Award

DSD Medical Support Services

DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES FORMERLY THE DEPARTMENT FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT DSD

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

31 Jan 2023 at 15:39

Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Communities (DfC) is procuring the DSD Medical Support Services through a limited procurement method, following a Contract Variation extending the services until 1st March 2024. This procurement falls under the Health and social work services category. The main procurement stage is complete, with Atos Origin IT Services Ltd being the active supplier for these services in Northern Ireland.

This tender for Medical Support Services presents a growth opportunity for businesses in the health and social work services sector, particularly those providing IT services, administration, defence, and social security services. The Department for Communities is the buying organisation based in BELFAST, UK, aiming to extend critical service provision for welfare benefits recipients through this procurement process.

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Notice Title

DSD Medical Support Services

Notice Description

DfC shall enter into a Contract Variation of the Medical Support Services (MSS) Agreement with the incumbent supplier following a period of 10 days from the date of publication of this notice. The Contract Variation provides for an extension of seven (7) months from 01.08.2023 to 01.03.2024.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Continuation of the provision of work capability assessment services in Northern Ireland. For full details of the nature of the services please see OJEU 2007/S 063-077231.

Procurement Information

On 5 March 2020, DWP published a PIN 2020/S 046-109668 signalling its intent to re-procure its Work Capability Assessment contracts for assessment services in GB in accordance with Section 7, PCR as part of a larger procurement for other types of assessment services (FAS Procurement). The Department for Communities agreed to join the procurement with Northern Ireland constituting a separate geographic Lot. Due to the impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the new procurement was delayed and as a result, the WCA contract in NI was extended for the reasons set out in Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice 2020/S 135-333759. The FAS procurement was launched on 12 November 2021 and, although a light touch regime procurement, was based on a competitive dialogue procedure, the commencement of which included the submission of indicative bids. During dialogue it became apparent that the contract value envelope for the FAS procurement needed to be revised in order to provide these key public services effectively. The procurement was therefore halted temporarily with a view to re-engaging with stakeholders. It had also become clear that the ratio of face to face assessments versus remote assessments needed to be reviewed given the continuation of the Pandemic and further time was spent ensuring the contractual arrangements had built-in flexibility to deal with changing circumstances and impact the above changes. DWP and DfC also considered that a further round of commercial dialogue (not originally planned) was necessary to ensure the quality of BAFO submissions in the face of the revised contractual framework. Due to these various activity streams, it was therefore impossible for DWP and DfC to avoid a negative impact on its original procurement timetable. The procurement is now well underway. DWP do not envisage there will be cause for further delay. However, due to the additional activities and subsequent delay (see above) in order to ensure an efficient and smooth handover between the MSS and the new FAS providers during an appropriate implementation period, DfC consider an extension of 7 months to the existing MSS contract term is necessary. Without an extension there could be a delay to provision of assessments for the critical statutory welfare benefit which MSS services encompass. As the recipients of these welfare benefits constitute a vulnerable section of society, DfC are of the view such an extension is necessary to ensure they are not disadvantaged further. DfC considers Regulation 72(1)(b) PCR is applicable. For the reasons set out above, the provision of additional services until 1 March 2024 has become necessary and: (i) interchangeability issues with a new supplier means these key services could be negatively impacted for technical and economic reasons. The implementation of the contract currently being procured necessitates a lengthy handover period therefore it is not possible to introduce a new provider for the additional 7 months. A change in supplier without a full handover programme (which includes transition to a new managed IT service necessitating dual running of systems) would risk delivery of these services which provide critical statutory benefits to vulnerable people; (ii) appointing a new supplier to cover the extra 7 months (which DfC do not consider a viable option) at the same time as the incumbent was engaged in handover to the new FAS supplier means significant duplication of costs particularly as DfC would be paying additional costs already during the implementation period; (iii) the value of the contract for the extended period does not exceed 50% of value of original contract; and (iv) DfC will publish a modification notice pursuant to Regulation 72(3) of PCR.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-03a189
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002963-2023
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

75000000 - Administration, defence and social security services

75311000 - Sickness benefits

75313000 - Disability benefits

75313100 - Temporary disablement benefits

85000000 - Health and social work services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£7,480,000 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Jan 20233 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
31 Dec 201015 years ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES FORMERLY THE DEPARTMENT FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT DSD
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
healthtransformation@communities-ni.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
BELFAST
Postcode
BT2 7EG
Post Town
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN06 Belfast
Delivery Location
TLN Northern Ireland

Local Authority
Belfast
Electoral Ward
Central
Westminster Constituency
Belfast South and Mid Down

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ATOS ORIGIN IT SERVICES

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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