Contract award notice

Results of the procurement procedure

Section I: Contracting entity

I.1) Name and addresses

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.2) Description

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1) Description

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

23/12/2025

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

V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot: : 25 328 958.00  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 the relevant authority by 7th January 2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.

Email address for any representations:

procurement@brighton-hove.gov.uk

The award decision maker was Corporate Director of Families, Children & Learning

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

Statement explaining the relative importance of the key criteria that the authority used to make a decision, the rationale for the relative importance of the key criteria, and the rationale for choosing the provider with reference to the key criteria:

Criterion 1 is awarded the greatest weighting (40%) to ensure that key elements such as safety, clinical effectiveness, innovation and patient experience are fully delivered by this service. Brighton and Hove experiences high levels of poor sexual health and sexual health is not distributed equally across society with particular groups experiencing worse health outcomes and facing barriers in accessing services. In order to address these issues, Criterion 4, improving access and reducing inequalities, is awarded the next highest weighting (20%). Good access to testing and treatment is essential for individual and public health but this offer alone will not improve sexual and reproductive health across the population. Networked, partnership working with a range of services and providers to support access and maximise opportunities to provide health promotion, prevention, testing, treatment and care is vital to improve individual and public health outcomes. Criterion 3, integration, collaboration and sustainability, is therefore also assigned a weighting of 20%. Criterion 2, value, is assigned a weighting of 10% on the basis that the service model as specified does provide good value for money and this is a fixed value contract. A 10% weighting is assigned to Criterion 5, social value, to ensure that due regard is accorded to the potential to improve economic, social and environmental wellbeing through the delivery of the contract given the required responsibilities of NHS services.

Criterion 1: Quality and innovation

Weight: 40%

Rationale for weighting

A service that consistently delivers to a high quality and within the latest evidence-based approaches as set out in the national integrated sexual health service standards achieving good patient outcomes is essential. The service must be accessible and equitable and well regarded by service users. The service will lead innovation to improve sexual and reproductive health care (SRH) delivery and patient outcomes.

Rational for choosing the provider

The Provider demonstrates effective working in line with the integrated sexual health service model with a safe, responsive, and personalised service that meets the needs of the population from the universal to an enhanced offer for those with greatest need. The service is consultant led and the medical leadership team is active withing national professional associations and clinical development groups. Patient surveys evidence a high proportion of those using the service are very satisfied with the service. The service is demonstrably agile in responding to emerging needs and leads innovation in prevention, treatment and care.

Criterion 2: Value

Weight: 10%

Rationale for weighting

Delivery of the specified service is cost effective. Good access to a comprehensive range of contraception reduces unwanted pregnancies and their associated costs. Timely access to testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STI) reduces onward transmission and supports better health outcomes for the individual and public health and reduces healthcare costs.

This service requires NHS qualified staff to deliver to the standard required to be safe and effective. Salary costs of qualified staff make up a high proportion of total costs, which means there is a negligible risk of poor value for money as these roles are paid at the standard band grades agreed in the national NHS pay settlement each year.

Rational for choosing the provider

The Provider is an established NHS Trust. It delivers a good proportion of clinical role to administration and infrastructure. The service model a significant element of self-care when appropriate and investment return on service delivery (apps and training - consultant)

Criterion 3: Integration collaboration and service sustainability

Weight: 20%

Rationale for weighting

The provision of integrated sexual health and contraception services is endorsed in the guidance from the relevant professional bodies and government agencies.

The service must be further integrated with the NHS commissioned HIV treatment and care service to support the significant interdependencies between the two services. The service is required to work in close collaboration and integration with a significant network of services and agencies including primary and secondary care, abortion, sexual assault referral centres (SARC), education, family hubs, and voluntary and community services to ensure the most effective delivery model covering health promotion, prevention, testing, treatment and care.

Rationale for choosing the provider

The service provider delivers the HIV treatment service alongside the sexual health and contraception service. Many critical staff, at all levels, divide their working time between the two services.

The service provider has maximized the benefits of co-location with the HIV service, pathology and pharmacy functions. This ensures travel, for both staff and patients using the service is reduced and focused on community-based delivery of appointments, including within a primary care setting. The Provider delivers services in partnership with a wide range of key partner agencies in the city and provides clinical oversight and governance to external services.

The Provider offers an excellent training programme in HIV, sexually transmitted infections and contraception, for nurses and doctors working within the service and for those working in primary care and other settings. The service supports career progression which supports good recruitment and retention in the context of national workforce pressures.

Criterion 4: Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice

Weight: 20%

Rationale for weighting

Sexual health and reproductive health are important aspects of health and wellbeing. Rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV remain high in Brighton & Hove. Sexual and reproductive health is distributed unequally and unfairly across society with particular groups being disproportionately affected by poor sexual and reproductive health and its impacts. Some groups experience greater barriers to accessing services.

This service should improve the sexual health of the local population by providing easy access to services through open access 'one-stop-shops' where the majority of sexual health and contraceptive needs can be met in one place, usually by one professional, during a single visit.

Additionally, the service must ensure that it meets the needs of those experiencing the greatest impact of STIs, HIV, and poor reproductive health. The service must remove barriers to access for deprived and vulnerable groups and those with protected characteristics, and actively work to develop partnership working with community organisation's to support the needs of underserved populations.

Rationale for choosing the provider

It operates effective pathways to services supporting the wider determinants of health and to specialist services. The service offers good access to testing and treatment through various initiatives including 'one stop shops' across the City, which is essential for individual and public health. The service also delivers networked, partnership working with a range of services and providers to support access and maximise opportunities to provide health promotion, prevention, testing, treatment and care, which is vital to improve individual and public health outcomes.

Criterion 5: Social value

Weight: 10%

Rationale for weighting

Reducing environmental impacts, increasing sustainability and providing good employment opportunities are important considerations for healthcare service provision. These are generally addressed by NHS providers which are required to deliver within carbon zero action plans and are accountable to national standards to reduce the carbon footprint in the delivery of NHS services and to reduce the negative impact of waste in health supply procurement. NHS providers bring considerable social value in good quality jobs paid to a national standard with favourable working conditions.

Rationale for choosing the provider

The Provider as an NHS Trust is an anchor employer in the city providing high-quality well-paid employment. The Provider has an ambitious Green Plan with clear targets and actions across service delivery, procurement for instance in relation to reducing journeys and pollution, PPE supplies, site energy use and contributing to a circular economy.

VI.4) Procedures for review

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice

23/12/2025