NHS Arden and GEM CSU conducted this procurement exercise on behalf of NHS Birmingham and Solihull, NHS Dudley, NHS Wolverhampton, NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham and NHS Walsall Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to seek suitably qualified and experienced providers to deliver audiology services.

The contract is for a period of 3 years with an option to extend for a further 2 years at the discretion of the Commissioner(s).

This service was commissioned via an Any Qualified Provider (AQP) process, advertised to all which is proportionate to the value and complexity of the service and contract. There is no minimum guaranteed contract value for the initial three year duration of the proposed contract.

The successful providers were expected to be fully operational for providing services from 1 October 2019.

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit (AGCSU) on behalf of NHS Birmingham and Solihull CCG (Lead Commissioner), NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG, NHS Wolverhampton CCG, NHS Walsall CCG, and NHS Dudley CCG invited suitably qualified providers to deliver Audiology Services on an Any Qualified Provider (AQP) arrangement. Providers were advised that the award of an AQP contract offers no guarantee of activity and therefore no guarantee of income derived from the award of a contract can be offered.