Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS England
London
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI - London
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
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
Dorset School Aged Immunisation Service - Market Engagement
Reference number
C400346
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to inform the market of NHS England South West's (the Commissioner's), intention to recommission School Aged Immunisation Services in Dorset. The Commissioner would like to understand the level of provider interest in delivering these services and help inform the commissioning strategy.
To allow potential providers to reflect on the proposed services, the Commissioner has provided early indicative information as part of this notice (located within the Atamis e-procurement portal) which includes:
1. National service specification
2. Schedule 2G
Please note all the above documents are in draft form and yet to be finalised.
The Commissioner welcomes your feedback on these documents via return of the market engagement questionnaire.
Details on how to access the market engagement questionnaire and early indicative information are contained within the 'VI.3. Additional information' section.
We kindly ask you to submit these by midday Wednesday 3rd December 2025.
This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKK25 - Dorset
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to inform the market of NHS England South West's (the Commissioner's), intention to recommission School Aged Immunisation Services in Dorset. The Commissioner would like to understand the level of provider interest in delivering these services and help inform the commissioning strategy.
The NHS School Aged Immunisation (SAI) programmes cover vaccinations to all children and young people of school age, whether they attend state school, independent school, complex needs schools or alternative settings. Children and young people that are educated at home can attend community clinics or their local school to receive the vaccines.
NHS England Public Health Commissioning Teams are responsible for the commissioning of local SAI services under the Section 7a mandate in line with the national programme requirements and a national service specification.
NHS England is recommissioning the SAI Programme in Dorset, as a single lot. The current contract with the incumbent provider ends on the 31st July 2027, and the new contract will commence on 1st August 2027, with an anticipated 4 year initial term with options to extend being explored.
The block contract value is anticipated to be approximately £4,000,000 for the initial 4 years with possible a contract extension being explored.
The anticipated financial model is expected to be a block plus variable element. The variable payment will be made for additional activity delivered over and above the agreed activity plan set for block and at an enhanced tariff for routine immunisations and at a marginal tariff for seasonal influenza.
The contract will also include and Access & Inequalities fund which is a block value based on the proportion of the eligible population living in the 20% most deprived postcodes.
This will be a ring-fenced / identified pot aimed at supporting those additional interventions needed to improve uptake in those least likely to accept vaccination via the core offer. For further information see the Schedule 2G.
Immunisation is one of the most successful and cost- effective health protection interventions. High immunisation rates are key to preventing the spread of infectious disease, complications and possible early death among individuals and to protecting the population's health.
Vaccinations are provided, on behalf of the NHS, in line with the National Childhood Immunisation Programme which aims to prevent school aged children from developing vaccine preventable childhood diseases that are associated with significant mortality and morbidity
The programmes currently in scope are:
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations (Year 8)
• Diphtheria, Tetanus and Poliomyelitis (Td/IPV) booster (Year 8)
• Meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY) conjugate vaccine (Year 9)
• School-aged children's Seasonal influenza (flu) vaccinations (Reception - Year 11)
• Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) catch up vaccinations (Reception - Year 11).
This scope may be extended in future to include additional programmes as advised/recommended by the Joint Committee of Vaccinations and Immunisations and/or at the request of the Commissioner.
It is anticipated that TUPE will apply.
The Commissioner will be using the NHS Standard Contract; likely the 'shorter-form'. The latest version is available at the following link and made up of three parts:
Indicative timeline:
A timetable for the key dates of the procurement process is given below. Providers should be aware that the dates are subject to change.
Market engagement: November - December 2025
Briefing event and tender publication: May / June 2026
Tender Closes: July / August 2026
Bidder presentation: September/October 2026
Contract Award: December 2026
Service commencement: 1st August 2027
To allow potential providers to reflect on the proposed services, the Commissioner has provided early indicative information as part of this notice (located within the Atamis e-procurement portal) which includes:
1. National service specification
2. Schedule 2G
Please note all the above documents are in draft form and yet to be finalised.
The Commissioner welcomes your feedback on these documents via return of the market engagement questionnaire.
Details on how to access the market engagement questionnaire and early indicative information are contained within the 'VI.3. Additional information' section.
We kindly ask you to submit these by midday Wednesday 3rd December 2025.
This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
2 June 2026
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit the Authority or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. The Authority will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise.
Interested providers will be able to view this opportunity via the live opportunities list on the 'Health Family' e-procurement system, Atamis. Click on 'View our Live Opportunities' from the home page, available on the following link: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome.
Once you have found the opportunity (via the search function, using the title or reference number - C400346), to gain full access to the relevant information and market engagement questionnaire, you will need to click on 'Register interest' - this will take you to the log-in page.
If you are not already registered on the system, you will need to do so before gaining full access to the documentation and to be able to submit your market engagement questionnaire via the correspondence function or Microsoft Forms link found within Atamis.
NHS England is the responsible commissioner until April 2027 and must secure the future services. The ICB as the future responsible commissioner will be consulted throughout project and will be asked to support recommendations. All procurement decisions will go to the NHSE South West Business Case meeting for NHS England South West.
The intention is to award a contract using the competitive process.
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) prior information notice. The contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and The Procurement Act 2023 do not apply.