External Finance Support

Description

This contract commissions time-limited external support to assist Cardiff and Vale University Health Board in responding to a significant and worsening financial position while operating under Welsh Government oversight and escalation arrangements. The Health Board is forecasting a 56.2m GBP deficit in 2025/26, compared to a 27.7m GBP deficit outturn in 2024/25, and faces a material underlying financial gap in 2026/27 that cannot be addressed through business-as-usual savings alone. In the context of the 2026/27 planning round and the requirement to demonstrate a credible medium-term route to financial sustainability, the Board has agreed to commission independent support to identify the scale and nature of change required to alter the current financial trajectory. The purpose of the assignment is to develop a finite, decision-grade set of approximately five to seven high-impact options that explicitly set out what activity, services or sites would need to slow, stop, be consolidated, decommissioned or traded off in order to materially improve the financial position in 2026/27 and demonstrate a credible path to medium-term financial balance. The focus is on making the consequences of affordability explicit rather than developing narrative strategies, consensus or recommendations on preferred options. Each option must be articulated in granular operational terms, including affected services or sites, the nature of the change, workforce implications linked directly to service and activity change (including WTE impact), financial impact and phasing, delivery dependencies and constraints, and key risks and trade-offs including impacts on access, quality, safety and workforce. Options must clearly distinguish between what could realistically contribute in 2026/27 and what would deliver benefit in later years. The work will complement existing internal savings programmes, bring independent challenge and judgement, avoid optimism bias and untested productivity assumptions, and be delivered at pace within a tight timeframe. Outputs must be suitable for Board consideration and engagement with Welsh Government. The external support will provide analysis and option appraisal only, with all substantive outputs completed by no later than 31 March 2026.

Opportunity Context

More Information Links

External Link: https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=FEB587050

Link Title: External Finance Support

Link Description: This contract commissions time-limited external support to assist Cardiff and Vale University Health Board in responding to a significant and worsening financial position while operating under Welsh Government oversight and escalation arrangements. The Health Board is forecasting a 56.2m GBP deficit in 2025/26, compared to a 27.7m GBP deficit outturn in 2024/25, and faces a material underlying financial gap in 2026/27 that cannot be addressed through business-as-usual savings alone. In the context of the 2026/27 planning round and the requirement to demonstrate a credible medium-term route to financial sustainability, the Board has agreed to commission independent support to identify the scale and nature of change required to alter the current financial trajectory. The purpose of the assignment is to develop a finite, decision-grade set of approximately five to seven high-impact options that explicitly set out what activity, services or sites would need to slow, stop, be consolidated, decommissioned or traded off in order to materially improve the financial position in 2026/27 and demonstrate a credible path to medium-term financial balance. The focus is on making the consequences of affordability explicit rather than developing narrative strategies, consensus or recommendations on preferred options. Each option must be articulated in granular operational terms, including affected services or sites, the nature of the change, workforce implications linked directly to service and activity change (including WTE impact), financial impact and phasing, delivery dependencies and constraints, and key risks and trade-offs including impacts on access, quality, safety and workforce. Options must clearly distinguish between what could realistically contribute in 2026/27 and what would deliver benefit in later years. The work will complement existing internal savings programmes, bring independent challenge and judgement, avoid optimism bias and untested productivity assumptions, and be delivered at pace within a tight timeframe. Outputs must be suitable for Board consideration and engagement with Welsh Government. The external support will provide analysis and option appraisal only, with all substantive outputs completed by no later than 31 March 2026.

Lots

Lot Description: This contract commissions time-limited external support to assist Cardiff and Vale University Health Board in responding to a significant and worsening financial position while operating under Welsh Government oversight and escalation arrangements. The Health Board is forecasting a 56.2m GBP deficit in 2025/26, compared to a 27.7m GBP deficit outturn in 2024/25, and faces a material underlying financial gap in 2026/27 that cannot be addressed through business-as-usual savings alone. In the context of the 2026/27 planning round and the requirement to demonstrate a credible medium-term route to financial sustainability, the Board has agreed to commission independent support to identify the scale and nature of change required to alter the current financial trajectory. The purpose of the assignment is to develop a finite, decision-grade set of approximately five to seven high-impact options that explicitly set out what activity, services or sites would need to slow, stop, be consolidated, decommissioned or traded off in order to materially improve the financial position in 2026/27 and demonstrate a credible path to medium-term financial balance. The focus is on making the consequences of affordability explicit rather than developing narrative strategies, consensus or recommendations on preferred options. Each option must be articulated in granular operational terms, including affected services or sites, the nature of the change, workforce implications linked directly to service and activity change (including WTE impact), financial impact and phasing, delivery dependencies and constraints, and key risks and trade-offs including impacts on access, quality, safety and workforce. Options must clearly distinguish between what could realistically contribute in 2026/27 and what would deliver benefit in later years. The work will complement existing internal savings programmes, bring independent challenge and judgement, avoid optimism bias and untested productivity assumptions, and be delivered at pace within a tight timeframe. Outputs must be suitable for Board consideration and engagement with Welsh Government. The external support will provide analysis and option appraisal only, with all substantive outputs completed by no later than 31 March 2026

