FRAMEWORK BRIEF

Pathology Referral Testing and Reporting Services

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FRAMEWORK OVERVIEW HealthTrust Europe (HTE) has put in place a framework agreement for Pathology Referral Testing and Reporting Services. The framework agreement was created to provide a comprehensive range of services and tests to include, routine testing, genetic and genomic testing, toxicology testing, cytology testing and screening and histopathology reporting. All Lots are accessible via direct award and mini competition. The framework agreement has an initial duration of 2 years, with an option to extend for up to a further 24 months at HTE’s discretion). The framework agreement went live on 1st May 2018. HTE is conducting the procurement using the restricted procedure in accordance with the requirements of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/102) (PCR 2015) and the EU Combined Directive (2004/18/EC). A Contract Notice 2017/S 106-212057 was published on 3rd July 2017. Each of the appointed suppliers has been rigorously vetted in terms of their quality and value propositions through a robust, compliant evaluation process. If you or your legal advisors require copies of OJEU Notices or further details of the framework agreement, then please contact the Customer Care Centre on 0845 887 5000 or email customercare@htepg.com.

• Free to Access

• OJEU Compliance

• Opportunity to Consolidate SLAs

• Immediate Access

• Further Competition Opportunities

• Referral Testing and Reporting Coverage

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SERVICES INCLUDED

The Pathology Referral Testing and Pathology Reporting Services framework includes full coverage of tests and reporting across various pathology disciplines. The framework consists of 5 Lots, all of which can be accessed via direct award or mini competition.

The lots are:

Lot 1: Routine and Esoteric Testing • Wide variety of tests from multiple disciplines, including:

o Biochemistry;

o Haematology;

o Microbiology;

o Cellular Pathology;

o Virology; and

o Immunology.

• Consolidation of referral testing providers and SLAs

• Electronic reporting of results

• Consistent TATs

Lot 2: Genetic and Genomic Testing • Wide range of genetic and genomic tests

• Electronic reporting

• In accordance with Professional Guidelines for the Association

of Clinical Genetic Science (ACGS)

• Analytical tools for bioinformatics, annotation and validation

• Clinical interpretation available

Lot 3: Toxicology Testing • Various sample type testing available

• Wide range of tests available

• Chain of custody procedures through collection, testing and

reporting

Lot 4: Cytology Testing and Screening • Range of sample types – gynaecological, non-gynaecological

samples and urine cytology

• Consultant-led service

• Electronic reporting of results

Lot 5: Histopathology Reporting • Analysis of a variety of sample types

• Various reporting formats and agreed with Authority

• Clinical support and interpretation

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FRAMEWORK SUPPLIERS The suppliers awarded to the framework and the Lots to which they are awarded are as follows:

Lot

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Backlogs Limited ✓ ✓

Eurofins Biomnis ✓ ✓ ✓

Launch Diagnostics Ltd ✓ ✓ ✓

Nuffield Health ✓ ✓ ✓

Source BioScience ✓

University Hospital Southampton NHS FT ✓

Viapath Analytics LLP ✓

Framework Status Key: Provider available against this Lot ✓ Provider not available against this Lot

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KEY BENEFITS

Free to Access

No fee to customers for accessing this framework agreement;

Customers can take advantage of the varied product range and

discounts available.

OJEU Compliance

This compliant framework satisfies government requirements

as well as EU Regulations, removing the need to go through a

tender process.

Opportunity to Consolidate SLAs

Appointment of a single Referral Testing or Reporting supplier

means fewer SLAs to manage. Subcontracting arrangements can

be managed by the awarded supplier, resulting in reduced

resource required for contract management by the customer.

Immediate Access

Simple engagement process enables access to the framework

prices immediately, including discounts based on volume and

time commitments.

Further Competition Opportunities

By utilising a mini-competition, pricing will be comparable to the

Trusts unique workload and specification requirements.

