NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board - Provision of an Engagement Service for People with Lived Experience of Learning Disabilities and Autism

NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board ("the ICB") has sought initial engagement and feedback from the market to deliver an engagement service for people with lived experience of Learning Disabilities and Autism (LDA). An Expression of Interest exercise was conducted between 23rd July 2025 and 13th August 2025. The FTS Notice reference was 2025/S 000-042981. As a result of this, the two responses were received. One of the responses was incomplete and therefore could not be considered as an EOI response.

This exercise has resulted in a Direct Award for a Below Threshold contract (Light Touch Regime) pursuant to section 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 ("the Act"). A 'below-threshold contract' is defined in section 5 of the Act (and is broadly a contract of lower value than a 'public contract'). The award, entry into and management of a below-threshold contract is not 'covered procurement' as defined in section 1 of the Act.

This means that fewer obligations in the Act apply to the procurement of below threshold contracts than apply to covered procurement. Section 5 of the Act defines a below-threshold contract as:

a. a contract for the supply, for pecuniary interest, of goods, services or works to a contracting authority;

b. a framework; or

c. a concession contract,

that has an estimated value of less than the 'threshold amount' for the type of contract.

For procurements commencing under the Act, the light touch regime threshold amount for light touch contracts (all other services and supplies, excluding defence, security, and utility) is £663,540 (including VAT). This contract has an estimated value of less than the stated threshold amount.

The contract holder for the above service shall support people in Herefordshire and Worcestershire who have have lived experience of LDA to engage in the following areas of work, intended to improve health inequalities for people in this population:

• Admission avoidance to secure hospitals - including attendance at Care Education and Treatment Review (CETR) panels and delivery of CETR training.
• Tackling Health Inequalities for Adults with a Learning Disability - including supporting the ICB's annual health check quality programme, completing quality checks of agreed health settings and attending LDA Programme Board and related partner meetings.
• Learning from the Lives and Deaths of People with a Learning Disability (LeDeR) Programme - providing a lived experience perspective to focused reviews.

This service will capture and involve a broad range of people with lived experience of LDA living in the counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire, UK.

The service provider will have a physical presence in the area and be able to demonstrate strong engagement with local communities over a number of years, with reach extending into both localities.

The ICB currently envisages the contract will mobilise from the 1st April 2026.

The estimated contract value per annum is £110,000 (exc VAT). The contract will be for 3 years with an option to extend for a further 2 years.

The total lifetime value of the contract is £550,000 (exc VAT) for the 3 year contract including the optional extension period of 2 years.