The Medical Emergencies System (SEM) of Catalonia put out to tender in February a contract to extend for a period of six months ---extendable to six more--- the management of the 061 Salut Respon healthcare helpline. This is an urgent tender motivated by the fact that the budget of the current contract ran out ahead of time due to the increase in calls that this service has experienced due to the pandemic. Specifically, Salut Respon was dimensioned to receive about 6,000 queries a day, but currently the average is 15,000 calls, with peaks of 29,000.
While awaiting the call for a new tender, on which the Generalitat is working, this bridge contract has been awarded to the Ferrovial group, the current service provider. According to the tender rules, the maximum amount of the contract ---which will start in June--- may not exceed 22 million euros for a full year.
Ferrovial has been the only company to submit a bid for the tender, even though the SEM had invited other groups such as Atento, Sitel, Konecta, Unísono, Norte and Majorel to participate in the urgent negotiated procedure. These companies would have chosen to decline their participation pending the definitive, longer-term contract being put out to tender.
For the Generalitat, 061 is an essential service to ensure proper citizen care, as it allows non-face-to-face information to be offered on health matters, doubts to be resolved and patients to be guided. Administrative procedures can also be carried out from 061 and the medical emergency service can be activated if necessary.
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