Norfolk Community Health and Care: Children and Young People (11-17) Specialist Autism Assessment and Diagnosis Service, and Neurodevelopment Disorder Referral Backlog Screening in Suffolk (excluding Waveney)

UK-Norwich: Health services.

Section I: Contracting Authority

   I.1) Name, Addresses and Contact Point(s):
       Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
       Drayton High Road, Norwich, Norwich, NR6 5BE, United Kingdom
       Tel. +44 1603785866, Email: steven.worley@nchc.nhs.uk
       Main Address: www.nsft.nhs.uk, Address of the buyer profile: www.norfolkcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk
       NUTS Code: UKH1

   I.2) Joint procurement:
      The contract involves joint procurement: No          
      In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law: Not Provided
      The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No

   I.4)Type of the contracting authority:
      Body governed by public law

   I.5) Main activity:
      Health

Section II: Object Of The Contract

   II.1) Scope of the procurement

      II.1.1) Title: Children and Young People (11-17) Specialist Autism Assessment and Diagnosis Service, and Neurodevelopment Disorder Referral Backlog Screening in Suffolk (excluding Waveney)            
      Reference number: Not Provided

      II.1.2) Main CPV code:
         85100000 - Health services.


      II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES

      II.1.4) Short description: Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust, on behalf of the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) is seeking a qualified and capable service partner to provide specialist Children and Young People (11-17) Autism Assessments and Diagnosis Services, and Children and Young People (11-17) Neurodevelopment Disorder (NDD) assessments in Suffolk (excluding Waveney).

Full details of the tender opportunity can be located via the original F02 Contract Notice (FTS Notice reference: 2024/S 000-020859). Tenders were awarded against the five key criteria outlined in the PSR Guidance.

Decision makers for this procurement were:
Steven Worley - Head of Procurement
Jo Zenzer - Contract Manager
Fiona Whitfield - Deputy Service Director - Suffolk Children, Families and Young Persons Services

      II.1.6) Information about lots
         This contract is divided into lots: Yes
                  
      II.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
          Value: 230,048
                  
         Currency:GBP            

   II.2) Description (lot no. 1)
   

      II.2.1) Title:Children and Young People (11-17) Specialist Autism Assessment and Diagnosis Services   
      Lot No:1

      II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s):
            85100000 - Health services.


      II.2.3) Place of performance
      Nuts code:
      UKH1 - East Anglia
   
      Main site or place of performance:
      East Anglia
             

      II.2.4) Description of the procurement: The Service is to be provided for children and young people between the ages of 11 up to 18th birthday who have been identified as requiring an ASD assessment by a professional referral i.e., GP, School, SENCo.

Service description and care pathway
The service is for Children and Young People aged 11- 17 who require an autism assessment following primary care pre assessment screening and referral.
• The service will provide a comprehensive needs led Autism assessment and diagnosis where indicated followed by a report and signposting for support for patients.
• Empower the patient and family to understand their needs. This will include VCSE and SEN needs identified and recommendations i.e., psycho- educational advice given about the identified need and how the family can start to get the need supported.
• A multi-disciplinary needs led assessment based on review of EHCP, educational psychology assessment, other professional reports i.e., OT/SLT. Gaining information from the school environment. Meet with parent and child to complete assessment while considering differential diagnosis.
• For patient identified as autistic provide the diagnosis and identify the unmet needs and recommend how these can be supported.
• Patients identified with additional needs i.e., mental health or other neurodevelopmental presenting difficulties to complete an onward referral and/or signposting as appropriate.
• For patients who are not diagnosed with autism signpost to resources to for their unmet needs identified in assessment such as making recommendations for the family and/or school to consider.
• Utilise evidence-based assessment tools and an approach that is grounded in evidence based best practice for the YP being assessed.
• To ensure communication is in place with the CYP, their family the GP and referrer where appropriate

Location of service delivered
The location of the service will be Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds with the provision of suitable clinical space provided by the provider of the service. This will include space to store essential materials and equipment, 2 clinic rooms per site with the capacity for 2 service users and 2 clinicians per room.

Service delivery hours of operation
The service will operate at least Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm with weekend flexibility to meet user’s needs.

Standards and guidance
The service will comply with all relevant national standards and recommendations as detailed in.
• The Autism Act 2009
• National Strategy for autistic children, young people, and adults, 2021
• Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: recognition, referral, and diagnosis Clinical guideline [CG128] Published: 28 September 2011 Last updated: 20 December 2017
• NICE guideline [NG197] Shared decision-making learning package, June 2021
• NHS England national framework to deliver improved

      II.2.5) Award criteria:
      Quality criterion - Name: Suitability against Key Criteria (including Social Value) / Weighting: 75
                  
      Cost criterion - Name: Cost Criteria / Weighting: 25
            

      II.2.11) Information about options
         Options: No
         

      II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
         The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
         

      II.2.14) Additional information: Not Provided

   II.2) Description (lot no. 2)
   

      II.2.1) Title:Neurodevelopment Disorder Referral Backlog in Suffolk (excluding Waveney)   
      Lot No:2

      II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s):
            85100000 - Health services.


