Contract

Tier 4 Bariatrics Service - Lancashire, South Cumbria, Merseyside

  • NHS Lancashire & South Cumbria Integrated Care Board ICB

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-045292

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-056b7d

Published 1 August 2025, 3:00pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

NHS Lancashire & South Cumbria Integrated Care Board ICB

PRESTON

Email

MLCSU.tendersnorth@nhs.net

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKD - North West (England)

NHS Organisation Data Service

QE1

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.lancashireandsouthcumbria.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

Tier 4 Bariatrics Service - Lancashire, South Cumbria, Merseyside

Reference number

L-20-02

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 85100000 - Health services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

NHS Midlands & Lancashire CSU were working as agents, supporting the ICBs (see Section VI), with this procurement exercise.

All communications relating to this ITT were communicated via the CSU's procurement portal https://mlcsu.bravosolution.co.uk (Jaggaer/Bravo Solutions).

The procurement was ran on the Bravo Solution Portal via project_837 - Tier 4 Bariatrics Service- Lancashire, Cumbria, Merseyside. This was separated into two lots, with a set of common questions:

Common Questions (ITT 886) to be completed with the additional questions for Lot 1 and/or Lot 2.

Lot 1 - Lancashire and South Cumbria (ITT 887)

Lot 2 - Merseyside (ITT 888)

The procurement of the Tier 4 Bariatric Service was originally planned to take place in 2020. However due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the procurement was delayed, and the interim arrangements were extended.

Due to patient choice, the commissioner was unable to guarantee any activity for any of the successful providers so the was no guaranteed financial value relating to the contracts.

However, the Indicative Financial Cost Envelope for Lancashire & Cumbria (based on 100% activity) was £1,401,139 per annum (at 2021/22 tariff prices). 5 years total (£7,005,695), with an option to extend for a further 2 years (£2,802,278) gives a total indicative contract value for Lot 1 of £9,807,973.

The Indicative Financial Cost Envelope for Merseyside (not including the previous Cheshire CCG) (based on 100% activity) was £1,865,210 per annum (at 2021/22 tariff prices). 5 years total would be £9,326,050, with an option to extended for a further 2 years (£3,730,420) gives a total indicative contract value for Lot 2 of £13,056,470. The total possible amount for both lots was £22,864,443.

The contract was for 5 years with an option to extend for 2 years.

The ICB were originally looking to award to a maximum of 2 providers for each lot, one of which needed to be an NHS Acute Provider. The highest scoring NHS Acute Provider for each lot was to be recommended as a successful bidder. Secondary, the highest scoring bidder, whether this is another bidder from the NHS Acute sector or another bidder from the Independent Sector, were also to be recommended as a successful bidder.

This lotting strategy and approach to awarding contracts was to ensure market stability which was always a key objective of this project and to ensure the availability of critical care facilities (provided by an NHS Acute Provider) as part of the Bariatric Emergency Pathway.

The award of contracts to the recommended Bidders at the final stages of the procurement process were contingent on the Contracting Authority securing an NHS Acute Provider willing to provide the Emergency Provision as one of the recommended Bidders.

The cost of the Bariatric Emergency Pathway will be covered outside of the contract arrangements for elective activity. The activity in relation to the Emergency Pathway is expected to be minimal.

Bidders were permitted to bid for one or both lots.

As part of the multi-lot tender, there were a number of common questions which were required to be completed once only (Common ITT 886) and then the lot specific questions, were only to be completed once for each of the lots the providers were bidding for (Lot 1 ITT 887 and/or Lot 2 ITT 888).

There was to be a maximum of 4 providers across both lots.

Candidates wishing to be considered were invited to register their expression of interest &

provide additional procurement-specific information (by registering on the Bravo

portal). Candidates should register on the portal at

https://mlcsu.bravosolution.co.uk (https://mlcsu.bravosolution.co.uk) (registration

and use of the website is free of charge).

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Lowest offer: £1 / Highest offer: £22,864,443 taken into consideration

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Lot 1 Tier 4 Bariatrics Service (Lancashire and Cumbria)

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 85100000 - Health services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKD - North West (England)
Main site or place of performance

Lancashire and Cumbria

covering NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) and NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB)

The previous commissioning organisations were:

Lot 1 Lancashire and Cumbria:

Formerly NHS Blackburn with Darwen CCG

Formerly NHS Blackpool CCG

Formerly NHS Greater Preston CCG

Formerly NHS Chorley & South Ribble CCG

Formerly NHS East Lancashire CCG

Formerly NHS West Lancashire CCG

Formerly NHS Fylde & Wyre CCG

Formerly NHS Morecambe Bay CCG

Formerly NHS North Cumbria CCG

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

NHS Midlands & Lancashire CSU were working as agents, supporting the ICBs (previously Lancashire and South Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Groups CCGs) with this procurement exercise.

These services were classed as under the light touch regime for the purposes of procurement pursuant to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The ICB had adopted a Pseudo Open Procedure approach.

The procurement was ran on the Bravo Solution Portal via project_837 - Tier 4 Bariatrics Service- Lancashire, Cumbria, Merseyside. This was separated into two lots, with a set of common questions:

Common Questions (ITT 886) to be completed with the additional questions in Lot 1 and/or Lot 2.

Lot 1 - Lancashire and South Cumbria (ITT 887)

Lot 2 - Merseyside (ITT 888)

The ICB were originally looking to award to a maximum of 2 providers for each lot, one of which needed to be an NHS Acute Provider. The highest scoring NHS Acute Provider for each lot will be recommended as a successful bidder. Secondary, the highest scoring bidder, whether this is another bidder from the NHS Acute sector or another bidder from the Independent Sector, they will also be recommended as a successful bidder.

