Written question asked by Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Earl Howe (Conservative) on Wednesday, 24 November 2010.

NHS: Oxygen Supplies

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 8 November (WA 30), what is the difference between a competition and a mini-competition in the supply of oxygen to the National Health Service within the NHS Framework.

Answer: There are two main stages in the procurement of home oxygen services and both processes are competitive. In the first stage, bidders are competing to be appointed to a national framework. The National Health Service regions will then each run mini-competitions working from those organisations on the national framework. At that second stage, bidders to supply the regions will not have to submit a pre-qualification questionnaire, as they would already have been judged to meet the core requirements of the contract at national framework stage of the procurement.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 3935; 722 c349WA
Session: 2010-12
Related items: NHS: Oxygen Supplies
Monday, 8 November 2010
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Competition Home care services NHS Procurement Oxygen
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk