ENHT & HCT - Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Assessments

This notice is an intention to award a contract under the competitive process.<br/><br/>Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust (HCT) and East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust (ENHT) have a backlog of children who require an Autism diagnostic assessment.<br/>The Trusts are working with the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board to outsource some of these children and young people (CYP) in an effort to reduce their waiting time for an assessment and to enable the implementation of a revised diagnostic pathway.<br/>As such, the Trusts have undergone a compliant tender process to award an appropriately qualified company who can complete assessments for CYP over 5 years to assist with the backlog and provide ongoing assessments as required. The Trusts have sought a value for money, high quality service that will be responsive to the needs of the client.<br/>The opportunity is broken down into 4 lots; 2 for each Trust. Two lots require that the provider must have Consultant Paediatricians/Paediatricians as part of the team.<br/>It is expected that the assessments will be a combination of face to face and virtual assessments (face to face only for 5- and 6-year-olds).<br/>Robust contract management and good effective liaison with the Trust’s key contact will be required.<br/>The contract is anticipated to go live summer of 2024 and it is expected that the contract term will be for one year with the option to extend for a further +1 + 1 years.<br/><br/>Throughout the process it was stated the Trusts reserve the right to award a contract to more than one supplier to meet the capacity demands either at the tender stage or thereafter and that the Trusts would place orders with the most economically viable bidder(s) and their ability to meet the capacity required within each lot.<br/>No assurances were given from either Trust to any provider that they will get any number of orders or guaranteed a minimum or maximum value of orders.