Planning

Courier Services

NHS BUSINESS SERVICES AUTHORITY

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

03 Jul 2025 at 13:49

Summary of the contracting process

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is seeking input for a preliminary market engagement regarding a courier services contract. The procurement process is currently in the planning stage, and the service is needed for overnight and next-day deliveries across various UK sites and remote staff locations. The contract is expected to cover a period of four years, starting 6th November 2025, with an anticipated total gross value of £432,000. Key categories include the collection and delivery of confidential documents, health and safety equipment, and IT equipment. This is an initial engagement phase, with the deadline for clarification questions set for 10th July 2025 and RFI responses due by 17th July 2025. The engagement exercise includes a window for interested participants to submit their insights and suggestions to aid in shaping the procurement strategy.

This tender offers a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in courier and postal services, particularly those focusing on confidentiality and reliability. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are especially encouraged to explore this opportunity, given the suitability specifications and the diverse range of items requiring delivery. Engaging at this preliminary stage can provide insights into the forthcoming procurement strategy and allow businesses to align their services with NHSBSA’s requirements, enhancing competitive positioning for potential future tender invitations. With the option for this procurement to potentially fall under the Crown Commercial Services Framework, it presents a chance for growth and the establishment of long-term service agreements with the public sector.

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Notice Title

Courier Services

Notice Description

The NHSBSA is a Special Health Authority and an Arm's Length Body of the Department of Health and Social Care. We provide a range of critical central services to NHS organisations (our 'clients'), NHS contractors, health bodies, patients and the public (our 'customers'). The NHSBSA requires a courier service primarily for overnight, next day collections and deliveries to/from a range of its UK sites and homeworking staff locations over the course of a four-year contract period. The categories of items to be collected and delivered include confidential documents, health and safety equipment, and IT equipment with approximately 1800 consignments per annum. Please note, these volumes and categories of items are not guaranteed and may be subject to change over any contract term. At this stage we are seeking high-level input to enable us to assess the market and to inform any future procurement strategy to ensure compliance with The Procurement Act 2023 and/or the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as the case maybe. Interested parties must register an interest in this RFI via https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome (search opportunities using system reference C373045). Suppliers can register from 3rd July 2025 and the RFI documents will be made available on 3rd July 2025. The window for clarification questions will close on Thursday 10th July 2025 at 12:00 BST and written RFI responses are requested by no later than Thursday 17th July 2025 at 12:00 BST. The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) invites all interested economic operators to participate in an RFI. Your organisation's involvement with our RFI is an invaluable way of us ensuring that, with your input, we have the best support and guidance to inform any subsequent procurement. Please note that at this stage a route to market has not yet been determined. However, should the outcome of this RFI determine that the best value route to market is the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Framework RM6171 Courier and Specialist Movements https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6171 then any subsequent invitation to tender and notices will be restricted to those appointed to the Framework and will be governed by the Procurement Regulations 2015. Additional Information: Suppliers should note that this RFI is a market research exercise only and it is not an invitation to tender, an invitation to offer an agreement or a guarantee there will be a future procurement exercise. If you do not wish to take part in this RFI exercise, it will not affect any current or future business with the NHSBSA. Participation in this RFI is limited to suppliers that meet the definition of "economic operator" under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. "Economic operator" means any person, or public entity, or group of such persons and entities, including any temporary association of undertakings, that offers the execution of works or a work, the supply of products or the provision of services on the market. Where a participant does not meet this criteria they may be removed from the RFI process. Disclaimers: (1) No competitive advantage will be gained by the suppliers engaging with the NHSBSA at this early stage and NHSBSA will ensure equal treatment of all interested parties at all times. We will make the outputs of the day available to those Suppliers who are unable to attend. (2) NHSBSA does not bind itself, by conducting this Supplier Webinar exercise, to commence any procurement procedure or award any contract, and will not in any event be responsible for any costs incurred by invitees in attending and/or preparing for the presentation and individual supplier meeting referred to above. (3) Confidentiality of information which is clearly marked or identified as being confidential and which is reasonably viewed by NHSBSA as confidential will be observed, but NHSBSA does not accept any blanket claims of confidentiality.

Planning Information

The full scope of the engagement is set out within the Scope of this Notice.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05586a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037165-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

64 - Postal and telecommunications services


CPV Codes

64100000 - Post and courier services

64110000 - Postal services

64113000 - Postal services related to parcels

64120000 - Courier services

64121000 - Multi-modal courier services

64121100 - Mail delivery services

64121200 - Parcel delivery services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£360,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 Jul 20257 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
2 Sep 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
6 Nov 2025 - 5 Nov 2029 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NHS BUSINESS SERVICES AUTHORITY
Contact Name
Commercial Services
Contact Email
commercialservicesteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Postcode
NE15 8NY
Post Town
Newcastle upon Tyne
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC43 Tyneside
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Newcastle upon Tyne
Electoral Ward
Lemington
Westminster Constituency
Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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