Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board
Basildon
SL9 7QE
Contact
Amy Wilson
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH3 - Essex
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.uk/
Buyer's address
https://attain.bravosolution.co.uk/esop/toolkit/notice/edit.do?noticeId=1517697&viewPage=1
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
Integrated Community Musculoskeletal and Pain Service
Reference number
ACE-0808-2025-MSE
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This is a Contract Award Notice (Intention to Award) communicating NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board 's intention to award a public contract for provision of an Integrated Community Musculoskeletal and Pain Service (the Service), in accordance with the steps laid out in regulation 11 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.
Estimated dates between which the service is intended to be provided: The Proposed Contract duration is five years from 1st February 2026 until 31st January 2031, with an option to extend for a further three years beyond the initial term, until 31st January 2034.
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: £164,149,073
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85140000 - Miscellaneous health services
- 85323000 - Community health services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
Main site or place of performance
Mid and South Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Authority has undertaken a competitive process under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (the Regulations) and intends to award the Proposed Contract for a new Integrated Community Musculoskeletal and Pain Service (the Service) to the Preferred Bidder identified through the process, Cora Health MSK Limited.
Working with stakeholders since 2023, the Authority has developed a new community pathway for people aged 16 years+, based on the East of England Musculoskeletal (MSK) Pathway Improvement Framework, the Best MSK high impact recommendations and adhering to the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) pathway. This new model of care intends to provide integration across patient pathways, including Single Point of Access (SPoA), clinical triage, physiotherapy, orthopaedics, spinal, rheumatology, pain management, surgical interventions and therapies across MSE. It will assess and treat more patients outside of acute services and deliver improved outcomes, quality and patient experience of care.
Estimated dates between which the service is intended to be provided: The Proposed Contract duration is five years from 1st February 2026 until 31st January 2031, with an option to extend for a further three years beyond the initial term, until 31st January 2034.
Approximate lifetime value of the contract: At the point of publication of the PIN, the Authority proposed a cost and volume financial model (local prices) in line with national guidance. The potential aggregate contract value (incl. extension term, growth/inflation assumptions, and potential variations) was £164,149,073 (excluding VAT). The financial envelope which acted as an affordability cap for the purposes of the competitive process was £90,163,317 based on the initial 5-year contract term. The Proposed Contract for the first five years has been awarded at £84,392,517.55.
The Proposed Contract to be entered into by the Authority and the Preferred Bidder and a back to back version thereof with its proposed Sub-Contractor (both of which are existing providers of MSK Services in mid and south Essex), will be based on the NHS Standard Contract 2025/26 (full-length) and all subsequent variations thereof from time to time during the contract term.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Technical criteria / Weighting: 80
Quality criterion - Name: The contract award criteria are specified in the procurement documents / Weighting: 0
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The Proposed Contract will be for a term of sixty (60) months, with the possibility of extending the term for a period of thirty-six (36) additional months beyond the initial contracted duration by agreement between the Authority and the Bidder.
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
See Additional information VI.3
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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2025/S 000-030412
Section five. Award of contract
Title
Integrated Community Musculoskeletal and Pain Service
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
17 September 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Cora Health MSK Ltd
The Light Box (Q2) Quorum Business Park Benton Lane
Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
NE12 8EU
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKC2 - Northumberland and Tyne and Wear
National registration number
02337692
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: £90,163,317
Total value of the contract/lot: £84,392,517.55
five.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract is likely to be subcontracted
Value or proportion likely to be subcontracted to third parties
Value excluding VAT: £16,484,405
Proportion: 19 %
Short description of the part of the contract to be subcontracted
Delivery of the Carpal Tunnel service / pathway in its entirety
Delivery of the podiatric surgery service / pathway in its entirety
Delivery of Tier 1 MSK Physiotherapy, broadly in line with the geographical foot print for this service currently delivered by Provide
Additional Tier 1 MSK Physiotherapy as agreed between the Prime Contractor (Cora Health) and the Subcontractor (Provide CIC)
Addition
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This is an intention to award notice for a contract that is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 23. The provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations to the Authority must be made using the contact details contained herein by midnight on 2nd October. The contract will be formally awarded upon standstill conclusion.
