Integrated Sexual Health Service 2025

Tender description

Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council (the Councils) have undertaken a competitive process for the contract award for the provision of ‘Integrated Sexual Health Services’ in accordance with ‘The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime (PSR)) Regulations 2023. The Councils have a requirement for an Integrated Sexual Health Service as part of their wider public health responsibilities. The service will be required to provide a confidential, open-access, cost-effective, high quality and comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health service. Overarching service aims are to improve sexual health outcomes by: - promoting good sexual health through primary prevention activities - providing rapid and easy open access to STI and Blood Borne Virus (BBV) testing, treatment and management - providing rapid and easy open access to reproductive health services - reducing late diagnosis of HIV and undiagnosed HIV and improving the sexual health of those living with HIV - providing a quality service with appropriately trained staff, clinical governance and service user safety arrangements - being responsive to local need - operating as a key partner in the local sexual health economy providing clinical leadership, involvement in local networks and development of clear referral pathways between providers This contract is for an initial period of 4 years and shall take effect from 01 April 2025 – 31 March 2029. The Councils may extend this contract beyond the initial term by a further period or periods of up to 24 months (extension periods) to a maximum of 6 years. The proposed service is based on current and known funding allocations. These could alter through the life of the contract in light of changes in future local and central government funding. This service will be awarded as a contract to a single provider and subcontract arrangements are permitted. Lot 1: The Councils) have undertaken a competitive process for the contract award for the provision of 'Integrated Sexual Health Services’ in accordance with ‘The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime (PSR)) Regulations 2023. The PSR is the new legislation for the procurement of Healthcare Services. There are 5 different processes Relevant Authorities can use to award contracts. For the provision of this Integrated Sexual Health Service, the Councils have decided to use the Competitive Process. This is because the Councils believe that there is a competitive market for this service and following significant changes to the service delivery model. The opportunity was an open (one stage) procedure under PSR Regulation 11 - Competitive Process, and the Councils welcomed bids from consortium and/or sub-contracting arrangements for this procurement opportunity. Additional information: This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to ward notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Provision (Provided Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by the 2nd of September 2024 (8 working days following publication of intention to award). This contract has yet not been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under PSR. Representation can be formally made through the Council's (Leicestershire County Council) complaint procedure. Please see link below. https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/sites/default/files/field/pdf/2020/8/4/LCC-procurement-and-contract-complaint-procedures.pdf The award of this contract has been made by decision makers of Strategic Lead Commissioners from Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council, who were amongst the evaluation panel that consisted Public Health - Head of Service, Contracts & Quality Officer, Performance Manager, Head of Children's Integration, Finance Analyst, Investment (Finance) Officer, Data Protection Officer, as well as a Service User Panel and a Young People’s Panel. There was no conflict of interest declared by the decision makers or the individual panel members, who had completed and signed the Council’s Declaration of Interest & Confidentiality Agreement. The relative importance of the key criteria that the Councils used to make their decision was based on the following: 30% Weighting on Key Criteria 1 - Quality & Innovation 25% Weighting on Key Criteria 2 - Value (Price) 15% Weighting on Key Criteria 3 - Integration, Collaboration & Service Sustainability 28% Weighting on Key Criteria 4 - Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities & Facilitating Choice 2% Weighting on Key Criteria 5 - Social Value