Gender Dysphoria Services for Adults (No-Surgical) - Cheshire and Merseyside - NHS England

NHS England (NHSE) is seeking to commission specialised healthcare interventions (non-surgical) within a primary care setting that is appropriate to service the population in Cheshire and Merseyside, for adults on the NHS pathway of care for the treatment of gender dysphoria. Providers who have the capability and capacity to deliver the service requirements are invited to take part in a procurement process that will result in a single contract being let. The two-stage process will first test provider capability and capacity, then shortlisted providers will be invited to submit substantive service delivery proposals.

The successful provider will utilise a multi-disciplinary team of professionals, and the service will be delivered in compliance with NHSE's published service specification, from a primary care setting in the Cheshire and Merseyside area. The service will provide assessment of individuals for the purpose of diagnosis and will provide (or arrange access to) healthcare interventions for those who receive a diagnosis of gender dysphoria as described in the service specification. The contract is currently expected to commence in April 2024, though this is subject to mobilisation timings and therefore this date may be delayed (at the commissioner's sole discretion).

The contract term will be 5 years with an option to extend for a further 2 years (at commissioner discretion). The maximum contract value is £1,500,000 per annum, plus up to £100,000 to cover mobilisation costs (if required, and at commissioner discretion). The maximum total contract value over the life of the contract (including extension options and mobilisation funding), is £10,600,000. The commissioner reserves the right to add related service elements and funding during the contract if they deem it to be necessary.

The objectives of the service are:

• provide a high-quality, timely and sustainable service for adults who are registered with a GP in Cheshire and Merseyside and who have gender dysphoria; and promote respect, dignity, and equality for all individuals. • an integrated approach that supports the wider system in delivering an individual's overall health and social care needs. • provide a service with a visible profile, with at least one physical location where individuals feel safe, supported, and welcomed. • provide a service with robust clinical and operational governance structures, systems and frameworks. • establishment of a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals, with a named clinical lead, who either have experience or are interested in developing competencies and expertise in the care of individuals with gender dysphoria. • engagement with and inclusion of service users in the co-design and ongoing development and delivery of the service. •establishment and development of meaningful collaborative relationships with local statutory services to meet the needs of the population.

Additional information: This process is being managed by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner(s).

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), to gain full access to the bid documentation (including questionnaires), 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 be able to submit a bid.

The procurement process will consist of two stages: Stage 1: The aim of this shortlisting stage is predominantly to test the capability and capacity of potential Providers and to identify whether there is more than one capable provider.

Stage 2 will either be: (a) a competitive process (if more than one capable provider is identified at Stage 1), which may involve dialogue and will involve assessment of bids against evaluation criteria and weightings; or (b) a collaborative "Assurance Process" with a single provider, if only one capable provider is identified at Stage 1. Both approaches will involve evidence being considered by subject matter experts and assessed against critical success factors and expected minimum standards.

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but are instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).

At the conclusion of Stage 1, Bidders will be notified of the outcome as to whether they have been successful and will be invited to progress to Stage 2, or whether they have been unsuccessful and will not be invited to Stage 2.

At the conclusion of Stage 2, where a competitive process is undertaken Bidders will be notified of a contract award decision, and the Contracting Authority intends to voluntarily observe the 10-day standstill period in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ('Regulations'). At the start of the voluntary standstill period, a Contract award notification letter will be sent to each Bidder in accordance with Regulation 86 of the Regulations. Details of the dates of the standstill period will be outlined in the Contract award notification letter. The Regulations provide that aggrieved parties are to take action in the High Court (England and Wales).