Assisted Conception Unit (ACU) Joint Venture

Strategic Joint Venture Partner for Assisted Conception Unit Services

1. Overview

The proposed service model is expected to support the delivery and expansion of high-quality assisted conception treatment pathways for NHS-funded patients and private patients. The ACU is expected to be located off the main acute hospital site but within a reasonable catchment area of the Authority, currently described for planning purposes as approximately 3.5 miles from the main acute site.

The anticipated scope includes, subject to finalisation, advanced fertility treatment and related services, including in vitro fertilisation (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), egg donation, sperm donation, embryo donation, fertility preservation, outpatient fertility consultations, ultrasound and monitoring, counselling, pharmacy / medicines management, cryostorage, and the potential to offer enhanced services such as pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT).

The Authority currently anticipates that the commercial/legal model will comprise a long-term strategic corporate joint venture, anticipated to be structured as either a limited company or LLP, together with a linked service provision arrangement under which the joint venture will provide relevant services back into the Authority for patients receiving NHS-funded care, whilst also supporting private patient pathways.

The provider / JV partner is expected to bring the necessary clinical expertise, operational capacity and commercial appetite to collaborate with the Authority on service establishment, mobilisation and operation, including capital investment, premises and equipment, digital integration, workforce matters including the anticipated TUPE transfer of certain nursing and administrative staff, regulatory compliance and assumption of operational risk, subject to the final procurement documents.

Secondary care fertility clinic services operated by the Authority are currently considered to be out of scope of this procurement.

The Authority currently anticipates conducting the future procurement under the Procurement Act 2023 using the competitive flexible procedure. A multi-stage process is anticipated, with further detail to be provided in the tender notice and associated tender documents.

2. Estimated contract value:

Not yet established.

3. Indicative contract term:

Currently expected to be a long-term strategic partnership, likely to comprise an initial term of 10 years with options to extend for a further five periods of 12 months each, subject to confirmation.

4. Estimated date for publication of the tender notice:

End July 2026.

5. Estimated date by when suppliers will be asked to submit requests to participate or tenders:

End August 2026

6. Estimated date of contract award:

End Jan 2027

7. Supplementary Notes

7.1. Preliminary market engagement has already been undertaken. Relevant notices were published under Find a Tender notice number 2025/S 000-059024 and Contracts Finder notice reference CF-31955 in September 2025.

7.2. This planned procurement notice is issued for advance information only. It does not constitute a call for competition, does not commit the Authority to commence or complete any procurement, and does not commit the Authority to any particular commercial, legal or service delivery structure. The Authority reserves the right to amend, clarify, expand, reduce, suspend, discontinue or terminate the procurement and/or the proposed scope, structure, timetable and contractual approach at any time.

7.3. Documents relating to the procurement will be made available via the Authority’s e-tendering portal (Atamis) or as otherwise identified in the future UK4 Tender Notice.

7.4. The public contract is not expected to be awarded by reference to suppliers’ membership of a dynamic market.

7.5. Suppliers should monitor the Authority’s e-tendering portal, Find a Tender and Contracts Finder for the future UK4 Tender Notice and associated tender documents. Any registration requirements will be set out in that future notice.

7.6. Please note that all dates cited in this notice are indicative only and may be subject to change.