On the 6^th of March 2023, the Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee authorised the Director of Public Health to recommission Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Wirral. At this Committee, delegated authority was given to the Director of Public Health to award the tender to the successful bidder following the tender process. This report provides an update on the recommissioning process and outcome.

The tender was divided into two Lots. Lot 1 was for the provision of the Integrated Sexual Health Service and was undertaken using a competitive dialogue process. Lot 2 was for the provision of Community HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and STI (sexually transmitted infections) Support Service and was undertaken using an open process.

The process has concluded, the tenders received have been fully evaluated according to

Council procurement rules and the Director of Public Health will take the decision to award the contract to the successful bidder for Lot 1 (Integrated Sexual Health Service) and approve the decision to not award the contract for Lot 2 (Community HIV and STI Support Service).

Wirral Council is legally obliged to provide, or make arrangements for the provision of, open access Sexual and Reproductive Health Services. Current commissioning arrangements expire at the end of the financial year 2023/24. Good sexual and reproductive health is an important component of overall health and wellbeing, and a pillar of wider work to reduce health inequalities in Wirral.

The Director of Public Health has agreed to:

(1)  Approve the award of a five-year contract commencing on 1 April 2024 and running until 31 March 2029 (with the option of two one-year extensions) at a total cost of £20,365,687 for Lot 1 (Integrated Sexual Health Service) to Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust within the approved budget and as the highest scoring tenderer in accordance with the Most Economically Advantageous Tender criteria; and

(2)  Not award the contract for Lot 2 (Community HIV and STI Support Service) and reprocure the service under a competitive dialogue process.

1.1  The current contract for the Wirral Integrated Sexual Health Service delivered by Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (in partnership with Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, Brook and SH:24) and the HIV Prevention and Support Service, delivered by Sahir House expire on the 31st March 2024. A procurement exercise has been completed in accordance with Council Contract Procedure Rules.

1.2  The Lot 1 tender was evaluated against a 20% contract price,15% Social Value and 65% contract quality ratio. The successful bidder met all the quality requirements within the allocated budget.

1.3  There was unanimous agreement from evaluators that there were many clarifications required on the bids submitted for Lot 2. As there was no flexibility within the procurement process to have further engagement with the tenderers, it is recommended that the service should be re-tendered using a competitive dialogue process.

2.1  Not reprocuring the services was not deemed to be an option. Sexual health services – Sexually Transmitted Infections testing, treatment and contraception are mandated (prescribed functions) within the Local Authority Public Health ring fenced grant. It is necessary to recommission the services in order to comply with Public Contract Regulations 2015 and Wirral Council Contract Procedure rules.

2.2.   The option to continue with the evaluation for the Lot 2 submissions was considered but disregarded. There were too many clarifications required in order to confidently evaluate the bids, which was not permitted under the open process.