Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
NHS BATH AND NORTH EAST SOMERSET, SWINDON AND WILTSHIRE INTEGRATED CARE BOARD
QOX
Jenner House, Unit E3, Langley Park, Avon Way
Chippenham
SN151GG
UK
Contact person: Donna Harrington
E-mail: donnaharrington@nhs.net
NUTS: UKK15
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Address of the buyer profile: www.bsw.icb.nhs.uk
I.1) Name and addresses
NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board
11X
NHS Somerset Wynford House, Lufton Way
Yeovil, Somerset
BA22 8HR
UK
E-mail: donnaharrington@nhs.net
NUTS: UKK23
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://nhssomerset.nhs.uk
I.1) Name and addresses
NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board
11J
County Hall, Colliton Park
Dorchester, Dorset
DT1 1XJ
UK
E-mail: donnaharrington@nhs.net
NUTS: UKK25
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://nhsdorset.nhs.uk/
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Health
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Sight Testing for Children and Young People in Special Educational Settings
Reference number: C391213
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85100000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) Integrated Care Board, NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board and NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board are currently working together in a formal "clustering" arrangement to prepare for their merger into a single, new organisation (name to be confirmed), effective from 1st April 2027.
The commissioners are seeking to secure suitably qualified provider(s) who have the capability and capacity to deliver sight testing to children and young people in special educational settings (SES) across the BSW, Somerset and Dorset footprints in line with the specified requirements.
The service will be procured as one lot.
The service will provide routine appointments, triage and treatment to all children and young people with SEND needs in residential and day SES within BSW, Somerset and Dorset (including Bournemouth and Poole) with onward referral where appropriate.
Key Service Objectives:
• Providing annual sight tests in the school setting (unless a more frequent interval is clinically indicated).
• Close collaboration with school staff, parents, and carers
• Provide guidance and support based on individual specific needs and their medical history.
• Obtain written consent from pupils/parents/carers/guardians.
• Enable attendance from parents/carers/guardians to the sight test and selection of frames.
• Offer a range of suitable frames or NHS optical voucher for high street use.
• Provide an eye health outcome and vision report.
• Appropriate onward referral.
The contract will be for an initial 3 year term with an optional extension of any period up to 2 years.
This is a new service; therefore TUPE does not apply.
The new service will commence on the 1st April 2027.
This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central & West (SCW) on behalf of the commissioners. SCW is currently subject to restructuring, and the management of this procurement may therefore move to a successor at some point during the procurement process. Bidders will be informed of any such change, and any administrative changes because of it.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
2 079 166.67
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) Integrated Care Board, Somerset Integrated Care Board and Dorset Integrated Care Board are currently working together in a formal "clustering" arrangement to prepare for their merger into a single, new organisation (name to be confirmed), effective from 1st April 2027.
The commissioners are seeking to secure suitably qualified provider(s) who have the capability and capacity to deliver sight testing to children and young people checks in special educational settings (SES) across the BSW, Somerset and Dorset footprints in line with the specified requirements.
The service will be procured as one lot.
The service will provide routine appointments, triage and treatment to all children and young people with SEND needs in residential and day SES within BSW, Somerset and Dorset (including Bournemouth and Poole) with onward referral where appropriate.
In delivery and management of the SES sight testing service, the provider will be expected to build good relationships with schools, parents/carers and pupils, share information and develop a wider understanding of visual challenges for children and young people in an SES setting. The provider will work closely with SES staff to ensure the service flexibly aligns with school capacity and schedules.
The provider will also work collaboratively with other relevant providers as identified by the commissioner, to support the care and or treatment of children and young people.
Key Service Objectives:
• Providing annual sight tests in the school setting (unless a more frequent interval is clinically indicated).
• Close collaboration with school staff, parents, and carers
• Provide guidance and support based on individual specific needs and their medical history.
• Obtain written consent from pupils/parents/carers/guardians.
• Enable attendance from parents/carers/guardians to the sight test and selection of frames.
• Offer a range of suitable frames or NHS optical voucher for high street use.
• Provide an eye health outcome and vision report.
• Appropriate onward referral.
The contract will be for an initial 3 year term with an optional extension of any period up to 2 years
This is a new service; therefore, TUPE does not apply.
The contract is tariff based and the value for each ICB is:
BSW ICB £177,000 per annum.
Somerset ICB £135,000 per annum.
Dorset ICB£187,000 per annum.
The total contract value is £499,000 per annum, giving a contract value of £1,497,000 for the initial 3 year term and £2,495,000 if the full extension period is adopted. All values provided are inclusive of any non-recoverable VAT. A full breakdown of costs is provided in the tender documentation.
Additional monies of up to a maximum of £60,000 is available for mobilisation as detailed within the tender documentation. The total costs awarded for this support will be agreed at the discretion of the commissioners.
The new service will commence on the 1st April 2027.
This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central & West (SCW) on behalf of the commissioners. SCW is currently subject to restructuring, and the management of this procurement may therefore move to a successor at some point during the procurement process. Bidders will be informed of any such change, and any administrative changes because of it.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
2 495 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 36
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
An optional extension of any period up to 2 years.
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 III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:
See procurement documentation for full details.
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2026/S 000-008345
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
06/07/2026
Local time: 12:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
06/07/2026
Local time: 13:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.3) Additional information
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.
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract 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 and The Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB
Chippenham
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
02/06/2026