Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS North East London Integrated Care Board
20 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf
London
E14 5HJ
Contact
Thomas Crouch
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI41 - Hackney and Newham
NHS Organisation Data Service
QMF
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://northeastlondon.icb.nhs.uk/
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
NEL Single Point of Access - Ophthalmology and Enhanced Optometry Services
Reference number
PRJ2241
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
North East London (NEL) Integrated Care Board (ICB) is seeking to procure an NEL wide ophthalmology SPOA service that ensures referrals are managed by one provider across the system, serving all our providers equitably with reduced costs, delivering efficiencies and identifying issues to help support the NEL population with targeted and improved education and feedback to referrers.
North East London (NEL) Integrated Care Board (ICB) is looking to procure the SPOA across its seven places (Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, Newham, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets and City and Hackney).
The services need to be able to provide fast access improved pathway to enhance referral processing and clinical triage. The SPOA will facilitate digital enablement and innovations with a dynamic system to coordinate advice and refer, capacity planning and implement patient choice. Thereby reducing the pressure and avoidable referrals to specialist led services.
The SPOA should provide a strong collaboration between primary, optometry, community and secondary care systems as we are looking for a partnership in delivering the best quality service for NEL patients.
The service specification provides details of what will need to be delivered, and we welcome providers who can demonstrate suitable experience of delivering similar services in the community that are both effective and of high quality.
The procurement will be undertaken under the Provider Selection Regime regulations, competitive process.
Applications are now open from Friday 13th February 2026 with a deadline for applying of the 20th March 2026 17:00. Applications must be made through Atamis.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £500,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI - London
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
North East London (NEL) Integrated Care Board (ICB) is seeking to procure a NEL wide ophthalmology SPOA service to manage all referrals from optometrists and GPs to ophthalmology services.
The successful provider will work in partnership with commissioners, providers and referrers (GPs and Optometrists) to ensure referrals are processed efficiently and all NEL patients are seen at the right place at the right time.
The service will include clinical triage, administration of referrals, referrer/patient education, development of pathways and capacity in the NEL system whilst driving for a reduction in unnecessary referrals and secondary care activity with increased management of eye related issues in primary care and community services.
The ICB is looking for a provider that understands how to ensure equitable access that tackles inequalities, enables referrers to learn from feedback and can reduce the overall costs within the NEL system but still help to improve the patients experience and outcomes.
The NEL population is diverse and is approximately over 2.2 million people covering seven boroughs (places); Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge (outer NEL), Newham, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets and City and Hackney (Inner NEL).
Potential providers should be forward thinking looking to incorporate digitalisation to improve efficiency and build on the core service by using appropriate new technologies to enhance referral and provider capacity management. The SPOA will facilitate the use of technology to coordinate advice and guidance/refer, capacity planning and implement patient choice where required. Thereby reducing the pressure and avoidable referrals to specialist led services.
The service specification provides details of the service and outcomes that will need to be delivered, and we welcome providers who can demonstrate suitable experience of delivering similar services in the community that are both effective and of high quality.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: PSR five key criteria / Weighting: 75
Cost criterion - Name: FMT / Weighting: 25
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
36
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Two 12 month periods at the authorities discretion.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
14 February 2026
Local time
5:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
15 February 2026
Local time
5:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS England (London Region)
London
Country
United Kingdom