---
title: "Procurement of a National Air Ambulance Service for The Scottish Ambulance Service"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000689048"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000689048"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000689048.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000689048.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "SCOTTISH AMBULANCE SERVICE"
published: "2022-04-26"
---

# Procurement of a National Air Ambulance Service for The Scottish Ambulance Service

Buyer: SCOTTISH AMBULANCE SERVICE  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000689048

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## Summary

The Scottish Ambulance Service is currently in the planning stage of a procurement process for a National Air Ambulance Service, designated by the title "Procurement of a National Air Ambulance Service for The Scottish Ambulance Service." This initiative falls within the health industry category and will operate primarily in Scotland. The anticipated contract value is £160 million and is expected to be awarded in late May or early June 2023, with a projected commencement date no later than early June 2025. The service aims to deliver a modern, resilient, and sustainable air ambulance solution tailored to the unique challenges posed by Scotland's varied terrain and climatic conditions.

This tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses engaged in aviation services, including those providing fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, maintenance, engineering support, and operational logistics. Companies specialising in healthcare logistics and emergency medical services would be particularly well-suited to compete. The procurement is set to utilise the Competitive Dialogue Procedure, allowing for collaboration and discussion between the buyer and potential bidders to achieve the best service delivery outcomes. Interested parties are encouraged to register for a market engagement day planned for early May 2022, where they can learn more about the project's vision and requirements.

## Notice

The procurement of a national air ambulance service for the Scottish Ambulance Service

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The Scottish Ambulance Service ("the Service") provides a national air ambulance service to all of Scotland and its islands. This is the only wholly publicly funded air ambulance service in the United Kingdom and provides an invaluable resource to the public of Scotland. Scotland presents a challenging environment for air ambulance operators. Factors to be considered include: - Varied terrain. - Potentially severe weather conditions. - Longer hours of darkness in winter. - Limited and varying airport capabilities and hours of operation. - Future island transport provisions including ferries and airport developments or changes. - Recognition of the Government targets on sustainability and carbon neutral. - National planning of specialist services for example thrombectomy and major trauma. The aims of the procurement are to deliver an innovative, sustainable, resilient and value for money air ambulance service that can respond to changes in service delivery requirements whilst maintaining a high quality care and experience for the patients and public of Scotland. The current scope of requirements of the contract are: 1.The aircraft fleet must be capable of reaching at least 95% of the population of Scotland in one hour. The rotary aircraft must have 24/7 Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) capability and all aircraft must act as a suitable transport platform for the personnel and equipment associated with our adult, paediatric and neonatal critical care transport and retrieval teams (ScotSTAR). 2. Provision of aircraft hangarage in order to ensure 24/7 availability of aircraft during inclement weather. 3. Provision of maintenance & backup. All planned and reactive maintenance must be carried out in Scotland. Backup aircraft to be provided to the same specification as core aircraft. 4. Provision of 24/7 engineering support. 5. Provision of adequate base facilities for clinical staff. e.g., provision of Ops Room space, lockers and parking facilities etc., In addition, meeting room/training room and overnight accommodation (where necessary) for on-call clinical staff. 6. Provision of air crew member training (e.g., Technical Crew Member training for HEMS). 7.Provision of compliant radio communications system. The aircraft must be capable of compliance with the current Airwave communications system (if this is still in operation at contract commencement), and also compliance with the future Emergency Services Network (ESN) system 8. Provision of on-going monitoring of service provision by way of regular contract monitoring meetings. The Service will provide the clinical staffing. The aircraft, flight crew (pilots), estate & facilities and engineering support will be provided by the successful contractor(s) on a managed service basis. The successful contractor(s) shall support a variety of air ambulance missions; ranging from hospital discharges through to pre-hospital helicopter emergency calls and critical care transfers. The chosen route to market for this procurement is the "Competitive Dialogue Procedure". It is expected that the contract will be awarded in late May / early June 2023. The contract commencement date is subject to final confirmation, however it should be no later than early June 2025. The contract length shall be seven years, with an optional three-year extension. The procurement will be for the award of a single contract which will cover both fixed wing and rotary aircraft. Bids shall be welcomed from a single or group of economic operators (a consortium). Consortia are not required to have a particular legal form to submit a bid. Consortia will, however, be required to assume a specific legal form if they are awarded the contract. This will be the form of a lead contractor and subcontractor(s): with one member of the consortium taking the role of prime/lead contractor, or a joint venture. The Service shall require certain formal documentation and / or guarantees depending on bidders proposed consortia form.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=APR446784 |
| Notice type | OJEU - F1 - Prior Information 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 | 26 Apr 2022 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 1 Aug 2022 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £160,000,000 |
| 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 | SCOTTISH AMBULANCE SERVICE |
| Locality | EDINBURGH |
| Post town | Edinburgh |
| Postcode | EH12 9EB |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM1 East Central Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM13 City of Edinburgh |
| Local authority | City of Edinburgh |
| Electoral ward | Drum Brae/Gyle |
| Westminster constituency | Edinburgh South West |
| Delivery location | TLM Scotland |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
- 35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment
- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

### Codes

- 34700000 - Aircraft and spacecraft
- 34710000 - Helicopters, aeroplanes, spacecraft and other powered aircraft
- 34711110 - Fixed-wing aircrafts
- 34711300 - Piloted aircraft
- 34711400 - Special-purpose aircraft
- 35112000 - Rescue and emergency equipment
- 35612500 - Search and rescue helicopters
- 35613000 - Unmanned aerial vehicles
- 60424110 - Hire of fixed-wing aircraft with crew
- 60424120 - Hire of helicopters with crew
- 60440000 - Aerial and related services
- 60443000 - Air-rescue services

## Release History

- 26 Apr 2022 at 00:00 - Planning - OJEU - F1 - Prior Information Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=APR446784

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=APR446784&idx=1
  5th August 2022 - Attachment in response to fixed wing flying hours clarification question.
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=APR446784
  Procurement of a National Air Ambulance Service for The Scottish Ambulance Service - The procurement of a national air ambulance service for the Scottish Ambulance Service

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=689048
- http://www.scottishambulance.com
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000689048
- https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/esop/pts-host/public/pts/web/login.html

## 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-r6ebe6-0000689048. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000689048.json.