DSD Medical Support Services

Concepts

• medical support services
• health and social work
• belfast
• dsd medical support services
• functional assessment services
• full details of the nature of the services
• contract variation of the medical support services
• continuation of the provision of work capability assessment services
• contract variation
• northern ireland

Location

Northern Ireland:

Description

DfC shall enter into a Contract Variation of the Medical Support Services (MSS) Agreement with the incumbent supplier following a period of 10 days from the date of publication of this notice. The Contract Variation provides for a six (6) month extension from 04 March 2024 to 6 September 2024 of the services delivered by the Medical Support Services (MSS) Agreement. This is necessary due to delays in the completion of the Lot 5 (Northern Ireland) Functional Assessment Services (FAS) contract.

Total Quantity or Scope

Continuation of the provision of work capability assessment services in Northern Ireland. For full details of the nature of the services please see OJEU 2007/S 063-077231.

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85000000 - Health and social work services
• 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
• 75000000 - Administration, defence and social security services
• 75311000 - Sickness benefits
• 75313000 - Disability benefits
• 75313100 - Temporary disablement benefits

Legal Justification

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) led FAS procurement, based on 5 geographic Lots (Lot 5 in Northern Ireland), was launched on 12 November 2021. On 15 March 2023, DWP notified FAS bidders of the outcome of the procurement in Lots 1, 2, 4 and 5. Procurement activity in Lot 3 (Southwest England) continues, resulting in a DWP and DfC agreement to delay contract signature in all Lots to support full alignment in FAS transition to ‘go-live’ in 2024. DfC has a number of dependencies on DWP to enable it to comply with key Authority obligations in relation to FAS Lot 5 service delivery. It is anticipated that the completion of the FAS procurement exercise in Lot 3 will result in a 6-month delay in the contract signature for Lot 3 and consequently in Lots 1, 2, 4 and 5. Without an extension there would be a service provision gap, adversely impacting MSS customers and resulting in a failure of DfC to meet its statutory obligations. Furthermore, the absence of continuity in service provision would put at significant risk a vulnerable group of MSS recipients and create further hardship and disadvantage. DfC considers Regulation 72(1)(b) PCR applicable. For the reasons set out above, the provision of additional services until 6 September 2024 is necessary and: (i) interchangeability issues with a new supplier means these key services could be negatively impacted for technical and economic reasons. The implementation of the contract currently being procured will necessitate a lengthy handover period, and make it impossible therefore to introduce a new provider for a short extension period. A change in supplier, without a full handover programme (to include transition to a new IT service necessitating dual running of systems), would risk delivery of these services which provide critical statutory benefits to vulnerable people; (ii) appointing a new supplier to cover a short extension period (which DfC does not consider a viable option) at the same time an incumbent is engaged in handover to a new FAS supplier, would result in significant duplication of costs and a loss of value for money for the taxpayer; (iii) the value of the contract for the extended period does not exceed 50% of value of original contract; and (iv) DfC will publish a modification notice pursuant to Regulation 72(3) of PCR.

Other Information

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