Notice Information
Notice Title
Occupational Health Services (Medicals) - Preliminary Market Engagement - Information for Suppliers and Market Engagement for Appointment Management
Notice Description
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS) outsource Occupational Health Medical Services (Health Screening & Surveillance, Medical Examinations, Management Referrals and Professional Medical Advice and Representation). The current contract is due to expire on 31st October 2027, with no formal extensions available. We are currently developing the specification and procurement documentation for a replacement contract. We intend to commence the procurement process in November 2026. The future contract will have an initial four year term, with the option to extend up to a maximum term of ten years. A framework agreement will not be used for this procurement. We will be running a Competitive Flexible Procedure with the following stages (subject to change): Stage 1 - Procurement Specific Questionnaire (to include conditions of participation) - Pass or Fail (suppliers who pass will be invited to tender) Stage 2 - Invitation to Tender Stage 3 - Demonstration - Appointment Booking/Management System and Processes Stage 4 - Preferred Supplier (discussions and due diligence checks prior to award of the contract) The purpose of this advert is to both update the market on the above information and to invite suppliers to talk to us and show us their appointment booking/management system/processes. We have recently carried out a staff survey and there is a clear desire for colleagues to be able to easily book, view and reschedule their own appointments. We are also hoping to reduce the administrative burden on our internal People Services Department (Health and Wellbeing and Recruitment Teams), whilst providing them with appointment scheduling information for their oversight/monitoring role (for all appointment types). There can be challenges presented due to the amount of our firefighters being on-call (808 on-call firefighters and 530 wholetime). On-call firefighters usually have primary employment outside of our organisation. This can present limitations with their availability because of the notice that they need to provide to their primary employer and any other commitments they may have. They therefore need plenty of notice for appointments, can be difficult to get hold of and require appointment options that work for them. We are keen to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of appointment booking and management, including embracing any available technology to support this. We want to expand our knowledge in this area and therefore invite suppliers to discuss and/or show us the following: a) Your method to allow staff to self-book, view and amend/reschedule their own appointments (if you have a self-book tool/app, we would be interested to see how this works, particularly for medicals where staff may be required to visit more than one clinician as part of their medical) or your approach to efficiently and effectively book, view and amend/reschedule appointments; b) How staff are reminded to book or attend an appointment; c) How staff who are not proactive with self-booking or are difficult to engage in your approach to appointment booking, are managed; d) The appointment scheduling information provided to our internal contract management team and how this is accessed/provided; e) Any other technology you may have that helps support efficient and effective appointment management. We anticipate seeing the most benefits with Firefighter Routine and New Recruit Medicals being self managed through an effective appointment management method (including any follow-up review/repeat test appointments that are required as a result of their medical). However, we would also be interested to see how management referrals, with differing levels of priority for an appointment, could be self managed. Here are indicative volumes based on the last three financial years of demand data: Firefighter Routine Medicals - Average 427 per year plus any repeat tests New Recruit Medicals - Average 87 per year Management Referrals - Average 238 per year The information gained will be used to inform our requirements and the evaluation approach.
