Scope
Description
The purpose of this Prior Information Notice is to inform the market of our envisaged procurement plan for the provision of optometry services for the Northern Ireland Prison (NIP) population.
Optometry services are required to support the assessment, diagnosis and management of eye health and vision needs and to ensure access to optometric care comparable to that available within community primary care. It is envisaged that the Supplier(s) will be expected to provide a comprehensive optometry service on behalf of Health and Social Care (HSC) in Northern Ireland, delivered within prison healthcare settings.
The service is expected to be delivered across the following Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) sites:
Maghaberry Prison
Hydebank Wood Secure College
Magilligan Prison
This may include, but will not be restricted to:
1. Provision of routine and urgent optometric assessments and examinations.
2. Detection and diagnosis of ocular conditions and referral to appropriate healthcare services where clinically indicated.
3. Prescription, supply, fitting, repair and replacement of spectacles.
4. Provision of appropriately qualified and registered optometry professionals, able to work within a secure prison environment.
5. Use of suitable clinical equipment and systems to support safe and effective service delivery.
6. Administrative, record‑keeping and governance arrangements to support service oversight and continuity of care.
We hope that the Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) will help encourage supplier interest in this tender. It will also help us understand any barriers to tendering that suppliers currently face, including challenges associated with delivering optometry services within prison settings, so these can be considered when drafting the HSC tender.
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 November 2027 to 31 October 2030
- 3 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85100000 - Health services
- 85160000 - Optician services
- 85121281 - Ophthalmologist services
- 75231230 - Prison services
Engagement
Engagement deadline
13 March 2026
Engagement process description
The PME is an information-gathering exercise designed to help inform the development of
the future tender. It includes the CP12 - Preliminary Market Engagement Questionnaire
v1.0 and CP13 - Explanatory Document v1.0.
What you need to do now:
1) If you are not registered on eTendersNI, please do so as soon as possible
(https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps/home.do).
2) Those interested in participating in such preliminary market engagement should access
the 'Preliminary Market Engagement for Optometry Services for NI Prison population ' via eTendersNI
(https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps/home.do) at their earliest convenience, by searching for
Resource ID / CfT Reference Number 6359685
3) Using the eTendersNI secure messaging service, please see a broadcasted copy of the CP12 PME Questionnaire and a copy of the CP13 PME Explanatory Document.
All completed responses must be submitted via the secure eTendersNI messaging area of the CFT no later than 15:00, Friday 13th March 2026.
Please note that with reference to the information containing estimated date of publication of contract notice - this is only an anticipated date and subject to change.
Contracting authority
Business Services Organisation Procurement and Logistics Service
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PWNJ-1991-NGDW
77 Boucher Crescent
Belfast
BT12 6HU
United Kingdom
Email: PDRandOps.Sourcing@hscni.net
Region: UKN06 - Belfast
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
Devolved regulations that apply: Northern Ireland