Bidders were permitted to bid for one or both lots.

A Find a Tender Service (FTS) notice and Contracts Finder advertisement were published on 13th April 2022 instructing interested parties to submit a bid using the e-procurement portal Bravo Solution. Bidders were able to send completed bids between 20th April 2022 and 27th May 2022.

The Find a Tender Service reference was 2022-041247

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Common Questions / Weighting: 70

Quality criterion - Name: Lot 1 Specific Questions / Weighting: 30

Cost criterion - Name: Finance Pass / Fail / Weighting: 0

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Lot 2 Tier 4 Bariatrics Service (Merseyside)

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 85100000 - Health services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKD - North West (England)
Main site or place of performance

Merseyside

for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB)

The previous commissioning organisations were:

Lot 2 Merseyside and Cheshire:

Formerly NHS Halton CCG

Formerly NHS Knowsley CCG

Formerly NHS Liverpool CCG

Formerly NHS South Sefton CCG

Formerly NHS Southport and Formby CCG

Formerly NHS St Helens CCG

Formerly NHS Warrington CCG

Formerly NHS Wirral CCG

Please note it was stated that the previous NHS Cheshire CCG may have wanted to be included as a commissioning organisation at a later date following the award of contract.

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

NHS Midlands & Lancashire CSU were working as agents, supporting the ICBs (previously Cheshire and Merseyside Clinical Commissioning Groups CCGs) with this procurement exercise.

These services were classed as under the light touch regime for the purposes of procurement pursuant to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The ICB had adopted a Pseudo Open Procedure approach.

The procurement was ran on the Bravo Solution Portal via project_837 - Tier 4 Bariatrics Service- Lancashire, Cumbria, Merseyside. This was separated into two lots, with a set of common questions:

Common Questions (ITT 886) to be completed with the additional questions in Lot 1 and/or Lot 2.

Lot 1 - Lancashire and South Cumbria (ITT 887)

Lot 2 - Merseyside (ITT 888)

The ICB were originally looking to award to a maximum of 2 providers for each lot, one of which needed to be an NHS Acute Provider. The highest scoring NHS Acute Provider for each lot will be recommended as a successful bidder. Secondary, the highest scoring bidder, whether this is another bidder from the NHS Acute sector or another bidder from the Independent Sector, they will also be recommended as a successful bidder.

Bidders were permitted to bid for one or both lots.

A Find a Tender Service (FTS) notice and Contracts Finder advertisement were published on 13th April 2022 instructing interested parties to submit a bid using the e-procurement portal Bravo Solution. Bidders were able to send completed bids between 20th April 2022 and 27th May 2022.

The Find a Tender Service reference was 2022-041247

two.2.5) Award criteria

Cost criterion - Name: 0 / Weighting: 0

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: 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:

A Prior Information Notice was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ S 204/2020 20/10/2020 - https://ted.europa.eu/en/notice/-/detail/497598-2020) on the 5th October 2020.

A Find a Tender Service (FTS) notice and Contracts Finder advertisement were published on 13th April 2022 instructing interested parties to submit a bid using the e-procurement portal Bravo Solution. Bidders were able to send completed bids between 20th April 2022 and 27th May 2022.

The Find a Tender Service reference was 2022-041247.

Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/9602a862-d6ad-46b2-bad6-bf0ca3c05cde.

There was no guaranteed activity for any of the successful bidders and so there was no overall contract values, as the financial cost envelopes were calculated based on National Tariffs and assumptions made based on existing activity data and patient pathways. All bids were based on National HRG Tariffs and within the affordability threshold.

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

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No


Section five. Award of contract

Lot No

Lot 1 and Lot 2

Title

Tier 4 Bariatrics Weight Management Service (Emergency provision)

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

28 July 2023

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 1

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals

Prescot

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKD - North West (England)
Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

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: £0.01

Total value of the contract/lot: £0.01


Section five. Award of contract

Lot No

Lot 1 and Lot 2

Title

Tier 4 Bariatrics Weight Management Service (elective care only)

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

28 July 2023

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 2

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Phoenix Public Health Ltd

Ruthin

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKD - North West (England)
Companies House

06353733

The contractor is an SME

Yes

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £0.01

Total value of the contract/lot: £0.01


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

The Commissioning Organisations for this procurement are as follows:

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB)

NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB)

NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB)

The previous commissioning organisations were:

Lot 1 Lancashire and Cumbria:

Formerly NHS Blackburn with Darwen CCG

Formerly NHS Blackpool CCG

Formerly NHS Greater Preston CCG

Formerly NHS Chorley & South Ribble CCG

Formerly NHS East Lancashire CCG

Formerly NHS West Lancashire CCG

Formerly NHS Fylde & Wyre CCG

Formerly NHS Morecambe Bay CCG

Formerly NHS North Cumbria CCG

Lot 2 Merseyside and Cheshire:

Formerly NHS Halton CCG

Formerly NHS Knowsley CCG

Formerly NHS Liverpool CCG

Formerly NHS South Sefton CCG

Formerly NHS Southport and Formby CCG

Formerly NHS St Helens CCG

Formerly NHS Warrington CCG

Formerly NHS Wirral CCG

A project was previously set up to recommission the Tier 4 Bariatric Service in Lancashire, Cumbria, Merseyside and Cheshire with the Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB (formerly NHS Chorley and South Ribble CCG) as the appointed commissioning lead.

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

NHS Lancashire & South Cumbria ICB

Preston

Country

United Kingdom