Purpose

To update the committee on the progress and
next steps for the Sexual and Reproductive Health mandatory service
provision.

Decision

RESOLVED that
 
i.      
a two-year direct award be approved to an eligible
provider to ensure continuity of Specialist, Integrated SRH service
provision beyond the 30 June 2024 across Berkshire East ((RWBM),
Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) and Slough Borough
Council).

 
ii.    
the contract award be delivered as the Lead
Authority for the procurement. The decision will be taken at
RBWM’s Cabinet on the 27th
September and SBC’s Cabinet on the
18 September 2023. The final decision
will therefore be confirmed by the 28t September 2023 when all 3 meetings
will have met to take their decisions.

 
iii.   
Bracknell Forest Council work with the market and
NHS commissioning bodies to develop a life course response to
sexual and reproductive health needs that offers better services
for local communities. This process will result in initiation of a
procurement of the Specialist Integrated SRH service during the
lifetime of the 2-year contract to ensure longer term
provision.

Reasons for the decision

i.      
The contract for the Specialist Integrated SRH service for
residents in the local authorities across Berkshire East (Bracknell
Forest Council; (RBWM) and Slough Borough Council) is due to expire
on 30 June 2024.
 

ii.    
The recommended approach agreed by all local authorities was to
retender under the light touch regime of the Public Contracts
Regulations 2015 (the Regulations). The maximum financial envelope
for BFC and Slough Borough Council was also agreed; for RBWM this
occurs at award stage so had not yet taken place.
 

iii.   
In March 2023 the Director of Public Health gained approval for BFC
to go out to tender for the Berkshire East Specialist Integrated
SRH Service.
 

iv.   
This included a recommendation to continue joint commissioning
arrangements across Berkshire East to continue funding the total
contract value jointly with BFC to lead the procurement process to
tender under the light touch regime

Alternative options considered

Detailed within the report.