assistance, please contact the Supplier Helpdesk on +44 1132545777 or
of it), to change the basis of and the procedures for the procurement process at any time, or to procure the
subject matter of the contract by alternative means if it appears that it can be more advantageously procured by alternative means.
The most economically advantageous or any tender will not automatically be accepted.
Tenders and all supporting documentation for the contract must be priced in sterling and written in English. Any
agreement entered into will be considered a contract made in England according to English law and will be
subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/246) may apply to this
procurement.
Transparency:
Potential suppliers should note that, in accordance with the Government's policies on transparency, DH
intends to publish the invitation to Tender (ITT) document, and any Contract awarded, subject to possible
redactions at the discretion of DH. The terms of the proposed Contract will also permit a contracting authority, awarding a Contract under this Contract, to publish the text of that Contract, subject to possible redactions at the discretion of the contracting authority. Further information on transparency can be found at:
This procurement exercise will be completed via the DH eTendering portal (BMS) and candidates wishing to be
considered for this (or any other) DH contract must submit their response via BMS. The BMS reference number for this exercise is 59138
This helpdesk is available 10:00am to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday excluding
Bank Holidays. The Department of Health reserves the right to terminate the procurement process (or partof it), to change the basis of and the procedures for the procurement process at any time, or to procure the
subject matter of the contract by alternative means if it appears that it can be more advantageously procured by alternative means.
The most economically advantageous or any tender will not automatically be accepted.
Tenders and all supporting documentation for the contract must be priced in sterling and written in English. Any
agreement entered into will be considered a contract made in England according to English law and will be
subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/246) may apply to this
procurement.
Transparency:
Potential suppliers should note that, in accordance with the Government's policies on transparency, DH
intends to publish the invitation to Tender (ITT) document, and any Contract awarded, subject to possible
redactions at the discretion of DH. The terms of the proposed Contract will also permit a contracting authority, awarding a Contract under this Contract, to publish the text of that Contract, subject to possible redactions at the discretion of the contracting authority. Further information on transparency can be found at:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/guidance-transparency
The Authority is fully committed to supporting the Government's small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) initiative; including the aspiration that 25 % of central government spend goes to SME's by 2015. All Tenderers, as potential suppliers to the Authority, will also be expected to support this initiative both directly and through their supply chains.This procurement exercise will be completed via the DH eTendering portal (BMS) and candidates wishing to be
considered for this (or any other) DH contract must submit their response via BMS. The BMS reference number for this exercise is 59138
VI.4)Procedures for appeal
VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures
High Court
The Strand
London
UNITED KINGDOM
VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals
Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: The Department of Health will incorporate a standstill period at the point information about the actual award of
the contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision.
The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers
to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.
The Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (SI2006 No5) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or
are at risk of harm by breach of the rules to take action in the High Court.
the contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision.
The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers
to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.
The Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (SI2006 No5) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or
are at risk of harm by breach of the rules to take action in the High Court.
VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained
High Court
The Strand
London
UNITED KINGDOM
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:
15.11.2013