VOLUNTARY EX ANTE TRANSPARENCY (VEAT) NOTICE Provision of Medical Malpractice and Professional Indemnity Insurance (Care Agency)

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Transparency Notice This notice is published voluntarily for transparency purposes only and does not seek expressions of interest or responses from the market.

Contract Description The contract is for the provision of Medical Malpractice Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance for the Care Agency (Department).

Procurement Background Separate procurement exercises were undertaken for each requirement following market engagement intended to encourage greater competition.

Only one tender was received in response to each exercise.

The sole tenderer proposed a combined insurance placement covering both requirements and maintained this position following clarification that the requirements had been tendered separately.

Market Response The Contracting Authority has concluded that the tenders received were not suitable for award in the form originally tendered, as they were not capable, without substantial amendment to the procurement structure, of meeting the requirements set out in the procurement documents.

Market feedback from another interested economic operator also indicated that there was no appetite within the insurance market to submit a tender for these requirements.

Proposed Arrangement The proposed contract will provide continuous cover through a single combined insurance arrangement.

Contract Value Estimated annual value: £370,000.

Estimated total value: £740,000 over an initial two-year term.

Value breakdown: net annual premium £296,000; broker fee £74,000.

Legal Basis The Contracting Authority intends to award the contract without prior publication of a further contract notice pursuant to Regulation 32A(2)(a) of the Procurement (Public Sector Contracts) Regulations 2016.

Justification The Department requires uninterrupted insurance protection for its clinical and operational activities.

The combined arrangement has been reviewed by the Department and is considered capable of meeting its operational requirements.

Having regard to the previous procurement procedures, the absence of suitable tenders capable of award in the form tendered, the documented market feedback and the need to avoid a gap in essential insurance protection, the Contracting Authority considers that the direct award is justified under Regulation 32A(2)(a).

Voluntary Standstill A voluntary standstill period of 10 calendar days will be observed from publication of this notice before entering into the contract.