Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Communities formerly the Department for Social Development DSD
Causeway Exchange, 1-7 Bedford Street
BELFAST
BT2 7EG
healthtransformation@communities-ni.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/
Buyer's address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
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
DSD Medical Support Services
Reference number
Project 71
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
DfC shall enter into a Contract Variation of the Medical Support Services (MSS) Agreement with the incumbent supplier following a period of 10 days from the date of publication of this notice.
The Contract Variation provides for a six (6) month extension from 04 March 2024 to 6 September 2024 of the services delivered by the Medical Support Services (MSS) Agreement. This is necessary due to delays in the completion of the Lot 5 (Northern Ireland) Functional Assessment Services (FAS) contract.
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: £121,392,886
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 75000000 - Administration, defence and social security services
- 75311000 - Sickness benefits
- 75313000 - Disability benefits
- 75313100 - Temporary disablement benefits
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Continuation of the provision of work capability assessment services in Northern Ireland.
For full details of the nature of the services please see OJEU 2007/S 063-077231.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Medical Personnel / Weighting: 15
Quality criterion - Name: Service Quality / Weighting: 25
Quality criterion - Name: Transition and Service / Weighting: 10
Quality criterion - Name: IS/IT Solutions / Weighting: 10
Quality criterion - Name: Legal and Contractual / Weighting: 10
Quality criterion - Name: Properties / Weighting: 5
Cost criterion - Name: Financial / Weighting: 25
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:
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) led FAS procurement, based on 5 geographic Lots (Lot 5 in Northern Ireland), was launched on 12 November 2021.
On 15 March 2023, DWP notified FAS bidders of the outcome of the procurement in Lots 1, 2, 4 and 5. Procurement activity in Lot 3 (Southwest England) continues, resulting in a DWP and DfC agreement to delay contract signature in all Lots to support full alignment in FAS transition to ‘go-live’ in 2024. DfC has a number of dependencies on DWP to enable it to comply with key Authority obligations in relation to FAS Lot 5 service delivery.
It is anticipated that the completion of the FAS procurement exercise in Lot 3 will result in a 6-month delay in the contract signature for Lot 3 and consequently in Lots 1, 2, 4 and 5.
Without an extension there would be a service provision gap, adversely impacting MSS customers and resulting in a failure of DfC to meet its statutory obligations. Furthermore, the absence of continuity in service provision would put at significant risk a vulnerable group of MSS recipients and create further hardship and disadvantage.
DfC considers Regulation 72(1)(b) PCR applicable. For the reasons set out above, the provision of additional services until 6 September 2024 is necessary and:
(i) interchangeability issues with a new supplier means these key services could be negatively impacted for technical and economic reasons. The implementation of the contract currently being procured will necessitate a lengthy handover period, and make it impossible therefore to introduce a new provider for a short extension period. A change in supplier, without a full handover programme (to include transition to a new IT service necessitating dual running of systems), would risk delivery of these services which provide critical statutory benefits to vulnerable people;
(ii) appointing a new supplier to cover a short extension period (which DfC does not consider a viable option) at the same time an incumbent is engaged in handover to a new FAS supplier, would result in significant duplication of costs and a loss of value for money for the taxpayer;
(iii) the value of the contract for the extended period does not exceed 50% of value of original contract; and
(iv) DfC 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
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2007/S 063-077231
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
Project 71
Title
DSD Medical Support Services
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
31 December 2010
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
Atos Origin IT Services Ltd
London
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Internet address
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: £6,309,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures.
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom