Functional Assessment Services (FAS) 2023 – Lot 2

Contract Award Notice reference: 2023/S 000-030453 Published 16 October 2023 This contract will be for the use of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) (Lots 1 to 4) and the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland (Lot 5). The service provision will be primarily contracted through this procurement to the Authority but may allow other Government Departments and their Agencies, Non-Departmental Public Bodies, and devolved administrations (including but not limited to HM Revenue and Customs, Ministry of Defence, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, National Health and Social Care) to access the services.

To support the determination of an individual's entitlement to benefit, the Authority requires the delivery of a range of compatible and sympathetic Functional Health Assessments (FAS). The results of these assessments form one part of the evidence utilised by the Authority Decision Maker in making the ultimate decision on benefit entitlement on behalf of the Secretary of State.

FAS Suppliers will be expected to deliver functional health assessments in relation to the following benefits: • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)- https://www.gov.uk/pip • Employment Support Allowance (ESA)- https://www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance • Universal Credit (UC)- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-cred... • The delivery of assessments/advice associated with 15 other specialist benefits, for both DWP and other Government Departments, including Veterans UK, HM Courts and Tribunals Service and HM Revenue and Customs. DWP ran a procurement using the Light Touch Regime and a modified process with commercial dialogue in accordance with Regulations 74 to 76 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

For Lot 5, DWP conducted aspects of the procurement process on behalf of the Department for Communities (DfC) in Northern Ireland. The procedure is set out clearly in the published Invitation to Tender document.