DSD Medical Support Services

Contracts

• Contract 026463-2023-Project 71-1 · Atos IT Services UK Limited

  Signed

  31 Dec 2010

  Value

  £127,701,886

  Period

  31 Dec 2010 – 6 Sept 2024

  Status

  active

  • Change Nature and extent of the modifications (with indication of possible earlier changes to the contract): Extension of contract term by additional 6 months until 06.09.2024 due to an ongoing procurement process. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) led Functional Assessment Services (FAS) procurement, based on 5 geographic Lots (Lot 5 in Northern Ireland), was launched on 12 November 2021. FAS will replace the services currently provided by the MSS and PIP contracts. On 15 March 2023, DWP notified FAS bidders of the outcome of the procurement in Lots 1, 2, 4 and 5. Procurement activity in Lot 3 (Southwest England) continues, resulting in a DWP and DfC agreement to delay contract signature in all Lots to support full alignment in FAS transition to ‘go-live’ in 2024. DfC has a number of dependencies on DWP to enable it to comply with key Authority obligations in relation to FAS Lot 5 service delivery. It is anticipated that the completion of the FAS procurement exercise in Lot 3 will result in a 6-month delay in the contract signature for Lot 3 and consequently in Lots 1, 2, 4 and 5. Without an extension there would be a service provision gap, adversely impacting MSS customers and resulting in a failure of DfC to meet its statutory obligations. Furthermore, the absence of continuity in service provision would put at significant risk a vulnerable group of MSS recipients and create further hardship and disadvantage., Need for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor/concessionaire: duplication of cost preventing a change of contractor: DfC considers Regulation 72(1)(b) PCR 2015 (as amended) is applicable. For the reasons in VII.2.I) above, the provision of additional services until 6 September 2024 is necessary and: (i) interchangeability issues with a new supplier means these key services could be negatively impacted for technical and economic reasons. The implementation of the contract currently being procured will necessitate a lengthy handover period and make it impossible therefore to introduce a new provider for a short extension period. A change in supplier, without a full handover programme (to include transition to a new IT service necessitating dual running of systems), would risk delivery of these services which provide critical statutory benefits to vulnerable people; (ii) appointing a new supplier to cover a short extension period (which DfC does not consider a viable option) at the same time as an incumbent is engaged in handover to a new FAS supplier, would result in significant duplication of costs and a loss of value for money for the taxpayer; (iii) the value of the contract for the extended period does not exceed 50% of value of original contract

Dispute resolution & review bodies

• DFC - Department for Communities formerly the Department for Social Development DSDReview body Belfast