--- title: "Fit Testing Team for NHS FFP3 Masks" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-02934a" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02934a" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02934a.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02934a.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE" published: "2021-02-15" --- # Fit Testing Team for NHS FFP3 Masks Buyer: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-02934a [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02934a) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02934a.json) ## Summary The Department of Health and Social Care has concluded a public procurement process for a contract titled "Fit Testing Team for NHS FFP3 Masks," aimed at providing essential fit testing services across NHS Trust locations in England. This procurement falls under the category of services, specifically contract administration services, and was executed under limited procurement method due to extreme urgency stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic. The contract, with a total value of £9 million, was signed on 25 January 2021 and addressed the pressing need for adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to safeguard health professionals during a critical phase of the health crisis. This tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses involved in healthcare services, specifically those capable of supplying fit testing services. Companies with expertise in respiratory protection and personal protective equipment would be well-suited to participate in future contracts related to NHS provisions. As the demand for fit testers remains high amid ongoing health challenges, there is potential for growth and expansion for qualified bidders in this space. ## Notice A National fit testing team to support the NHS test staff to FFP3 masks ### Lot Information Lot 1 Procurement of 320 fit testers to support NHS staff to be fit tested to FFP3 masks ### Procurement Information Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority and in accordance with the strict conditions stated in the directiveExplanation:The Covid-19 outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern declared by WHO on 30 January 2020. The WHO Director General characterised Covid-19 as a pandemic on 11 March 2020. The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is critical in safeguarding the health and lives of the care professionals treating patients with Covid-19. Delays in procuring suitable PPE poses a risk to life of those on the front line and the likelihood of significantly increased death toll. Due to the extreme urgency caused by the sudden uptick in Covid 19 cases, there was a corresponding dramatic increase in demand for FFP3 masks for use within the NHS. The Department for Health and Social Care ('DHSC') had to act promptly so a testing team could be in place in time to allow individuals to use non-3M respirators. DHSC awarded a contract on 6 November 2020 (OJEU reference 2020/S 239-592271). A further contract was required in order to satisfy the continued demand for fit testing services.DHSC is satisfied the tests permitting use of the negotiated procedure without prior publication (Regulation 32(2)(c)) were met:(a) as far as is strictly necessary: the contract is strictly necessary to meet the demand to scale up the fit testing requirement to ensure that NHS staff have access to well-fitting masks.(b) there are genuine reasons for the extreme urgency: respirators are a vital piece of PPE. A failure to have a fully operational testing team in place could have a direct impact on the Government's ability to provide staff with adequate PPE in the quantities required resulting in a risk to public health.(c) The continued pressure on NHS staff required to treat patients with Covid-19 caused by the impact of the second wave of the pandemic being more severe than anticipated and the speed of transmission owing to the variant strain leading to a spike in cases. Therefore, the need for continued support by a pool of fit-testers outside of NHS staff was unforeseeable at the time the original Contract was entered into.(d) It is impossible to comply with the usual timescales in the Public Contract Regulations 2015: there is no other route available.(e) The situation is not attributable to DHSC: DHSC has not done anything to cause or contribute to the need for extreme urgency. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/003043-2021 | | Notice type | Award Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Limited | | Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Large | | All stages | Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 15 Feb 2021 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 25 Jan 2021 | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | £9,000,000 | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Complete | | Lots status | Cancelled | | Awards status | Active | | Contracts status | Active | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | South West London | | Postcode | SW1H 0EU | | 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 | St James's | | Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster | | Delivery location | TLI32 Westminster | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | ASHFIELD HEALTHCARE | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ### Codes - 79994000 - Contract administration services ## Release History - 15 Feb 2021 at 16:42 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/003043-2021 ## Notice URLs - https://www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care ## 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-02934a. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02934a.json.