Scope
Reference
ITT_22251
Description
The Authority intends to award a public contract under section 19 of the Procurement Act 2023 ("PA 2023"). This procurement for the award of that public contract is being conducted as an open procedure in accordance with sections 20(1) and 20(2)(a) of PA 2023 for the award of a light touch contract in accordance with section 9 of PA 2023.
Overview
DWP commissions the provision of circa 2 million Assessments per year, which are conducted on behalf of DWP by Healthcare Professionals (HPs) employed by suppliers that were awarded Functional Assessment Service (FAS) Contracts (FAS Providers). These Assessments are used to help determine eligibility to certain disability related benefits including Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Universal Credit (UC), Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and other Specialist Benefits.
The FAS Providers employ approximately 5,000 HPs to conduct Assessments on behalf of the DWP.
To conduct Assessments, HPs are required to have appropriate knowledge of the clinical aspects and the functional effects of a wide range of health conditions and disabilities as well as specific knowledge of how to conduct the Assessments and the related policy.
DWP owns a suite of benefit-related clinical Core Training and Guidance Materials (CTGM). The CTGM currently comprises a total of approximately 700 documents with a total of circa 30,000 pages. The CTGM is broken down into two categories, namely:
a) CTGM relating to carrying out Assessments which accounts for the vast majority of documents. In addition to providing the guidance to HPs and Authority Clinicians when conducting Assessments, FAS Providers are also required to use the CTGM to inform and develop training programmes and associated materials for their circa 5,000 HPs.
b) There are several CTGM documents for use by Authority Decision Makers. This category of CTGM includes guidance for Authority Decision Makers who determine eligibility for Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance for Children.
In addition, DWP engages approximately 200 Authority Clinicians who will also use the CTGM for reference.
DWP is committed to ensuring clinical CTGM is annually reviewed and of the highest quality, evidence based, in-line with best practice and free from bias.
The Authority currently anticipates awarding a contract for the services (as further described below) for an initial period of 36 months with an option (at the Authority's discretion and subject to governance approval, available funding and satisfactory performance) for the Authority to extend the contract for a further period of up to 12 months by giving the Supplier written notice of no less than 20 Working Days before the initial term of the Contract expires.
Contract subject-matter
The following Services form the overall scope of Services required by the Authority under this procurement:
a) Clinical QA Service - carrying out a review of the CTGM;
b) Annual Clinical Training Course Service - delivering an annual clinical training course;
c) Educational CPD Materials Service - developing educational CPD materials.
The above Services are required to be delivered in accordance with:
a) the relevant sections of the Specification, which is set out in Appendix B of the ITS;
b) the relevant Service Levels, as set out in Appendix C of the ITS; and
c) the terms and conditions of the Contract, for which a draft is set out in Appendix D of the ITS.
The Authority has considered whether the FACATS Services could reasonably be supplied under more than one contract by dividing the procurement into lots. The Authority has concluded that splitting the procurement into lots could make the requirement disproportionately expensive to manage and increase the technical risk to deliver the requirement. The Services will be supplied under one contract.
Weightings for the Technical Qualitative Questions:
The weightings for Technical Qualitative Questions apply to the overall question and the Supplier should ensure any areas highlighted by the bullet points are covered within the overall response. No individual bullet point has a separate weighting and, subsequently, does not have a greater or lesser impact on the overall question, which will be assessed as a whole. Information will be evaluated against the pre-determined criteria as stated in the ITS.
Suppliers' Tender Responses will be scored in accordance with the scoring criteria set out below.
The score awarded for each question (in accordance with the scoring methodology detailed in paragraph 168 of the ITS) will be converted to a percentage score (in accordance with the question's respective weighting shown in the table in paragraph 173 of the ITS) to give a total score using the following formula:
Percentage score % = (Score awarded / Maximum score) x Percentage weighting
Example:
If a Supplier is awarded a score of 7 (Good) for Question 1, the percentage score awarded for that question will be:
Percentage score % = (7/10) x 22.5% = 15.75%
The maximum score available in respect of the Technical Qualitative Questions is 70%. The different weightings reflect the relative importance of each question to the Authority.
