Services - 112501-2019

11/03/2019    S49

United Kingdom-Sheffield: Health and social work services

2019/S 049-112501

Prior information notice

This notice is for prior information only

Services

Legal Basis:
Directive 2014/24/EU

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1)Name and addresses
Official name: Department for Work and Pensions
Postal address: Hartshead Square
Town: Sheffield
NUTS code: UK UNITED KINGDOM
Postal code: S1 2FD
Country: United Kingdom
Contact person: David Lloyd
E-mail: DAVID.LLOYD4@DWP.GSI.GOV.UK
Telephone: +44 7827310952
Internet address(es):
Main address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions
I.3)Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
I.4)Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5)Main activity
General public services

Section II: Object

II.1)Scope of the procurement
II.1.1)Title:

Integrated Health Assessment Services

II.1.2)Main CPV code
85000000 Health and social work services
II.1.3)Type of contract
Services
II.1.4)Short description:

DWP under the Health Transformation Programme (HTP) are exploring the future delivery of Health Assessments with the objective to transform the health and disability assessment services provided for people with disabilities and health conditions.

The Health Assessments help by providing advice to DWP Decision Makers to determine eligibility for benefits paid to claimants across a range of benefits including Personal Independent Payments (PIP) Employment Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit (UC) and a number of smaller benefits.

Currently the services are delivered through a multi health assessment provider base with varying commercial and delivery operating models. The aim of the transformed service will be a more effective, efficient integrated service for customers.

II.1.5)Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: 3 150 000 000.00 GBP
II.1.6)Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: yes
II.2)Description
II.2.1)Title:

Integrated Health Assessment Services

Lot No: To be confirmed in Contract Notice
II.2.2)Additional CPV code(s)
85000000 Health and social work services
II.2.3)Place of performance
NUTS code: UK UNITED KINGDOM
Main site or place of performance:

England, Wales, Scotland (subject to impacts of Devolution) and Northern Ireland.

II.2.4)Description of the procurement:

Health assessments represent one of the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) biggest areas of expenditure and provide the gateway to 50 000 000 000 GBP of benefit expenditure each year.

The existing contracts for delivering assessment services across Personal Independent Payments (PIP), Employment Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit (UC) and a number of smaller benefits is the result of historical circumstance rather than design.

Services are delivered through a complex multi Heath Assessment provider base with different commercial and delivery operating models.

DWP via the Heath Transformation Programme (HTP) has identified opportunities for the transformation of the delivery of the health and disability services it delivers via a single integrated service. The new service will be a customer centric service putting the customer at the heart of the delivery within a context that recognises the differences in health journeys across the various benefits and the assessment intent to determine entitlement to a benefit.

The new service will offer a more joined up journey for customers ensuring that they get the support they are entitled to, in the most efficient and effective way.

The integrated service will be delivered by a DWP-owned single digital platform which will allow flexibility to iterate and improve the service over time. With customer consent, it will enable greater sharing of relevant information across the benefits, reducing the need for customers to provide information on multiple occasions.

We will also explore how we can better integrate the scheduling of assessments to improve the customer experience.

DWP are engaging in an open dialogue with the market to find creative, innovative solutions that could deliver the new service. The aim is to work with health assessment providers to help design services and establish potential outcomes that meet customers’ needs. As part of this dialogue, DWP will develop and finalise its lotting strategy.

DWP are planning a plenary event with interested health assessment providers to discuss initial proposals, outline views, and provide information with no commitment to the providers or the DWP.

Plenary event details:

We intend to hold the plenary event in Sheffield, April 2019, actual date to be confirmed. Please register with your interest in attending by emailing david.lloyd4@dwp.gsi.gov.uk by 26.3.2019. We will respond with event details in due course.

We would request that organisations limit the number of attendees to 2 per organisation.

II.2.14)Additional information
II.3)Estimated date of publication of contract notice:
23/08/2019

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)Description
IV.1.8)Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: no

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.3)Additional information:

It is our intention that the services being awarded are listed within Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and pursuant to Regulation 74 of those Regulations will be subject to the Light Touch Regime.

This PIN is being issued for market engagement purposes and details pertaining to the proposed procurement will be set out in the Contract Notice that we currently anticipate will be issued late summer 2019.

These proposed contracts will cover England, Wales, Scotland (subject to impacts of Devolution) and Northern Ireland.

Estimated value is based on an indicative 7 year contract duration and on current processes. Contract(s) duration will be will be confirmed in the Contract Notice. DWP Health Transformation Programme and resulting contracts will offer a more joined-up, integrated service to disabled people that will simplify the assessment process reducing the need to submit information multiple times and for some people reducing the number of face-to-face assessments. We also anticipate that integration will offer better value for money for the taxpayer and expect financial efficiencies to arise from moving to the new approach.

VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:
06/03/2019