MOH, HDB to trial tender approach evaluating both price and quality for Bidadari clinic
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The GP clinic at the BTO project in Bidadari estate is expected to begin operating in the fourth quarter of 2025.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
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SINGAPORE - General practitioners (GP) may start bidding for a shop space at the Bartley Beacon project under a government tender that, for the first time, will assess proposals for a clinic not based on rent alone.
This is a joint pilot by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Housing Board at the Build-To-Order project in Bidadari estate that will be completed in the second quarter of 2025.
Using the price-quality method (PQM) tender approach for the leasing of HDB shops to GP clinics, MOH and HDB will evaluate the tenders holistically based on both price and quality factors, the two government bodies said in a joint statement on May 8.
The approach has been used before by HDB to evaluate tender proposals for supermarkets, childcare centres and eating houses.
“MOH and HDB will pilot the same approach for the joint tender for the GP clinic at Bartley Beacon to better serve residents’ healthcare needs and support chronic disease management under Healthier SG,” said MOH and HDB.
Healthier SG, a national initiative launched by MOH in 2023
The pilot joint tender at Bartley Beacon was launched on May 8 and will close on May 29. The GP clinic is expected to begin operating in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Under the pilot, the tender price – or the rental bid – will account for 30 per cent of the scoring criteria, and will be evaluated by HDB.
The quality of the tender proposal will account for the remaining 70 per cent, and will be assessed by MOH.
The ministry will consider factors such as whether multi-disciplinary care will be offered, manpower quality and operating hours.
A space of about 100 sq m has been allocated for the GP clinic at Bartley Beacon, compared with the usual 50 sq m for GP clinics at HDB-owned shops, because clinics that provide one-stop multi-disciplinary services may require a larger space, said the joint statement.
Depending on the outcome of the pilot, MOH and HDB will review whether to extend this tender approach to other clinic sites in the future.
