Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Sandwell Council House, Freeth Street
Oldbury
B693DE
UK
E-mail: publichealth_procurement@sandwell.gov.uk
NUTS: UKG37
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Contract for the delivery of public health services
Reference number: PH0137-3
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Contract for the delivery of public health services to include: the Health Visiting Service, the Integrated Sexual Health Service, and the Child Vision Screening Service
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
12 501 263.00
GBP
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1
II.2.1) Title
Health Visiting Service
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
85323000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKG37
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Health Visiting Service will lead on the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme 0-5 to all children and families, including fathers, starting in the antenatal period. Core elements include coverage of the 6 high impact areas: supporting the transition to parenthood, supporting maternal and family mental health, supporting breastfeeding, supporting healthy weight, healthy nutrition, improving health literacy, reducing accidents and minor illnesses, supporting health wellbeing and development: Ready to learn, narrowing the 'word gap'.
The service also includes:
- Vulnerable families that meet the eligibility criteria will be offered the Best Start Programme. This is an intensive home health visiting service that will be delivered by a team of health care professionals who have undertaken additional training and developed competencies to deliver the programme. The team will be known as Best Start Health Visitors (BSHVs). This flexible preventative Best Start programme that will be tailored to meet the needs of vulnerable families during the antenatal and post period and up until the child is two years. This cohort of families will be offered the opportunity to participate on the basis of a needs assessment, where capacity allows.
-The key purpose of the enhancement to the Breastfeeding Peer Support Service is to increase the number of new mothers who initiate breastfeeding and to support exclusive and continued breastfeeding up to 6 months, followed by continuing to breastfeed alongside introducing solid foods for at least the first year as recommended by the DHSC.
-This service will introduce an additional infant feeding contact for new parents postnatally. This is part of the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme which seeks to It seeks to join-up and enhance services for families with children of all ages through a network of family hubs, with start for life services for families with 0 to 2 year-olds at their core.
-This service will introduce an early help administration post to the Health Visiting Service with the aim of strengthening work, including referrals and assessments, with the Early Help service. This is part of the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme which seeks to It seeks to join-up and enhance services for families with children of all ages through a network of family hubs, with start for life services for families with 0 to 2 year-olds at their core.
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council are intending to award a contract to an existing provider following direct award process C.
The approximate lifetime value of the Health Visiting Service is £9,749,923.00 (ex vat) and is to be delivered from 01 January 2026 to 31 March 2027.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Cost criterion: the existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard
/ Weighting: 100
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
Lot No: 2
II.2.1) Title
Integrated Sexual Health Service
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
85323000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKG37
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Integrated Sexual Health service provides an integrated, clinically led, high-quality and open access sexual health service.
The service will operate with flexible opening hours, in which most of the contraceptive and sexual health needs of patients are addressed by dually trained healthcare professionals.
The Integrated Sexual Health service will provide a full range of contraceptive options, screening and testing for HIV and the other STIs, treatment for HIV/STIs, and partner notification, testing and treatment.
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council are intending to award a contract to an existing provider following direct award process C.
The approximate lifetime value of the Integrated Sexual Health Services is £2,677,209.00 (ex vat) and is to be delivered from 01 January 2026 to 31 March 2027.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Cost criterion: the existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard
/ Weighting: 100
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
Lot No: 3
II.2.1) Title
Child Vision Screening
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
85323000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKG37
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The UK National Screening Committee recommends vision screening for children aged 4 to 5. Local authorities are responsible for this as part of the healthy child programme. The primary aim of the childhood vision screening programme is to identify children aged 4 to 5 years with impaired sight enabling timely intervention. The direct health outcome is the optimal development of vision for children with amblyopia through prompt access to treatment.
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council are intending to award a contract to an existing provider following direct award process C.
The approximate lifetime value of the Sexual Health Service is £74,131.00 (ex vat) and is to be delivered from 01 January 2026 to 31 March 2027.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Cost criterion: the existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard
/ Weighting: 100
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
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Directive
Explanation
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 standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 30 December 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
Section V: Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
10/09/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Hospitals Trust
Sandwell
UK
NUTS: UKG37
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 12 501 263.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
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 standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by 30 December 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
Representations should be sent in writing to publichealth_procurement@sandwell.gov.uk
The award decision was made by the Council's Cabinet on 10 September 2025.
There were no conflicts or potential conflicts of interest declared.
The relative importance of the Key Criteria is a follows:
- Quality and innovation, 30%
- Value, 25%
- Integration, 15%
- Improving access and reducing health inequalities, 15%
- Social Value, 15%
Quality and Innovation of the service was given the higher percentage because it is an important aspect in the delivery of the service. Value is the next highest, to ensure as a public authority we are achieving value for money. Social Value is in line with the Councils own policy for a contract of this size. Integration is considered in relation to the local health economy and Improving access and reducing health inequalities is considered in relation to the local approach being structured on access, experience and outcomes.
This decision to award this contract to Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Hospitals Trust is consistent with local and national plans around integrating care and joining up services for patients. It allows both organisations to conduct work guided closely by the Sandwell Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the priorities set out within it.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
The High Court of Justice
London
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
16/12/2025