--- title: "Early Engagement - Mandatory Dental Services (MDS) for NHS England and NHS Improvement, South East (Wessex)" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-1c9fb2cf-a03a-4c51-9a9b-108e09918522" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-1c9fb2cf-a03a-4c51-9a9b-108e09918522" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-1c9fb2cf-a03a-4c51-9a9b-108e09918522.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-1c9fb2cf-a03a-4c51-9a9b-108e09918522.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "NHS SOUTH, CENTRAL AND WEST COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT" published: "2019-10-24" --- # Early Engagement - Mandatory Dental Services (MDS) for NHS England and NHS Improvement, South East (Wessex) Buyer: NHS SOUTH, CENTRAL AND WEST COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-b5fd17-1c9fb2cf-a03a-4c51-9a9b-108e09918522 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-1c9fb2cf-a03a-4c51-9a9b-108e09918522) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-1c9fb2cf-a03a-4c51-9a9b-108e09918522.json) ## Summary NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit is initiating the procurement process for Mandatory Dental Services (MDS) in the South East, specifically targeting the Portsmouth, Alton, and Tadley areas. This early engagement notice, titled "Early Engagement - Mandatory Dental Services for NHS England and NHS Improvement," is currently in the planning stage. Interested parties are invited to respond to a market sounding questionnaire by 12:00 pm on 5th November 2019 to influence the procurement strategy, which is projected to commence formally in January 2020 and culminate in new contract awards by September 2020. The services fall under the dental practice and related services category (CPV code: 85130000). This procurement presents significant opportunities for businesses in the healthcare and dental sectors, especially those equipped to deliver NHS-standard services. Companies that can provide high-quality, efficient dental care and cater to vulnerable groups are particularly well-suited to participate. The engagement process seeks to gather insights from a diverse range of suppliers, enabling the NHS commissioners to gauge interest and capability in delivering these essential services, while fostering a competitive environment conducive to innovation and improved service delivery. ## Notice This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice in order to facilitate early engagement with potential providers, and relates only to a pre-procurement market sounding questionnaire. NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE & NHSI), South East (Wessex) are seeking to commission Mandatory Dental services in the Portsmouth, Alton and Tadley area, and will be holding a procurement process to award new contracts for service commencement from September 2020. At this time, the Commissioner(s) would like to gather information from providers from all sectors using a market sounding questionnaire to inform the procurement process. A market engagement workshop event is being proposed for December 2019 but a subsequent notice for this will be issued. The key aims for Mandatory Dental Service provision are to: * provide access to NHS dental services to ensure equity and consistency of provision * deliver appropriate, efficient and cost effective services within the service provision framework of the NHS (General Dental Services/Personal Dental Services) Regulations 2005 and any subsequent revisions * provide high quality dental services that meet the needs of people wishing to attend an NHS Dental practice in Portsmouth, Alton and Tadley which may include flexible appointment times and accessible services * provide access to patients identified as having an urgent dental need via NHS 111 * refer patients to other NHS services as appropriate in line with the relevant local protocols and guidance * establish a positive working relationship between the Commissioner and Provider to facilitate and maximise high quality service delivery * develop services in line with the evolving strategic approach to primary care dental provision * address the needs of vulnerable groups by incorporating elements of the Starting Well Programme to reduce oral health inequalities and improve oral health of children under 5 years old, residents of care homes and other vulnerable groups The route to market for the various service elements and geographies is still being determined but, as a guide, the procurement is anticipated to commence from January 2020, inviting tenders to deliver services for specific lotted areas, with contract commencement anticipated in September 2020. The market sounding questionnaire will be used to obtain feedback from the market to help inform the re-commissioning and procurement of these services. The procurement will be undertaken by South Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) Procurement Team on behalf of the Commissioner. Additional information: The market sounding questionnaire is open to all providers who may want to deliver NHS mandatory dental services in the future. Please complete this questionnaire and return it via email to scwcsu.procurement@nhs.net by 12:00pm on 5th November 2019 with the subject 'Market Sounding Questionnaire - MDS PAT'. This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit the Commissioner or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. Commissioners are looking to establish what interest there might be in providing such a service from suitably qualified, capable and competent organisations. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/dd574800-f148-4e2d-99f4-c14fcf83ce20 | | Notice type | Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Not specified | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 24 Oct 2019 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 5 Nov 2019 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | NHS SOUTH, CENTRAL AND WEST COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT | | Locality | BRISTOL | | Post town | Bristol | | Postcode | BS1 3NX | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK5 West of England | | ITL 3 | TLK51 Bristol, City of | | Local authority | Bristol, City of | | Electoral ward | Central | | Westminster constituency | Bristol Central | | Delivery location | TLJ South East (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85130000 - Dental practice and related services ## Release History - 24 Oct 2019 at 17:25 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/dd574800-f148-4e2d-99f4-c14fcf83ce20 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/dd574800-f148-4e2d-99f4-c14fcf83ce20 24th October 2019 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/2a102f49-34fd-46d4-8e87-b4f5352f4e11 Market Sounding Questionnaire - https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Home In-Tend Tendering portal (provided for registration purposes only) ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-1c9fb2cf-a03a-4c51-9a9b-108e09918522. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-1c9fb2cf-a03a-4c51-9a9b-108e09918522.json.