Planning Information
The Engagement Deadline above is the date that we intend to conclude this phase of market engagement. Suppliers who would like to discuss and show us their approach to appointment booking and management, are asked to request a Teams meeting, by emailing Bridget Phillips, Category Manager (Procurement) - bphillips@dsfire.gov.uk There are eight Teams meeting slots available and they will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. Each meeting is up to 45 minutes: 1) 9.30am on Tuesday 15th September 2) 11am on Tuesday 15th September 3) 2pm on Tuesday 22nd September 4) 9.30am on Thursday 24th September 5) 11am on Thursday 24th September 6) 9.30am on Thursday 1st October 7) 11am on Thursday 1st October 8) 2pm on Thursday 1st October The number of supplier attendee's is capped at three. No other topics shall be discussed at the meetings.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-04e943
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/073773-2026
- Current Stage
- Planning
- All Stages
- Planning
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
- Procurement Type
- Framework
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Not Specified
- Procurement Method Details
- Not specified
- Tender Suitability
- SME, VCSE
- Awardee Scale
- Not specified
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
-
- CPV Codes
85100000 - Health services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 4 Aug 20261 weeks ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- 14 Oct 20263 months to go
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 1 Nov 2027 - 31 Oct 2031 4-5 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Planned
- Lots Status
- Planned
- Awards Status
- Not Specified
- Contracts Status
- Not Specified
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- DEVON AND SOMERSET FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY
- Additional Buyers
- Contact Name
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
- Contact Email
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
- Contact Phone
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Buyer Location
- Locality
- EXETER
- Postcode
- EX3 0NW
- Post Town
- Exeter
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLK South West (England)
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLK4 Devon
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLK43 Devon CC
- Delivery Location
- TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
-
- Local Authority
- East Devon
- Electoral Ward
- Clyst Valley
- Westminster Constituency
- Exmouth and Exeter East
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/073773-2026
4th August 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/071046-2026
28th July 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/060959-2025
30th September 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/060956-2025
30th September 2025 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034981-2025
25th June 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/016510-2025
23rd April 2025 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/016504-2025
23rd April 2025 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/013628-2025
8th April 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011449-2025
27th March 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007862-2025
4th March 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007804-2025
4th March 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.
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"title": "Occupational Health Services (Medicals) - Preliminary Market Engagement - Information for Suppliers and Market Engagement for Appointment Management",
"description": "Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS) outsource Occupational Health Medical Services (Health Screening & Surveillance, Medical Examinations, Management Referrals and Professional Medical Advice and Representation). The current contract is due to expire on 31st October 2027, with no formal extensions available. We are currently developing the specification and procurement documentation for a replacement contract. We intend to commence the procurement process in November 2026. The future contract will have an initial four year term, with the option to extend up to a maximum term of ten years. A framework agreement will not be used for this procurement. We will be running a Competitive Flexible Procedure with the following stages (subject to change): Stage 1 - Procurement Specific Questionnaire (to include conditions of participation) - Pass or Fail (suppliers who pass will be invited to tender) Stage 2 - Invitation to Tender Stage 3 - Demonstration - Appointment Booking/Management System and Processes Stage 4 - Preferred Supplier (discussions and due diligence checks prior to award of the contract) The purpose of this advert is to both update the market on the above information and to invite suppliers to talk to us and show us their appointment booking/management system/processes. We have recently carried out a staff survey and there is a clear desire for colleagues to be able to easily book, view and reschedule their own appointments. We are also hoping to reduce the administrative burden on our internal People Services Department (Health and Wellbeing and Recruitment Teams), whilst providing them with appointment scheduling information for their oversight/monitoring role (for all appointment types). There can be challenges presented due to the amount of our firefighters being on-call (808 on-call firefighters and 530 wholetime). On-call firefighters usually have primary employment outside of our organisation. This can present limitations with their availability because of the notice that they need to provide to their primary employer and any other commitments they may have. They therefore need plenty of notice for appointments, can be difficult to get hold of and require appointment options that work for them. We are keen to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of appointment booking and management, including embracing any available technology to support this. We want to expand our knowledge in this area and therefore invite suppliers to discuss and/or show us the following: a) Your method to allow staff to self-book, view and amend/reschedule their own appointments (if you have a self-book tool/app, we would be interested to see how this works, particularly for medicals where staff may be required to visit more than one clinician as part of their medical) or your approach to efficiently and effectively book, view and amend/reschedule appointments; b) How staff are reminded to book or attend an appointment; c) How staff who are not proactive with self-booking or are difficult to engage in your approach to appointment booking, are managed; d) The appointment scheduling information provided to our internal contract management team and how this is accessed/provided; e) Any other technology you may have that helps support efficient and effective appointment management. We anticipate seeing the most benefits with Firefighter Routine and New Recruit Medicals being self managed through an effective appointment management method (including any follow-up review/repeat test appointments that are required as a result of their medical). However, we would also be interested to see how management referrals, with differing levels of priority for an appointment, could be self managed. Here are indicative volumes based on the last three financial years of demand data: Firefighter Routine Medicals - Average 427 per year plus any repeat tests New Recruit Medicals - Average 87 per year Management Referrals - Average 238 per year The information gained will be used to inform our requirements and the evaluation approach.",
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