--- title: "Settlement Agreement" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-02a9cf" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02a9cf" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02a9cf.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02a9cf.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Award" buyer: "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE" published: "2021-04-23" --- # Settlement Agreement Buyer: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE Current stage: Award OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-02a9cf [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02a9cf) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02a9cf.json) ## Summary The Department of Health and Social Care is overseeing a completed procurement process titled "Settlement Agreement" within the health services industry category. The procurement was initiated as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the contract valued at approximately £38,477,491. The procurement method used was a limited award procedure conducted without prior publication of a call for competition, citing extreme urgency due to the unforeseen challenges posed by the pandemic. The key contract was signed on 24 March 2021, while the procurement process itself was initiated following a Letter of Intent with Ecolog International FZE in September 2020, leading to a settlement agreement after services provided were no longer pursued under the intended contract. This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses engaged in the health services sector, especially those that provide diagnostic testing solutions or laboratory equipment. Companies that have experience in rapid mobilisation and have solutions for public health emergencies, particularly related to COVID-19, would be well-suited to compete in similar future tenders initiated by the Department of Health and Social Care. The nature of this procurement highlights the ongoing need for agile and responsive contracts that can address public health needs effectively and efficiently during crises. ## Notice Ecolog was originally intended to be one of the partner brought online to meet the Test and Trace capacity targets.As part of HM Government emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic emergency, Test and Trace entered into a Letter of Intent with Ecolog in September 2020. This Letter enabled Ecolog to mobilise and equip laboratory units to provide diagnostic (RT-PCR) testing for COVID-19 to meet targets for numbers of tests performed. As the programme progressed, HMG decided not to proceed with the Services Agreement with Ecolog; this Deed of Settlement was signed to discharge all obligations under the Letter of Intent and reimburse Ecolog for costs incurred. The costs relate to the costs of equipment delivered, laboratory tests undertaken pending the execution of the contract and mobilisation costs.This notice relates to the Deed of Settlement concluded between the parties after some services and equipment had been provided by Ecolog. ### Lot Information Lot 1 Ecolog was originally intended to be one of the partners brought online to meet the Test and Trace capacity targets.As part of HM Government emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic emergency, Test and Trace entered into a Letter of Intent with Ecolog in September 2020. This Letter enabled Ecolog to mobilise and equip laboratory units to provide diagnostic (RT-PCR) testing for COVID-19 to meet targets for numbers of tests performed. As the programme progressed, HMG decided not to proceed with the Services Agreement with Ecolog; this Deed of Settlement was signed to discharge all obligations under the Letter of Intent and reimburse Ecolog for costs incurred. The costs relate to the costs of equipment delivered, laboratory tests undertaken pending the execution of the contract and mobilisation costs.This notice relates to the Deed of Settlement concluded between the parties after some services and equipment had been provided by Ecolog. The expected contract for laboratory testing equipment and services was never entered into. ### Procurement Information There was undoubtedly a risk to public health and DHSC was reacting to a global emergency that was changing on a daily basis. An existing framework or other existing purchasing system was not available, with the National Microbiology Framework unlikely to have been available until early 2021. The need for the tests was immediate, with scientific forecasts at the time warning of daily cases of COVID-19 rising to as many as 50,000 per day in the coming weeks. That urgency was growing following increased levels of COVID-19 infections across the country. Whilst some increase in the number of cases was potentially foreseeable, the timing and scale of the increased demand was not so foreseeable.The situation was not attributable to the contracting authority, as the need for extreme urgency was a direct result of the consequences of the pandemic. There was no evidence or any suggestion that DHSC had done anything or had failed to do anything that has exacerbated the need for the increased level of tests. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/008798-2021 | | 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 | SME | | All stages | Award | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 23 Apr 2021 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | 24 Mar 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 | £38,477,491 | ## 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 | Not specified | ## Supplier | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Number of suppliers | 1 | | Supplier names | ECOLOG INTERNATIONAL FZE | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85100000 - Health services ## Release History - 23 Apr 2021 at 21:00 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/008798-2021 ## 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-02a9cf. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02a9cf.json.