NHSE1063-64 Mpox Vaccination and Gonorrhoea Vaccination

NHS England - North West and NHS England Greater Manchester (the Relevant Authorities) intends to award these contracts under the Direct Award Process B under 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 these awards.

Following the government's acceptance of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice that the NHS should implement:

• a routine mpox pre-exposure vaccination programme building on the existing offer JCVI statement on mpox vaccination as a routine programme - GOV.UK
• a routine opportunistic gonorrhoea vaccination programme JCVI advice on the use of meningococcal B vaccination for the prevention of gonorrhoea - GOV.UK

The Relevant Authorities is now seeking suitable providers by no later than 01 September 2025 [email protected] to deliver the vaccinations alongside existing vaccination programmes (HPV GBMSM) delivered in place-based Local Authority commissioned sexual health services. Providers must deliver sexual health services in identified localities and work with partners to ensure effective programme coverage and equity of access to the local eligible population.

The JCVI advised that the vaccination programmes, which have similar eligibility criteria, should primarily target gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) who meet the eligibility criteria and are at highest risk of exposure to Mpox and Gonorrhoea. There may also be a small number of individuals other than GBMSM with a similar risk of infection as the eligible GBMSM groups who can be offered the vaccines.

Individuals should be identified through sexual health services using markers of high risk of infection. This includes a recent history of multiple sexual partners or recent bacterial sexually transmitted infection. Full details on the eligible cohorts for each programme are available in the service specifications for each programme.

Funding of £10.06 will be provided for each dose of vaccine delivered to members of the identified cohort. An additional £8.00 per vaccination delivered will be provided in 2025/26 to support mobilisation. This additional implementation payment will be reviewed in advance of 2026/27 contract year.

As these are newly developed programmes, no baseline activity level for these vaccinations is available. Activity delivered in 2025/26 will be used to determine an Indicative Activity Plan for 2026/27 and future contract years.

Providers should build on the existing delivery of vaccinations including HPV GBMSM and the accelerated Mpox vaccination programme (where implemented) and make arrangements to deliver to the eligible population accessing their services from August 2025. Providers should be offering both vaccines by no later than 01 September 2025.

Eligible providers must:

• Hold a current Local Authority contract for the delivery of Sexual Health Services for one or more of the Lots/Localities as identified in this procurement process.
• Pass all questions within the Regulation 20 questionnaire parts 1 and part 2 and the associated quality and financial stability assessment in part 3 of the questionnaire.

To commence in August 2025 and providers should be offering both vaccines by no later than 01 September 2025. The contract term will be co-terminus with the Local Authority contract for Sexual Health Services as highlighted for each Location/Lot which includes any permissible extension periods which would be subject to the enactment of the Local Authority:

NHSE NW

• Lot 1 - Cheshire West & Chester
• Lot 2 - Blackburn with Darwen
• Lot 3 - Wirral

NHSE GM

• Lot 4 - Rochdale, Oldham, Bury
• Lot 5 - Tameside, Stockport, Wigan
• Lot 6 - Manchester, Trafford and Salford
• Lot 7 - Bolton- MPOX