Public Health Funding · UK public procurement notice

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (CAVUHB) receives annual funding from Welsh Government to support delivery of health protection functions within the region, including mass immunisation. A business case has been agreed which identifies how this budget is spent. Building on arrangements developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, an amount has been agreed to support the Health Protection Partnership Team within Shared Regulatory Services (SRS). This contract sets out the functions to be delivered by this team. The procurement for the Health Protection Partnership Team has been established through an approved business case and is exempt from competitive tendering under the Procurement Act 2023, based on a horizontal cooperation agreement between public authorities.

This exemption is provided for under Schedule 2, Paragraph 3 – Horizontal Arrangements, which permits contracting authorities to enter into contracts with one another without competition where all the following conditions are met:

1. The contract establishes or implements cooperation between the authorities.
2. The cooperation is intended to ensure public services are provided to achieve objectives they have in common.
3. The arrangement is governed solely by public interest considerations.
4. No more than 20% of the activities under the contract are intended to be carried out for other (non-public) purposes.

This exemption applies because the proposed agreement is a collaboration between Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and Shared Regulatory Services via the Vale of Glamorgan Council, both of which are public authorities. The arrangement establishes joint working to deliver statutory health protection functions in the public interest, in accordance with their shared objectives and legal duties.

The cooperation is designed to improve efficiency, enhance regional resilience, and strengthen capacity in the delivery of health protection services, without the involvement of private sector partners or any intention to generate profit.

Accordingly, the contract is not subject to competitive tendering and has been directly awarded in full compliance with the Procurement Act 2023 (Schedule 2, Paragraph 3) and the Organisation’s governance and procurement procedures. The direct award under the Horizontal Arrangement ensures administrative efficiency by avoiding procurement costs associated with tendering, while maintaining compliance with the Procurement Act. Financial monitoring and reporting will be undertaken quarterly to ensure transparency, accountability, and alignment with performance outcomes. Any variations or additional funding requirements will be subject to approval through standard Health Board financial governance processes.