Example CTGM documents:
The Authority will provide copies of example CTGM documents (as listed in Appendix N to the ITS), to aid Suppliers in understanding the variation in content and size of individual CTGM documents.
Due to CTGM documents being classified as Official and containing some information that is confidential, it is a requirement of the Authority that a Supplier completes and signs the Non-Disclosure Agreement (set out in Appendix O to the ITS) as a prerequisite of receiving the example CTGM documents listed in Appendix N.
Total value (estimated)
- £1,640,000 excluding VAT
- £1,968,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 16 August 2025 to 15 August 2028
- Possible extension to 15 August 2029
- 4 years
Description of possible extension:
The Authority shall have the right to unilaterally extend the contract for a further period of up to 12 months (at the Authority's discretion and subject to governance approval, available funding and satisfactory performance) by giving the Supplier written notice of no less than 20 Working Days before the initial term of the Contract expires, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the provisions of the Contract.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 80500000 - Training services
- 80510000 - Specialist training services
- 80511000 - Staff training services
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
- 85100000 - Health services
- 85140000 - Miscellaneous health services
- 85141000 - Services provided by medical personnel
- 75310000 - Benefit services
- 75311000 - Sickness benefits
- 75313000 - Disability benefits
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
The conditions of participation that apply to this competitive tendering procedure are contained within the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (in Appendix I of the ITS). The conditions of participation relating to legal and financial capacity are listed below:
PSQ 13 - Are you intending to rely on another supplier to act as a guarantor?
If so, please provide their name and evidence of their economic and financial standing.
If you have answered 'no', please go to question PSQ 15.
PSQ 13(a) - If you are proposing to rely on another supplier to act as a guarantor please provide the following details:
- Full name of immediate parent company,
- Registered or head office address,
- Registration number (if applicable),
- VAT number (if applicable),
PSQ 14 - Please confirm whether you already have, or can commit to obtain, the levels of insurance cover indicated below that will be effective for the duration of the contract:
a. Employer's (Compulsory) Liability Insurance* = £5,000,000
b. Public Liability Insurance = £1m
c. Professional Indemnity Insurance = £1m
PSQ 14(a) - Insert details of your insurances already in place or insurances which would be obtained for the duration of the contract (including information on how you will obtain this insurance - e.g. a quote)
PSQ 15 - Please confirm that you have in place, or that you will have in place by the award of the contract, the human and technical resources to perform the contract to ensure compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and to ensure the protection of the rights of data subjects.
PSQ 15(a) - Please provide details of the technical facilities and measures (including systems and processes) you have in place, or will have in place by contract award, to ensure compliance with UK data protection law and to ensure the protection of the rights of data subjects. Your response should include, but should not be limited to facilities and measures:
- to ensure ongoing confidentiality, integrity, availability and resilience of processing systems and services
- to comply with the rights of data subjects in respect of receiving privacy information, and access, rectification, deletion and portability of personal data
- to ensure that any consent based processing meets standards of active, informed consent, and that such consents are recorded and auditable
- to ensure legal safeguards are in place to legitimise transfers of personal data outside the UK (if such transfers will take place)
- to maintain records of personal data processing activities
- to regularly test, assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the above measures.
PSQ 17 - If you are a relevant commercial organisation subject to Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and if your latest statement is available electronically, please provide:
- the web address,
- precise reference of the documents.
If it is not available electronically, please state this and go to question PSQ 17 (a)
PSQ 17(a) - If your latest statement is not available electronically, please provide a copy.
PSQ 17(b) - If you are not a relevant commercial organisation subject to Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (for example if your turnover is less than £36 million or you do not carry on your business, or part of your business, in the UK), please provide a link to an equivalent statement or document which demonstrates information to a to f above.
PSQ 17(c) - If all the information set out in a to f above is not included in your modern slavery statement or other statement or documents, please provide an explanation as to why not and/or assurances that it will be included before contract award.
Technical ability conditions of participation
PSQ 16 - Are you either:
a) a Supplier to any of the Functional Assessment Service (FAS) Contracts with the Authority (Procurement reference: tender_267317/1270543); or,
b) a sub-contractor to a Supplier detailed in (a) above that provides such Supplier with 'Supplier Personnel' to carry out the role of a HP and/or Clinical Author on behalf of such Supplier?
