Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board
3rd Floor, Arndale House, The Mall
Luton
LU1 2LJ
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH21 - Luton
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.bedfordshirelutonandmiltonkeynes.icb.nhs.uk/
Buyer's address
https://www.bedfordshirelutonandmiltonkeynes.icb.nhs.uk/
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
Community MSK Service in BLMK
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
NHS Bedfordshire, Luton & Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board are seeking a suitable organisation for the provision of Community MSK Service including support for chronic pain in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes. The key objective is to enable patients with MSK conditions and those living with chronic pain to live a full and healthy life.
The Service provider will offer a standardised, transparent, and coordinated patient pathway for MSK patients in a responsible and environmentally
sustainable way across all relevant healthcare settings in BLMK. The Service provider will ensure patients receive a consistent experience, feel supported, informed and empowered throughout the whole pathway and receive the optimal treatment at the right time. The contract will be for a period of 10 years commencing on 01st December 2025.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £120,197,800
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85100000 - Health services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH21 - Luton
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
NHS Bedfordshire, Luton & Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board are seeking a suitable organisation for the provision of Community MSK Service including support for chronic pain in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes. The key objective is to enable patients with MSK conditions and those living with chronic pain to live a full and healthy life.
The Service provider will offer a standardised, transparent, and coordinated patient pathway for MSK patients in a responsible and environmentally sustainable way across all relevant healthcare settings in BLMK. The Service provider will ensure patients receive a consistent experience, feel supported, informed and empowered throughout the whole pathway and receive the optimal treatment at the right time.
The Service provider will need to provide a high-quality experience, ensuring patients are triaged and treated as early as possible in their pathway to prevent worsening of symptoms, improve outcomes, reduce unnecessary secondary care activity, and avoidable repeat referrals.
The Service will reduce health inequalities across the BLMK geographical area by engaging and working with local community services and groups, to improve access and up-take of MSK services across the BLMK footprint. This will include some focused activity within targeted areas of BLMK, as highlighted by the Health Needs assessment and Health Inequalities studies.
The Service provider will work collaboratively with ICS partners, including the Social Prescribing Link Workers, Community Hubs and the VCSE sector to support residents to lead economically active lives.
The Service provider will consider its impact on the environment, designing and delivering services in a way which minimises its carbon footprint.
This notice is an intention to award a contract under the competitive process and the contract for the new service will be for a period of 10 years commencing on 01st December 2025. It is anticipated that the service provision resultant of this procurement will have a maximum value of £120,197,800 (excluding VAT) over the term of the contract.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Price - Weighting: 20
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
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2024/S 000-033838
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
2 May 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 5
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Connect Health Ltd
Newcastle
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKC - North East (England)
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £120,197,800
Total value of the contract/lot: £120,197,800
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by midnight on 16th May 2025 via the Atamis messaging system for this procurement. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award a contract under the competitive process of the PSR.
The relative importance of the key criteria that the relevant authority used to make a decision, the rationale for the relative importance of the key criteria are available within Section 27.1.1 of Document 1 - Competitive Process Overview and Instructions. The rationale for choosing the provider is in line with the key criteria as stated within Section 27.1.1 of Document 1 - Competitive Process Overview and Instructions.
The BLMK ICB gave approval of this in May 2025 at the scheduled ICB's Board Meeting. Conflicts of interests have been managed in line with ICB's Conflict of Interest and Standards of Business Conduct Policy.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit
Cardinal Square, 10 Nottingham Road
Derby
DE1 3QT
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.ardengemcsu.nhs.uk/
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
NHS England
7&8 Wellington Place
Leeds
LS1 4AP
Country
United Kingdom