Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board
197 Eyre Street
Sheffield
S1 3FG
Contact
Neill Scott
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKE32 - Sheffield
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.southyorkshire.icb.nhs.uk/
Buyer's address
https://www.southyorkshire.icb.nhs.uk/
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
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
NHS South Yorkshire - Mobile Cervical Screening Pilot
Reference number
SYICB/ICS/NS/24/67
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85121210 - Gyneacologic or obstetric services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The aim of this project is to set up and trial a mobile cervical screening unit to explore the impact on uptake rates of the cervical cancer screening programme in Doncaster, and the user's experience of using the mobile unit.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £10,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKE3 - South Yorkshire
Main site or place of performance
Doncaster
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Public Contract Regulations 2015.
Explanation: 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 Competitive Process.
Key criteria
Relevant authorities must consider five key criteria when applying direct award process C, the most suitable provider process or the competitive process. These are:
• quality and innovation
Piloting a mobile cervical screening service model is key in identifying whether this method of access supports the increase of cervical screening uptake for women and people with a cervix in Doncaster. The implementation of a mobile cervical screening service may be one method of support for eligible women to overcome barriers (such as lack of time, having other commitments, difficulty accessing the primary care appointment system, travel to general practice), and support with the reduction in inequalities.
To meet the local requirements of a mobile cervical screening service, the provider will enable eligible women and people with a cervix with the option of attending cervical screening in an alternative location, either pre-bookable or on a drop-in basis where no appointment is needed.
• Value
Evidence suggests that mobile screening units are beneficial in supporting people to complete screening (5). Mobile screening units have been utilised within the breast cancer screening programme in the UK, which is also due to receive a £10 million investment to deliver 29 new units to increase screening capacity (6). Yet, no such mobile provision is in place for cervical screening, but this may be one method to increase screening uptake, and reduce the barriers identified consistently within literature/research.
Recent statistics highlights that approximately 4.6 million women aged 25 to 64 in England have never been screened for cervical cancer or are not up to date with their tests (1). Statistics further highlight that from 2020 until now, England uptake percentage has not exceeded 70% for those under 50 years old, where the acceptable uptake target is 80%, compared to those who are 50 years and above, where the uptake often reached 75% uptake (2). Those who live in deprived areas of England are approximately 40% less likely to attend their cervical screening (3).
There are multiple reasons why women and people with a cervix decide not to attend, or delay, their cervical cancer screening appointment or delay their attendance. Factors such as lack of time, having other commitments, and making an appointment is inconvenient (4). One method to overcome these barriers and to reduce inequalities may be achieved through the implementation of a mobile cervical screening unit, including drop-in facility.
Locally from 2021/22 to 2022/23 (Fingertips Public Health Data) we have seen a 1.7% decline in cervical screening coverage between in patients aged 25 to 49 years old. Investment in these services would support mitigation of risks around later stage diagnosis, failing to meet NHS England Cancer Screening targets, as well as other targets that have been locally agreed within contracts.
References:
1. Bawden A. Proportion of women in England not screened for cervical cancer at 10-year high. The Guardian. 2023.
2. NHS England. National statistics - Young person and adult screening KPI data: Q1 summary factsheets (1 April to 30 June 2022) HTML: NHS England; 2023 [Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/q1-1-april-to-30-june-2022-annb-and-ypa-screening-kpi-data/young-person-and-adult-screening-kpi-data-q1-summary-factsheets-1-april-to-30-june-2022-html#cervical-screening.
3. Wright H. Jos Trust. 2022. [cited 2023]. Available from: https://www.jostrust.org.uk/about-us/news-and-blog/blog/our_call_to_action_on_health_inequalities#:~:text=We%20know%20cervical%20cancer%20is,cervical%20screening%20(smear%20tests).&text=However%2C%20women%20living%20in%20deprived,in%20the%20least%20deprived%20areas.
4. Wilding S, Wighton S, Halligan D, West R, Conner M, O’Connor DB. What factors are most influential in increasing cervical cancer screening attendance? An online study of UK-based women. Health psychology and behavioral medicine. 2020;8(1):314-28.
5. Greenwald ZR, El-Zein M, Bouten S, Ensha H, Vazquez FL, Franco EL. Mobile screening units for the early detection of cancer: a systematic review. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 2017;26(12):1679-94.