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
4 July 2025, 11:59pm
Tender submission deadline
14 July 2025, 11:59pm
Submission address and any special instructions
The tender documents associated with this tender notice are available at the same time as this notice is published.
The tender documents associated with this tender notice are:
• Functional Assessment Clinical Assurance and Training Services (FACATS) - Instructions to Suppliers
• Appendix A: Procurement terms and conditions
• Appendix B: The Authority's detailed requirement (Specification)
• Appendix C: Service Levels
• Appendix D: The draft contract terms
• Appendix E: Glossary
• Appendix F: Form of tender
• Appendix G: Certificate of non-collusion and non-canvassing
• Appendix H: Commercially sensitive information
• Appendix I: Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ)
• Appendix J: Technical Qualitative Questions
• Appendix K: Pricing Quotation Template
• Appendix L: Financial Viability Risk Assessment (FVRA)
• Appendix M: Information Security Questionnaire
• Appendix N: Example CTGM documents
• Appendix O: Non-Disclosure Agreement
The Authority will be administering the competitive tendering procedure electronically via the 'DWP e-procurement portal' (the Portal). Suppliers must ensure they are registered on the Portal to participate in this procurement.
The tender documents are only available via the Portal which can be accessed via the URL link below within ITT_22251:
https://dwp.bravosolution.co.uk/
How to Express Interest in this Tender:
1. Register on the 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 'Authority 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 Authority 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.
A Tender Launch Event will be held on 27 June 2025 10:00 - 11:30. The session will cover the Competitive Tendering Procedure and is an opportunity for Suppliers to ask any clarification questions.
Suppliers wanting to attend the Tender Launch Event are required to use the messaging facility within ITT_22251 to provide the Authority with a list of attendee names and email addresses by 17:00 on 25 June 2025.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
5 August 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Envelope | Price Methodology Any Tender which exceeds the Authority's available budget for the first year of the Contract shall be treated as non-compliant and rejected. The Authority's available budget for... |
Price | 30.0% |
| Question 2.2.1: Example of a contract for similar services | Please describe, using at least one example, where you have delivered similar clinical QA services for a major organisation (public or private sector) and how you will use the experience gained and... |
Quality | 22.5% |
| Question 2.2.5: Development and delivery of the Annual Clinical Training Course Service | Please describe, using examples from previous experience, your approach to the development of training materials required under the Annual Clinical Training Course Service and how you will use the... |
Quality | 12.5% |
| Question 2.2.6: Development and delivery of the Educational CPD Materials Service | Please describe, using examples from previous experience, your approach to the development of educational CPD materials required under the Educational CPD Materials Service and how you will use the... |
Quality | 12.5% |
| Question 2.2.4: Quality of the Clinical QA Service | Please describe in detail the processes you will put in place to manage, monitor, and report on the quality and consistency of CTGM document reviews under the Clinical QA Service to be carried out by... |
Quality | 10.0% |
| Question 2.2.2: Recruitment & Retention of Supplier QA Clinicians | Please describe in detail how you will recruit and retain Supplier QA Clinicians (during the mobilisation period and throughout the life of the Contract) to deliver the Clinical QA Service. Please... |
Quality | 7.5% |
| Question 2.2.3: Skills and development of Supplier QA Clinicians | Please describe in detail how you will ensure that Supplier QA Clinicians delivering the Clinical QA Service possess and retain the necessary skills, experience, and competencies to deliver as set out... |
Quality | 5.0% |
Other information
Payment terms
The Supplier must be prepared to use electronic purchase to pay (P2P) routes, including eInvoicing. The Supplier must be prepared to work with the Authority to set up and test all electronic P2P routes. This may involve creating technical ordering and invoice files, including working with our ERP system service suppliers and systems.
Description of risks to contract performance
Not applicable.
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Reduced tendering period
Yes
Light touch contract - no minimum
Contracting authority
Department for Work and Pensions
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PJCP-7274-TLRQ
Caxton House 7th Floor 6-12, Tothill Street,
London
SW1H 9NA
United Kingdom
Contact name: ADRIAN SAGE
Telephone: 07795301195
Email: ADRIAN.SAGE@DWP.GOV.UK
Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public authority - central government