Awarded contract

Personal Independence Payments (PIP) Assessment Service - Contract Extension - Lot 2

  • Department for Work and Pensions

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice reference: 2021/S 000-014617

Published 25 June 2021, 10:45pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Department for Work and Pensions

Hartshead Square

Sheffield

S1 2FD

Email

KATHRYN.TAYLOR@DWP.GOV.UK

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

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

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

Health


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Personal Independence Payments (PIP) Assessment Service - Contract Extension - Lot 2

Reference number

UI_DWP_100430

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 85000000 - Health and social work services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Further to the VEAT notice issued on 10 July 2020 REF. NO 2020/S 135-333754 of July 2020 notice, DWP shall enter into a Contract Variation of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment services Lot 2 Contract with the incumbent supplier following a period of 10 days from the date of publication of this notice. The Contract Variation provides for an extension of two (2) years from 01.08.2021 - 31.07.2023.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Value excluding VAT: £129,308,307

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 85000000 - Health and social work services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

On 5th March 2020, DWP published a Prior Information Notice 2020/S 046-109668, signalling its intent to re-procure the PIP Contracts in accordance with Section 7 of the PCR.

Within days of this, the COVID-19 Pandemic hit the UK and significantly impacted DWP including delivery of health assessments and the planned procurement.

The impact of COVID-19 meant the Department were unable to launch the procurement as planned. Extensions to the existing contracts are needed to fully understand and evaluate the impacts of COVID-19 ahead of future procurements as well as to stabilise the assessment service and resource.

The impact of COVID-19 has been, and continues to be, very significant. The assessment service has had to be very quickly adapted, in particular to suspend face to face assessments and mobilise alternative methods of delivery to support claimants. Alongside this departmental and supplier staff and resources have had to be restructured and redeployed to help deliver DWP and the wider government's operational response to COVID-19. DWP has also consulted with the market on the impacts of COVID-19.

Given that PIP is a critical statutory welfare benefit that caters for vulnerable people, a gap in service provision is not an option

DWP therefore consider it necessary to extend the Contract for up to 2 years in order to (i) stabilise the assessment service (ii) ensure a continuous service for these complex and vitally important services, which support delivery of statutory welfare benefits to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable claimants each year and (iii) allow DWP to fully understand and evaluate the impacts of COVID-19 on the assessment services we require of the market ahead of future procurements.

DWP will continue engaging with the market to discuss the future transition of the PIP assessment service and the future of health assessments more broadly.

DWP will build in periodic reviews to understand the developing Covid impact and we will continue to review suitability of the 2 year extension.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below

  • The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations

Explanation:

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

(iv) DWP will publish a Modification Notice pursuant to Regulation 72(3) of PCR.

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes


Section five. Award of contract/concession

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

19 July 2012

five.2.2) Information about tenders

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

Capita Business Services UK Ltd

London

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
National registration number

02299747

The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £129,308,307

five.2.5) Information about subcontracting

The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

Suppliers Instructions:

How to Express Interest in this Tender:

1. Register on the eSourcing portal (this is only required once):

https://dwp.bravosolution.co.uk & click the link to register - Accept the terms & conditions & click 'continue' - Enter your correct business & user details - Note your chosen username & click 'Save'. You will receive an email with your password (keep this secure)

2. Express an Interest in the tender - Login to the portal with the username/password - Click the 'PQQs / ITTs Open To All Suppliers' link. (These are Pre-Qualification Questionnaires or Invitations to Tender open to any registered supplier) - Click on the relevant exercise to access the content. - Click the 'Express Interest' button at the top of the page. - This will move the PQQ /ITT into your 'My PQQs/ My ITTs' page. (A secure area reserved for your projects only) -You can now access any attachments by clicking 'Buyer Attachments' in the 'PQQ/ ITT Details' box

3. Responding to the tender - Click 'My Response' under 'PQQ/ ITT Details', you can choose to 'Create Response' or to 'Decline to Respond' (please give a reason if declining) - You can now use the 'Messages' function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification - Note the deadline for completion. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the PQQ/ ITT - There may be a mixture of online & offline actions to complete (detailed online help available). To submit your reply use the 'Submit Response' button (top of the page).

For further assistance please consult the online help, or the eTendering help desk.

DWP expressly reserves the rights(i)to use a reverse auction; (ii)to cancel this procurement at any stage; (iii)to not award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice; (iv)and in no circumstances will DWP be liable for any costs incurred by potential suppliers.

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Department for Work and Pensions

Sheffield

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures

Department for Work and Pensions

Sheffield

Country

United Kingdom