      II.2.3) Place of performance
      Nuts code:
      UKH1 - East Anglia
   
      Main site or place of performance:
      East Anglia
             

      II.2.4) Description of the procurement: Service description and care pathway
The service is for Children and Young People aged 0- 18yrs who have been referred for a NDD assessment following primary care pre assessment screening and referral.
• The service will provide a clinical review of patient referral information and comprehensive screening of referrals based on ICD-11 criteria to identify if ASD or ADHD or both are indicated to be assessed. Clinically appropriate patients considering other developmental/differential factors that may be influencing current need will then be passed to an assessment service.
• Empower the patient and family to understand their needs via the outcome letter. This will include VCSE and SEN needs identified and recommendations i.e., psycho- educational advice given about the identified need and how the family can start to get the need supported if ASD or ADHD not identified.
• Screening based on review of referral form and supporting information ie EHCP, educational psychology assessment, other professional reports i.e., OT/SLT. Contact with school/ parent and child / referrer if further information required to make the assessment while considering differential diagnosis.
• Children and young people identified with additional needs i.e. mental health, learning difficulties or other neurodevelopmental presenting difficulties to complete an onward referral and/or signposting as appropriate.
• For patients who are not identified as requiring ASD/ADHD assessment signpost to resources for their unmet needs identified in assessment such as making recommendations for the family and/or school to consider.
• To identify if the CYP is requiring an ASD or ADHD or both assessments. To provide a clinical rationale as to which assessment is needed. If both are needed, to identify which presentation is most prominent and should happen first. To inform the referrer, copy to GP and family, and NSFT of the screening outcome (including rationale for assessment or why an assessment is not indicated).
• To signpost to other services such as educational support or assessment, mental health support, family-based support when this is indicated, for both those accepted and not accepted for an assessment.
• To alert the local authority, referrer, family and NSFT to any identified safeguarding concerns. To take responsibility for making any safeguarding referrals to the Suffolk County Council. To clearly document all processes followed, copied to NSFT and GP.
• To use professionally registered clinicians knowledgeable and experienced in the presentation of social communication, learning/educational, mental health, systemic/familial and sensory needs of people with and without NDD.
• For screening clinicians to routinely have access to appropriate supervision and wider discussion with other clinicians when needed.
• The service will follow the highest standards of data protection and data governance to ensure data confidentiality and security.
• Utilise evidence-based screening tools
• To ensure communication is in place with the CYP, their family, the GP and referrer where appropriate.
• The service will have the capacity to screen 1800 referrals within 12 weeks of start of contract

Location of service delivered.
The location of the service will be Suffolk with the provision of suitable space provided by the provider of the service (OR a virtual offer) and will operate at least Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm with weekend flexibility to meet user’s needs.

Standards and guidance
The service will comply with all relevant national standards and recommendations as detailed in the service specification.

      II.2.5) Award criteria:
      Quality criterion - Name: Suitability against Key Criteria (including Social Value) / Weighting: 75
                  
      Cost criterion - Name: Cost Criteria / Weighting: 25
            

      II.2.11) Information about options
         Options: No
         

      II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
         The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
         

      II.2.14) Additional information: To respond to this opportunity please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/5G9AE7B5HC


Section IV: Procedure

IV.1) Description

   IV.1.1)Type of procedure: Open


   IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
      The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement: No       
      

   IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction
      An electronic auction has been used: No

   IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
      The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

IV.2) Administrative information

   IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
       Notice number in the OJEU: 2024/S 000-020859
      
   

   IV.2.9) Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice
      The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice: No

Section V: Award of contract

Award Of Contract (No.1)

   Contract No: Not Provided    
   Lot Number: 1    
   Title: Children and Young People (11-17) Specialist Autism Assessment and Diagnosis Services

   A contract/lot is awarded: Yes


   V.2) Award of contract

      V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract: 30/09/2024

      V.2.2) Information about tenders
         Number of tenders received: 4
         Number of tenders received from SMEs: Not Provided          
         Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: Not Provided          
         Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: Not Provided          
         Number of tenders received by electronic means: Not Provided

      V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

      The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
         
         Contractor (No.1)
             ICS Operations Ltd, 04793945
             9 Appold Street, London, EC2A 2AP, United Kingdom
             NUTS Code: UKI
            The contractor is an SME: No

      V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
         Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: 172,000          
         Total value of the contract/lot: 172,000
         Currency: GBP

      V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
         The contract is likely to be subcontracted: No
         

Award Of Contract (No.2)

   Contract No: Not Provided    
   Lot Number: 2    
   Title: Neurodevelopment Disorder Referral Backlog in Suffolk (excluding Waveney)

   A contract/lot is awarded: Yes


   V.2) Award of contract

      V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract: 30/09/2024

      V.2.2) Information about tenders
         Number of tenders received: 2
         Number of tenders received from SMEs: Not Provided          
         Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: Not Provided          
         Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: Not Provided          
         Number of tenders received by electronic means: Not Provided

      V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

      The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
         
         Contractor (No.1)
             ICS Operations Ltd, 04793945
             9 Appold Street, London, EC2A 2AP, United Kingdom
             NUTS Code: UKI
            The contractor is an SME: No

      V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
         Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: 57,000          
         Total value of the contract/lot: 57,000
         Currency: GBP

      V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
         The contract is likely to be subcontracted: No
         
Section VI: Complementary information

   VI.3) Additional information: This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this 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 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by Monday 14th October . This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award a contract under the competitive process of the PSR. No conflicts of interest were identified as part of this procurement process.
To view this notice, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=893181702

   VI.4) Procedures for review

      VI.4.1) Review body
          Norfolk Community Health and Care
          Bowthorpe Road, Norwich, NR2 3TU, United Kingdom
          Tel. +44 1603785866

      VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
          Norfolk Community Health and Care
          Bowthorpe Road, Norwich, NR2 3TU, United Kingdom
          Tel. +44 1603785866

      VI.4.3) Review procedure
         Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures: Representations should be made to Steven.Worley@nchc.nhs.uk before the end of the standstill period.

      VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
          Norfolk Community Health and Care
          Bowthorpe Road, Norwich, NR2 3TU, United Kingdom
          Tel. +44 1603785866

   VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice: 02/10/2024