--- title: "Provision of the NMC OSCE delivery services" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-028d2c" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-028d2c" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-028d2c.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-028d2c.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "NURSING AND MIDWIFERY COUNCIL" published: "2021-01-25" --- # Provision of the NMC OSCE delivery services Buyer: NURSING AND MIDWIFERY COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-028d2c [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-028d2c) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-028d2c.json) ## Summary The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is planning to initiate a procurement process for the "Provision of the NMC OSCE delivery services" in the United Kingdom. This prior information notice (PIN) indicates that the NMC will identify and appoint up to five partners to deliver the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) as part of their Test of Competence. The estimated contract value is £100 million, with the maximum duration of five years. A formal Contract Notice is expected to be published by March 15, 2021, and the existing contracts will expire in February 2022. This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in education and training services, particularly in vocational training. Companies that can demonstrate experience in delivering clinical examination services or training for healthcare professionals would be well-suited to compete in this procurement. The re-procurement also aims to enhance the existing partnerships and cater to the increasing demand for overseas-qualified nursing professionals in the UK, aligning with the government's commitment to recruit additional nurses for the NHS. ## Notice This is a prior information notice for the forthcoming concession contract for more than 1 but a maximum of 5 partners who will deliver the Objective Structured Clinical Examination the (OSCE) on behalf of the NMC. The OSCE will need to be made available to nurses, midwives and nursing associates who trained outside England and who want to apply to join our register or those seeking to re-join our register after a long period away from practice. Please find the link to our website which provides more information about our registration process www.nmc.org.uk/registration/joining-the-registerCurrently three universities throughout the United Kingdom deliver these services, however these contracts are due to expire in February 2022. Additionally the NMC strategic priority to review the route to registration for overseas trained applicants will begin in 2022. Therefore, to continue delivering the OSCE beyond 2022 for overseas and readmission applicants, we are required to retender the current contracts. We are looking to re-procure these services for maximum contract duration of five years, comprising of an initial term with extension options. ### Lot Information Lot 1 This is a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to advertise that the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) plans to run a procurement process during 2021 to identify and appoint a number of partners who will work with us to provide the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) part of our Test of Competence. The appointed service provider(s) will deliver the OSCE examination on behalf of the NMC and be responsible for delivering their services with the targets as described within the NMC's relevant statement of requirements and supporting documentation.The existing Test of Competence comprises two parts, the Computer Based Test (CBT) consisting of a number of multiple choice questions and a practical objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Together, these components seek to provide a holistic assessment of a candidate's ability to practise safely and effectively in the UK. Please find the link to our website which provides more information about the OSCE www.nmc.org.uk/registration/joining-the-register/register-nurse-midwife/trained-outside-the-eueea/new-application/how-to-guide/about-the-osce/ . As part of our remit to support both health and social care across the four countries (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), the NMC has committed to working closely with the NHS to ensure ongoing OSCE capacity to support their international nursing recruitment programme, aimed at expanding additional supply and supporting trusts to reduce their nursing vacancies. The government have committed to recruit 50,000 new nurses to the register by 2024. A significant proportion of that number are expected to come from overseas.The new OSCE delivery contracts will continue to be concession contracts, similar in form to the existing contracts. The re-procurement exercise allows us to build upon and improve the existing partnering model we have already established. The maximum contract duration will be five years, comprising of an initial term with extension options.Concessions Contract Regulations 2016 (CCR) allows for a two stage 'restricted' style tender process to be used. This process would allow the NMC to assess and shortlist bidders in two stages. Only shortlisted bidders are then invited to submit a tender. This approach fits within our timeline and ensures there is sufficient contingency to on-board new concessionaires if they are successful in the tender process.The NMC has issued this Prior Information Notice (PIN) in order to conduct a market engagement exercise ahead of a forthcoming tender for the provision of the OSCE services. Before tendering for these services the NMC wishes to better understand the market and variety of options available which will help inform the eventual procurement exercise. Providers interested in partaking in this market engagement exercise are requested to express an interest in this PIN via the In-tend e-Sourcing portal https://www.in-tendhost.co.uk/nmc where Market engagement stage has been published (Project Name: Provision of the NMC OSCE Delivery Services, Project reference: REG-00000295). The questionnaire may be completed and returned via the In-tend portal by midday 15/02 /2021 to allow us to gather feedback from the market and assist in developing the procurement strategy. Additional information: Please note no tender documents have been issued at this stage - the functional requirements and capability specification will be published in the future SQ and Invitation to Tender documents with the Find a Tender Contract Notice. The procurement will use the Intende-Sourcing portal https://www.in-tendhost.co.uk/nmc ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001494-2021 | | Notice type | Planning Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 25 Jan 2021 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 15 Mar 2021 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £100,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | NURSING AND MIDWIFERY COUNCIL | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | West London | | Postcode | W1B 1PZ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West | | ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London | | Local authority | Westminster | | Electoral ward | Marylebone | | Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 80 - Education and training services ### Codes - 80000000 - Education and training services - 80490000 - Operation of an educational centre - 80530000 - Vocational training services ## Release History - 25 Jan 2021 at 17:55 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001494-2021 ## Notice URLs - http://www.nmc.org.uk - https://www.in-tendhost.co.uk/nmc - https://www.intendhost.co.uk/nmc ## 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-h6vhtk-028d2c. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-028d2c.json.