On 130325 the ICB Board (the Decision Makers) approved the commencement of a competitive process, delegating the authority for the contract award decision to the MSK Procurement Project Board.
The Authority identified four actual conflicts of interest (COI) relating to individuals on the ICBs Board because of the very nature of the 'Integrated Care System'. Such individuals recused themselves of any involvement in decision making / did not receive papers. Three potential COI from the ICBs Board were identified, investigated and considered no/low risk. These individuals took part in decision making and contributed to discussions/received papers. Four board members signed a non disclosure agreement, to ensure confidentiality. Only no/low risk potential COI were identified among the MSK Project Group and / or Evaluation Panel, numbering 22 instances across 16 individuals. Additionally potential COI were identified for all three compliant bidders and some proposed sub-contractors due to these providers being incumbents delivering the existing service and having participated in the previous and abandoned Most Suitable Provider Process. The Authority has recorded and implemented effective mitigations accordingly in each instance, full details of which cannot be detailed here due to the character restrictions within this Notice, but are available to any organisation/party requesting such information from amy.wilson@attain.gov.uk.
An assessment process was undertaken against the published award criteria, and in consideration of the five Key Criteria (KC), to award the Proposed Contract based on the Authority’s requirements. The total score achievable was 80% Technical and 20% Commercial. The five KC were linked to multiple tender questions which were weighted according to priority. The successful bidder (SB) submitted a compliant Tender Response, which passed all aspects of the PSQ (basic selection criteria). The SB went on to achieve the highest Weighted Technical Score (66.35%) for their Technical (Quality) Response, significantly exceeding the 48% Minimum Quality Pass Threshold. Additionally, the chosen provider scored the highest Commercial Score (20%) for their Commercial (Price) Response. The chosen provider achieved a Total Weighted Score of 86.35%, ranking 1st place and achieving the highest overall Total Score (quality & price) out of three compliant bidders.
Key Criteria linked to tender questions:
Service Delivery, Pathways and Transformation (9.5% weighting) - Value (V), Quality and Innovation (Q&I), Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice (IA,RHI & FC), Integration and Collaboration and Service Sustainability (I&C&SS), Pain and Rheumatology pathways (6.4% weighting) Q&I, IA,RHI & FC, Patient Safety and Experience (8.0% weighting) Q&I, IA,RHI & FC, Patient Outcomes (8.0% weighting) Q&I, IA,RHI & FC, Financial assurance and sustainability (8.0% weighting) Q&I, V, I&C&SS, Workforce (5.6% weighting), Q&I, V, I&C&SS, Mobilisation (4.0% weighting) Q&I, V, I&C&SS, Stakeholder Collaboration (4.0% weighting) I&C&SS, Business Resilience and Service Continuity (4.0% weighting) Q&I, Digital IM&T & Reporting (8.0% weighting) Q&I, I&C&SS, IA,RHI & FC, Tackling inequality in the Contract Workforce (2.6% weighting) Social Value (SV), Improving community integration (2.6% weighting) SV, Improving health and wellbeing of the Contract Workforce (2.7% weighting) SV, Scenario 1 IA,RHI & FC, Scenario 2 IA,RHI & FC.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board
Basildon
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The standstill period requirements, including for review of decisions, are detailed in Regulations 12 and 14(3). Representations should be made by midnight on 2nd October latest.
Provision for independent expert advice is set out in Regulation 23, including how the Independent Patient Choice and Procurement Panel may provide advice during the standstill period.
Where Representations are received by 2ns October, initial reviews will be undertaken by the Authority via an appropriate internal governance mechanism that has been established to deal with representations made against provider selection decisions.
The Authority will follow the relevant transparency requirements for the approach they take and will keep internal records of their decision-making.
Where a provider(s) requests a further review by the Independent Patient Choice and Procurement Panel (within 5 working days of the Authority' publication of it's Further Decision) they should seek relevant advice via the contact details provided herein at VI.4.4.
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
NHS E Independent patient choice and procurement panel
Wellington House
London
SE1 8UG
england.procurementpanelinfo@nhs.net
Country
United Kingdom