This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

AwardUpdate

08 Jul 2026 at 09:17

Award

22 Apr 2026 at 10:02

Award

22 Apr 2026 at 09:54

Award

22 Apr 2026 at 09:37

Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process, led by NHS England, was completed for the "Dental Exemption Checking Service (DECS) 2026/2027," under a direct award method due to the absence of competition for technical reasons as per the Procurement Act 2023. The contract was awarded to the NHS Business Services Authority, operating from Newcastle Upon Tyne, and involves a contract period from 22nd April 2026 to 31st March 2027, with a significant value of £15,324,271 GBP. This procurement falls under the services category, specifically targeting health and fraud audit services, aimed at verifying dental exemption claims, with the procurement classified under the 'lightTouch' regime, indicating a simplified procurement approach. The procurement stage is complete, with all associated lots finalised.

This tender provides substantial opportunities for businesses specialising in health services and fraud audit, especially those with capabilities in handling complex data verification against existing records. Large-scale organisations with experience in health care administration and auditing are particularly well-suited to engage with similar future tenders. The contract, valued for its sophistication and strategic importance, establishes a precedent for businesses aiming to expand their portfolio in government procurement within the health sector. As NHS England continues to streamline and digitise processes, businesses offering innovative solutions in digital healthcare checks may find advantageous openings to collaborate on upcoming projects.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Dental exemption checking service (Decs) 2026/2027

Notice Description

Dental Exemption Checking Service (DECS) 2026/2027 The Provider will investigate a random sample of dental claims from patients who have claimed exemption from payment to verify the accuracy of the exemption declared. Claims are verified by cross checking the patient details on the dental claim against the Provider records of valid exemption schemes which the Provider administer in addition to DWP records.

Procurement Information

Paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 - absence of competition for technical reasons

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06882f
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063994-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

79212400 - Fraud audit services

85100000 - Health services

85130000 - Dental practice and related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£15,324,271 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
£7,697,167 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
8 Jul 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
30 Mar 20263 months ago
Contract Period
21 Apr 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NHS ENGLAND
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SE1 8UG
Post Town
South East London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI45 Lambeth
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Lambeth
Electoral Ward
Waterloo & South Bank
Westminster Constituency
Vauxhall and Camberwell Green

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

NHS BUSINESS SERVICES AUTHORITY

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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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