---
title: "Personal Independence Payments (PIP) Assessment Service - Contract Extension - Lot 4 Reference number: UI_DWP_100432"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-02c2a2"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02c2a2"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02c2a2.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02c2a2.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS ACTING FOR ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES (DFC) FORMERLY THE DEPARTMENT FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (DSD) IN NORTHERN IRELAND"
published: "2021-07-01"
---

# Personal Independence Payments (PIP) Assessment Service - Contract Extension - Lot 4 Reference number: UI_DWP_100432

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS ACTING FOR ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES (DFC) FORMERLY THE DEPARTMENT FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (DSD) IN NORTHERN IRELAND  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-02c2a2

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## Summary

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), on behalf of the Department for Communities (DfC) in Northern Ireland, has recently completed a tender process for the Personal Independence Payments (PIP) Assessment Service - Contract Extension for Lot 4, with reference number UI_DWP_100432. This procurement falls within the health and social work services industry category, focusing on stabilising critical services impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The contract extension spans two years, from 1 August 2021 to 31 July 2023, with a total value of approximately £31,922,805. The procurement method employed was limited, allowing for the award of this contract without a prior public call for competition due to unforeseen circumstances brought about by the pandemic.

This tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses involved in health and social services, particularly those offering assessment services. Companies that provide telehealth, remote assessment technologies, or have expertise in welfare-related support services would be well-suited to compete for future engagements in this space. The commitment from DfC to engage continually with the market for improving the delivery of health assessments indicates potential for business growth as they seek innovative solutions for the ongoing challenges faced by PIP assessment services.

## Notice

Further to the VEAT notice issued on 10 July 2020 REF. NO 2020/S 135-333753 of July 2020, DfC is placing this voluntary transparency notice to alert economic operators of its intention to enter into a Contract Variation of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment services Lot 4 Contract with the incumbent supplier following a period of 10 days from the date of publication of this notice in accordance with Regulation 72(1)(c). The Contract Variation provides for an extension of two (2) years from 1 August 2021 to 31 July 2023.

### Lot Information

Lot Personal Independence Payments (PIP) Assessment Service Lot No.4

The impact of Covid-19 on health assessment services has been, and continues to be significant. DfC had to act quickly to implement a number of changes to service delivery, both to ensure the health and wellbeing of the public, its own employees and health assessment provider staff, and in response to the effect of the pandemic on the capacity of DfC and its assessment provider to deliver health assessment services. These changes included the temporary suspension of face to face assessments, and the introduction of telephony based assessments. The changes implemented to date, combined with the effect of two waves of the pandemic in the past year and the potential impacts of an impending third wave and possible further waves continue to be challenges to DfC's efforts to stabilise the service in advance of any procurement. Given that PIP Assessments undertaken as part of the Contract Services support critical statutory welfare benefits catering for vulnerable people, a gap in service provision is not an option. DfC has therefore concluded that extending the existing PIP Contract for up to 2 years is the best option for: (i) stabilising PIP Assessment services, (ii) ensuring a continuous service for these complex and vitally important services, which support delivery of statutory welfare benefits to vulnerable claimants each year and (iii) allowing DfC to fully understand and evaluate the impacts of Covid-19 ahead of any future procurements or decisions on service delivery. DfC will continue to implement steps to secure further efficiencies and service improvements in the way that the existing Contract is currently delivered and in particular throughout the extension period and will monitor performance in order to demonstrate value for money. DfC, partnering with DWP, intends to continue engaging with the market to discuss the future transition of PIP assessment services and the future of health assessments more broadly. DfC will build in periodic reviews (4-6 monthly) to identify whether longer or shorter extensions than 24 months are needed.

### Procurement Information

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the Official Journal of the European Union in the cases listed below Regulation 72(1)(c) PCR: For the reasons set out in II.2.4 above, the provision of additional services over a period of two (2) years has become necessary (i) The need for modification has been brought about by circumstances which a "diligent contracting authority" could not have foreseen. Covid-19 is a unique event whose impact could not have been foreseen; and (ii) The modification does not alter the overall nature of the contract; The services to be provided by the incumbent will remain consistent and there will be no alteration to the overall nature of the Contract, and (iii) The modification does not exceed 50 % of the original contract value. The price to be paid for the extended period of the Contract does not exceed 50 % of the original value of the Contract, and (iv) DfC will publish a Modification Notice pursuant to Regulation 72(3) of PCR. Please see Section VI.3 below for additional information.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015150-2021 |
| 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 |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 1 Jul 2021 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 20 Nov 2012 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £31,922,805 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS ACTING FOR ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES (DFC) FORMERLY THE DEPARTMENT FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (DSD) IN NORTHERN IRELAND |
| Locality | SHEFFIELD |
| Post town | Sheffield |
| Postcode | S1 2FD |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber |
| ITL 2 | TLE3 South Yorkshire |
| ITL 3 | TLE32 Sheffield |
| Local authority | Sheffield |
| Electoral ward | City |
| Westminster constituency | Sheffield Central |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | CAPITA BUSINESS SERVICES |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85000000 - Health and social work services

## Release History

- 1 Jul 2021 at 21:45 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015150-2021

## Notice URLs

- https://dwp.bravosolution.co.uk
- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-02c2a2. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-02c2a2.json.