Award

Autism Diagnostic Assessments for Children - Hywel DDa University Local Health Board

  • NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership-Procurement Services (hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust)

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-039232

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04c28c

Published 5 December 2024, 1:24pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership-Procurement Services (hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust)

Ty Gorwel, St Davids Park, Carmarthen. SA31 3BB

Cardiff

CF15 7QZ

Contact

Alun James

Email

alun.james@wales.nhs.uk

Telephone

+44 2921500317

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/procurement-services/

Buyer's address

https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA0221

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

Autism Diagnostic Assessments for Children - Hywel DDa University Local Health Board

Reference number

P0297

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 85000000 - Health and social work services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Hywel Dda University Health Board (HDUHB) is looking to establish a single contract with Healios Ltd in line with a time-limited initiative by Welsh Government to help reduce waiting times to accessing a diagnostic assessment of autism for children and young people.

The service will provide key outcomes for the Health Board in terms of Improving Waiting Times for Children’s Neurodevelopmental Service. Subsequently improving the health and wellbeing of Future Generations through earlier identification of neuro-divergence and subsequent support needs.

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: £312,000

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 85140000 - Miscellaneous health services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKL14 - South West Wales
Main site or place of performance

Hywel Dda University Local Health Board

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Hywel Dda University Health Board (HDUHB) is looking to establish a single contract with Healios Ltd in line with a time-limited initiative by Welsh Government to help reduce waiting times to accessing a diagnostic assessment of autism for children and young people.

The service will provide key outcomes for the Health Board in terms of Improving Waiting Times for Children’s Neurodevelopmental Service. Subsequently improving the health and wellbeing of Future Generations through earlier identification of neuro-divergence and subsequent support needs.

Assessing Autism requires a highly specialist skill set and delivery partners must adhere to applying the following key principles:

Risk assessment to include risk of harm to service user, or service user’s risk to others

Risk management plan

Multidisciplinary team approach

Childhood development history

Clinical interview with informant

Clinical Interview with individual

Observation Assessment

Obtain School/College information

Use of a valid diagnostic tool(s) as specified in current NICE guidance

Diagnostic Threshold as set out in DSM5 or ICD-11

Comprehensive report detailing how diagnostic threshold has/or has not been met

Feedback of outcome to client.

In line with the funding requirement providers will need to:

Be able to provide services with immediate effect from December 2024 to March 31st 2025.

Service implementation meetings are expected to commence in December 2024

Must have extensive experience of diagnostic assessment in autism of children and young

Must have extensive experience of cross-sector working with HDUHB.

Must have a proven track record of successful partnership working outsourcing diagnostic assessments for Health Boards

Must have developed stabilised professional relationships with schools, colleges and parent carers across Hywel Dda University Health Board footprint to facilitate prompt engagement and receipt of relevant information required

Must have knowledge of the relevant services and established links with locally commissioned services for children’s neurodevelopmental (ASD) services.

The Delivery Partner must have knowledge and links to similar services the health provides (including contractual)

Have comprehensive knowledge of Welsh Government policy and legislation pertaining to neuro-divergence children and young people.

Conduct the bulk of the referral and processing services involving primary engagement with parent carers

Have established effective working relationships with Children’s ND (ASD) Service, Mental health services, Local Authority and Primary Health partners across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire

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:

Hywel Dda University Health Board (HDUHB) is looking to establish a single contract with Healios Ltd in line with a time-limited initiative by Welsh Government to help reduce waiting times to accessing a diagnostic assessment of autism for children and young people.

In 2023 Hywel Dda University Health Board (HDUHB) engaged in an open tender for the Autism Diagnostic Assessments contract which was awarded to Healios Ltd. Over the last year, Healios Ltd has primarily assessed children and young people, thus, have established effective working relationships with Children’s ND (ASD) Service, Mental health services, Local Authority and Primary Health partners across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. HDUHB is looking to establish a single contract with Healios Ltd in line with a newly announced initiative by Welsh Government to help to reduce waiting times for diagnostic assessment of autism between December 2024 and March 2025. The funding requires a third sector provider to deliver the service, the provider must clearly evidence they meet all of the criteria outlined in the description and detrimentally be available for an immediate start. All aforementioned requirements have been demonstrated to HDUHB under the current contract by Healios Ltd on similar time scales to the Health Board.

.

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes


Section five. Award of contract/concession

Contract No

P0297

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

4 December 2024

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

Healios Limited

Unit 4, Tileyard Studios, Tileyard Road

London

N79AH

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
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: £312,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

This VEAT notice will end at midnight on 15th of December 2024

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=146559.

(WA Ref:146559)

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

High Court

Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand

London

WC2A 2LL

Telephone

+44 2079477501

Country

United Kingdom