Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) Services in Merton

This is an Intended Approach Notice to the follow The Most Suitable Provider Process as defined by the Provider Selection Regime of the Health Care Services Regulations 2023. The London Borough of Merton (The Council) intend to procure a specialist service which will ensure that a full range of contraceptive options are available to women locally above the routine contraception which is part of the GP core service.

Long acting reversible contraception (LARC) is a longer lasting, more effective method of contraception and so is very effective in preventing pregnancy for those women who are not looking to have a baby at the time. The LARC methods which will be available under this contract will be: • Intra Uterine contraceptives (IUC) which include the Copper Intra Uterine Device (IUD) and Mirena/Kyleena®/Jaydess® (LNG-IUS) • Sub-Dermal Implants (SDI) Providing LARC services in the community allows timely and convenient access to sexual health services especially in areas of greatest need, with the broader aim of preventing unintended conceptions and terminations.

In applying this process the Council has undertaken appropriate market research to update its knowledge of the relevant providers including understanding their ability to deliver the service to the relevant local population and in connection with existing relevant delivery networks. It is of the view, taking into account likely providers and all relevant information available to it at this time, that it is likely to be able to identify The Most Suitable Providers without running a competitive tendering process.

The London Borough of Merton intend to follow the Provider Selection Regime’s (PSR) Most Suitable Provider Process to award contracts for the provision of Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC). To satisfy the Regulations, the Council intends to undertake appropriate due diligence to assess the Most Suitable Providers in accordance with Regulation 19 (Basic Selection Criteria) and with application of the Key Criteria (Regulation 5), ensuring the most suitable providers have the legal and financial capacities, and the technical and professional abilities to deliver the proposed contract over the contract term.

The Council will observe a minimum of 14 days after the day on which this notice of Intention is submitted for publication prior to assessing the most suitable providers in accordance with Regulation 10 and Schedule 5 of the PSR. The proposed contract term is 5 years from 1st July 2026. The award decision makers for this process will be the Executive Director for Adult Social Care, Integrated Care & Public Health, in consultation with the Lead Member for Health & Social Care Additional information: This process is being conducted via The London Tenders portal (https://www.londontenders.org/), ref: DN814979