Conrad Hall, the Corporate Director of Resources at Newham Council, has awarded two contracts to Optima Health UK Ltd for the provision of occupational health and employee assistance services to the Council's staff, LATCO employees, and Newham Schools staff. The contracts are worth a total of £605,715 and will run for three years from 1st May 2025, with an option to extend for an additional year.

Occupational Health & Employee Assistance Programme

The decision to award these contracts was made in line with the Council's Scheme of Delegation, which allows the Corporate Director of Resources to make procurement decisions in accordance with the Council's Contract Procedure Rules.

The report considered the need for the services, noting that:

Not awarding the contracts was rejected because having an Occupational Health & Employee Assistance provider aids LBN compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and the Health and Safety Act 1974.

The procurement process involved a competitive tender under the ESPO framework agreement for Occupational Health Services (Lot 1) and Employee Assistance Programmes (Lot 2). Optima Health UK Ltd was identified as the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) for both lots, scoring 97.35% for Lot 1 and 86.6% for Lot 2. The decision-making process was based on MEAT principles, with 50% weighting given to price, 40% to quality and 10% to social value.

The report highlights the benefits of the new contracts, stating:

The new contracts will deliver against Pillar 8 of the LB Newham Recovery and Reorientation Action Plan: The Council will only welcome investment that secures a fair deal and a fairer economy for Newham Council.

This refers to the Newham Recovery and Reorientation Action Plan 2020-2024, which was adopted by Newham Council in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan sets out the council's priorities for recovery and its plans to build back better in the wake of the pandemic.