This contract award notice follows publication of a voluntary ex ante transparency notice published in OJEU on 4 June 2020 (reference 2020/S 107-260783).

It is intended to provide notice of the contracting authority's award a short-term 6-month contract extension for the provision of home oxygen services across the East of England to it's incumbent provider.

This contract award notice follows publication of a voluntary ex ante transparency notice published in OJEU on 4 June 2020 (reference 2020/S 107-260783).

It is intended to provide notice of the contracting authority's award a short-term 6-month contract extension for the provision of home oxygen services across the East of England to it's incumbent provider.

The key commissioner resource required to deliver the procurement process has been unavoidably diverted into responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. Likewise, there is significant pressure on the providers of oxygen services at this time which is likely to mean that they are unable to respond to a tender which will weaken any competitive process.

Therefore, the timetable for the procurement process has been delayed until such a time that sufficient resource can be replaced back into this project. This will allow for the completion of the re-tendering requirement in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations 2015 during 2021.

This new 6-month contract will begin straight after the current contract expires on 30 September 2021. The short-term contract period, as covered by this VEAT Notice, will be from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022.