Health services

Tender description

The purpose of the assisted conception service is to provide a range of appropriate assisted conception services for couples based in Western Devon and Cornwall who meet the commissioners’ eligibility criteria. This prior information notice is being used to inform interested providers that the commissioner will be hosting a market engagement event which will be held virtually on 6.11.2019. Bidders must register their interest via the ‘current tenders’ list on the e-procurement system In-Tend, available on the following link: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Home to obtain further information. You will need to be registered on the e-procurement system and 'express an interest'. The event will be recorded and available to view for 30 days after the event, upon which time it will be removed from the public domain. The commissioners welcome questions from potential bidders throughout this period, which will be responded to via the clarification process on the In-Tend e-procurement system. Following the market engagement event the commissioner will be looking to procure a service that aims to treat confirmed infertility. The objective of treatment is to achieve a successful pregnancy quickly and safely with the least intervention required and the delivery of a healthy child. The contract will be for an initial 3 year period with the option to extend for any period or periods up to a maximum of a further 2 years. The target commencement date for this service is 5.8.2020. The market engagement will be used to determine market interest in providing specialist fertility services to patients in Western Devon and Cornwall which are likely to include: — Semen Analysis, — a full In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) cycle*, — a full Intra-cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) cycle, — Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI) stimulated and unstimulated depending on circumstances, — the storage of gametes (oocytes and sperm) including those harvested prior to treatment for cancer or other treatments which may make a patient permanently infertile, — the storage of embryos, — use of donor gametes such as egg or sperm where appropriate. Donor oocyte (egg) treatment will be subject to different waiting time criteria due to the recognised shortage of donors. A full IVF / ICSI treatment cycle includes: — appropriate diagnostic tests, scans and pharmacological therapy, — counselling for couples, — stimulation of prospective mother’s ovaries to produce oocytes, — harvesting of the oocytes, — fertilisation using IVF of ICSI (assisted hatching is not provided), — a fresh embryo transfer (maximum 2 embryos transferred), — cryopreservation of all suitable remaining embryos, — If unsuccessful, within twelve months of cryopreservation, a frozen embryo transfer from remaining frozen embryos (maximum of 2 embryos transferred), — a follow up consultation/pregnancy scan with fertility services post IVF treatment.