6. New breast cancer screening units to speed up diagnosis [press release]. Gov.UK2023.
• integration, collaboration and service sustainability
Piloting a mobile cervical screening service model is key in identifying whether this method of access supports the increase of cervical screening uptake for women and people with a cervix in Doncaster. This forms part of a wider programme of work within the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw (SYB) Cancer Alliance that aims to improve screening uptake and the early diagnosis of cancer by meeting the needs of people across SYB and continuing to work in collaboration with key stakeholders including the ICB colleagues, PCNs, VCS organisations and Public Health Programme teams.
SYB Cancer Alliance developed and contributed to several projects and action plans throughout 2023/24 to improve local uptake and address inequalities in participation in NHS screening programmes. Partnership working across SYB Cancer Alliance and SY ICB including Place and Public Health England has enabled sharing of insights on health inequalities from projects and/or business intelligence which in turn has supported the development of initiatives and campaigns to reduce inequalities in uptake, in line with Core20PLUS5. Close partnership working will continue in 2024/25 to encourage uptake and reduce inequalities (particularly deprivation-related) within screening programmes and to continue to understand and analyse the impact of targeted work with communities who have the most missed cancer screening programme screening appointments and agree a continued programme of work with these identified communities to increase a focus on screening with other stakeholders.
• improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice
The cervical mobile screening service contributes towards meeting the national NHSE cervical screening targets ('Proportion of women in the resident population eligible for cervical screening aged 25 to 49 years who were screened adequately within the previous 3.5 years' and the 'Proportion of women in the resident population eligible for cervical screening aged 50 to 64 years who were screened adequately within the previous 5.5 years') and this model is key in identifying whether this method of access supports the increase of cervical screening uptake for women and people with a cervix in Doncaster.
The implementation of a mobile cervical screening service is one method to both facilitate choice and support eligible women to overcome barriers (where lack of time to attending a specific appointment time, having other commitments or trying to facilitate general practice appointments systems is challenging), and also support the reduction in inequalities. Venues chosen include good access links via public transport.
Via a thorough, far-reaching communications strategy, offering a choice of venues and drop-in times, the cervical mobile screening service will offer additional choice to eligible women and people in a different way to current NHS primary care cervical screening services.
• social value.
The cervical mobile screening service contributes towards meeting the national NHSE cervical screening targets ('Proportion of women in the resident population eligible for cervical screening aged 25 to 49 years who were screened adequately within the previous 3.5 years' and the 'Proportion of women in the resident population eligible for cervical screening aged 50 to 64 years who were screened adequately within the previous 5.5 years') and this model is key in identifying whether this method of access supports the increase of cervical screening uptake for women and people with a cervix in Doncaster.
The implementation of a mobile cervical screening service is one method to both facilitate choice and support eligible women to overcome barriers (where lack of time to attending a specific appointment time, having other commitments or trying to facilitate general practice appointments systems is challenging), and also support the reduction in inequalities. Venues chosen include good access links via public transport.
Via a thorough, far-reaching communications strategy, offering a choice of venues and drop-in times, the cervical mobile screening service will offer additional choice to eligible women and people in a different way to current NHS primary care cervical screening services.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £10,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
3
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
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 three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
This procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Public Contract Regulations 2015.
Explanation: 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 Competitive Process.
Initial term – 3 months (with the option to extend for a further 3 months)
Approx. value for the lifetime of the contract (if all extensions are enacted) - £20,000
Award Criteria:
Experience
Expertise
Proposal
Price
Offers to be submitted via the Atamis e-procurement portal
Offers will be assessed individually, in a single stage process, by a multi-disciplinary team of subject matter experts. There will then be a moderation session to discuss the separate evaluator scores and agree a single, moderated, score for each question for each bidder.
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
22 July 2024
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
22 July 2024
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.3) Additional information
Pease note: This procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Public Contract Regulations 2015.
Explanation: 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 Competitive Process.
Therefore, the process that is being used is the Competitive Process NOT the Open Procedure indicated in IV.1.1.1
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS England
7&8 Wellington Place
Leeds
LS1 4AP
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
NHS England
7&8 Wellington Place
Leeds
LS1 4AP
Country
United Kingdom