AC1710_The Good Lives Alliance GLA 2023 DPS

This tender for a Pseudo Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) under the Light-Touch Regime (LTR) for significant health and social care services is severely hampered by the complete absence of tender documents, detailed requirements, and evaluation criteria. While aiming for flexibility, the lack of transparency and specific safeguards raises significant concerns regarding fairness and legal compliance.

The explicit statement that 'None of the formal procedural rules have any direct application' from PCR 2015, despite the tender being labelled 'Restricted procedure,' creates a legal ambiguity. The complete absence of mandatory exclusion grounds and specific financial requirements is a significant compliance risk, as even under LTR, general principles of procurement law (transparency, equal treatment, non-discrimination) must be upheld.

The description of the 'Pseudo DPS' and LTR intent is somewhat clear, but the overall clarity is severely compromised by the complete lack of tender documents. Without these, the actual application process, detailed requirements, and operational specifics remain entirely opaque.

The tender information is critically incomplete due to the complete absence of any attached documents. Essential details such as full terms and conditions, detailed service specifications, application forms, and crucially, evaluation criteria, are entirely missing, making it impossible for potential bidders to fully understand the scope and requirements.

The absence of clear evaluation criteria, mandatory exclusion grounds, and specific financial requirements creates a high risk of unfair treatment and lack of equal opportunities for potential bidders. The 'Pseudo DPS' approach, without transparent procedural rules, could lead to arbitrary decisions and favouritism.

While a DPS-like system under LTR can offer practical flexibility for long-term service provision, the current tender information is impractical for bidders. Without any documents, it is impossible for suppliers to prepare a meaningful application or understand the operational framework.

There is a clear inconsistency between the stated 'Procedure: Restricted procedure' and the description explicitly stating that 'None of the formal procedural rules have any direct application including the requirements of Regulation 34.'

The tender mentions 'Social Criteria' as a characteristic, which is positive. However, without any tender documents, it is impossible to assess how these criteria are integrated, measured, or weighted in the procurement process. The automated check also flags 'Not green procurement' and 'No innovation focus.'