Referral Testing and Reporting

Coverage

The comprehensive scope of the framework agreement enables

access to testing and reporting services across all pathology

disciplines in one agreement.

Electronic Reporting and Interfacing

There are options via the framework to utilise various electronic

reporting formats, including cloud-based systems and direct

integration into Laboratory IT systems. Electronic reporting

reduces the requirement for manual upload of results and

minimises the risk of reporting errors.

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ACCESS TO THE FRAMEWORK

Direct Award and Call Off Contracts

The framework can be accessed via direct award and mini competition. The customer must contact their Account

Manager or our Customer Care Centre to log their interest and then the Category Lead will make contact to discuss

the requirement.

For a direct award, the call off process is formalised by issuing an order to the supplier identified as offering best value

in line with the direct award criteria specified in the framework agreement. In all instances HTE should be informed

once an authority has entered into a contract with a supplier under this framework agreement.

For mini competitions, HTE will work with the customer to develop the specification, ensuring the specification reflects

the customer’s exact requirements in a compliant manner.

To ensure compliance to the framework agreement and customer requirements, a call off contract is exchanged and

completed between the authority and the selected supplier(s).

Committed GPO Model

HTE is a ‘Group Purchasing Organisation’ (GPO) that has been established in order to provide GPO members with the

highest quality products and services at the best price. We are a healthcare partner concerned with its members who

are delivering care within the local communities; as such we leverage the purchasing power of our GPO members in

order to increase ‘value’ (Quality, Safety, Service & Price) through our contracting processes.

HealthTrust Europe’s committed GPO model aligns clinical and commercial requirements to drive contracting

decisions. We build advisory board’s representative of doctors, nurses, technicians and pharmacists to drive the

development of clinical specifications and determine ‘like’ products which are clinically acceptable.

We take clinical and commercial requirements to market on behalf of our members and undertake procurement

activities aimed at obtaining the highest quality products and services at the best price for healthcare providers. Our

model is built on partnership relationships which deliver benefits to both our customers and the supplier community;

whilst not limited to, the following points are essential to our GPO process:

• Pre-market engagement which provides meaningful insight from suppliers and our customers regarding our

• proposed sourcing strategies

• Analytics: a review of scientific evidence and data

• Development of clinical and business specifications through our advisory boards

• Clinical evaluation

• Market share commitments

• Contract compliance

• Contract management

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FAQS

What should I do next?

Existing HTE members should talk to their Account Manager for further details. If you are not a customer of HTE please

contact our Customer Care Centre on 0845 887 5000 or email customercare@htepg.com.

What if the current incumbent supplier we use is not listed on the framework agreement, will they be able to be

added on?

As this is a framework agreement, suppliers are unable to be added on after the establishment of the contract.

Therefore, only the suppliers listed on page 5 are accessible through this framework agreement.

Will HTE provide a cost impact analysis to assist migration to this framework agreement?

HTE is able to offer like-for-like spend analysis on the basis that the authority provides line level usage information and

total annual spend. HTE will then use this information to provide a bottom line cost impact analysis summary and

advise if this framework would offer a cost reduction on previous price paid, based on the information provided and

applicable discounts.

For signed participants of the framework agreement, HTE is able to support further equivalence analysis to identify

specific product group areas for efficiency recommendations. However, the authority is required to engage with their

clinical end users and in some circumstances, it is likely that product evaluations will be essential.

Will my contract expire when the framework does?

Not necessarily, the call off contract can last for any length of time as long as it is reasonable. This is not dictated by

the framework length as long as the contract is awarded before the framework expires.

Can you just tender for one element of the solution?

Yes, the framework allows for the procurement of individual elements of the solution such as individual tests, however,

you would need to run a mini-competition to all available suppliers.

Can I invite specific suppliers to the mini-competition?

No, all suppliers who tendered and were awarded on the framework for each Lot would have to be invited to tender

for all further competitions for that Lot.