Lot 1 Status: complete

Lot 1 Has Options: No

Lot 1 Award Criterion (quality): Technical

Documents

Document Title: External Finance Support

Document Description: This contract commissions time-limited external support to assist Cardiff and Vale University Health Board in responding to a significant and worsening financial position while operating under Welsh Government oversight and escalation arrangements. The Health Board is forecasting a 56.2m GBP deficit in 2025/26, compared to a 27.7m GBP deficit outturn in 2024/25, and faces a material underlying financial gap in 2026/27 that cannot be addressed through business-as-usual savings alone. In the context of the 2026/27 planning round and the requirement to demonstrate a credible medium-term route to financial sustainability, the Board has agreed to commission independent support to identify the scale and nature of change required to alter the current financial trajectory. The purpose of the assignment is to develop a finite, decision-grade set of approximately five to seven high-impact options that explicitly set out what activity, services or sites would need to slow, stop, be consolidated, decommissioned or traded off in order to materially improve the financial position in 2026/27 and demonstrate a credible path to medium-term financial balance. The focus is on making the consequences of affordability explicit rather than developing narrative strategies, consensus or recommendations on preferred options. Each option must be articulated in granular operational terms, including affected services or sites, the nature of the change, workforce implications linked directly to service and activity change (including WTE impact), financial impact and phasing, delivery dependencies and constraints, and key risks and trade-offs including impacts on access, quality, safety and workforce. Options must clearly distinguish between what could realistically contribute in 2026/27 and what would deliver benefit in later years. The work will complement existing internal savings programmes, bring independent challenge and judgement, avoid optimism bias and untested productivity assumptions, and be delivered at pace within a tight timeframe. Outputs must be suitable for Board consideration and engagement with Welsh Government. The external support will provide analysis and option appraisal only, with all substantive outputs completed by no later than 31 March 2026.

Full Notice Text

Full notice text Contract award notice Results of the procurement procedure Section I: Contracting entity I.1) Name and addresses NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership-Procurement Services (hosted by Velindre University NHS Trust) Woodland House, Maes-y-coed Road Cardiff CF14 4HH UK Contact person: Lowri Crossman Telephone: +44 2921501500 E-mail: Lowri.Crossman@wales.nhs.uk NUTS: UK Internet address(es) Main address: http://nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/procurement-services/ Address of the buyer profile: https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA0221 I.2) Joint procurement The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body I.4) Type of the contracting authority Body governed by public law I.5) Main activity General public services Section II: Object II.1) Scope of the procurement II.1.1) Title External Finance Support Reference number: CAV-MIN-61737 II.1.2) Main CPV code 79412000 II.1.3) Type of contract Services II.1.4) Short description This contract commissions time-limited external support to assist Cardiff and Vale University Health Board in responding to a significant and worsening financial position while operating under Welsh Government oversight and escalation arrangements. The Health Board is forecasting a 56.2m GBP deficit in 2025/26, compared to a 27.7m GBP deficit outturn in 2024/25, and faces a material underlying financial gap in 2026/27 that cannot be addressed through business-as-usual savings alone. In the context of the 2026/27 planning round and the requirement to demonstrate a credible medium-term route to financial sustainability, the Board has agreed to commission independent support to identify the scale and nature of change required to alter the current financial trajectory. The purpose of the assignment is to develop a finite, decision-grade set of approximately five to seven high-impact options that explicitly set out what activity, services or sites would need to slow, stop, be consolidated, decommissioned or traded off in order to materially improve the financial position in 2026/27 and demonstrate a credible path to medium-term financial balance. The focus is on making the consequences of affordability explicit rather than developing narrative strategies, consensus or recommendations on preferred options. Each option must be articulated in granular operational terms, including affected services or sites, the nature of the change, workforce implications linked directly to service and activity change (including WTE impact), financial impact and phasing, delivery dependencies and constraints, and key risks and trade-offs including impacts on access, quality, safety and workforce. Options must clearly distinguish between what could realistically contribute in 2026/27 and what would deliver benefit in later years. The work will complement existing internal savings programmes, bring independent challenge and judgement, avoid optimism bias and untested productivity assumptions, and be delivered at pace within a tight timeframe. Outputs must be suitable for Board consideration and engagement with Welsh Government. The external support will provide analysis and option appraisal only, with all substantive outputs completed by no later than 31 March 2026. II.1.6) Information about lots This contract is divided into lots: No II.1.7) Total value of the procurement Value excluding VAT: 600 000.00 GBP II.2) Description II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s) 79412000 II.2.3) Place of performance NUTS code: UKL22 Main site or place of performance: Cardiff II.2.4) Description of the procurement This contract commissions time-limited external support to assist Cardiff and Vale University Health Board in responding to a significant and worsening financial position while operating under Welsh Government oversight and escalation arrangements. The Health Board is forecasting a 56.2m GBP deficit in 2025/26, compared to a 27.7m GBP deficit outturn in 2024/25, and faces a material underlying financial gap in 2026/27 that cannot be addressed through business-as-usual savings alone. In the context of the 2026/27 planning round and the requirement to demonstrate a credible medium-term route to financial sustainability, the Board has agreed to commission independent support to identify the scale and nature of change required to alter the current financial trajectory. The purpose of the assignment is to develop a finite, decision-grade set of approximately five to seven high-impact options that explicitly set out what activity, services or sites would need to slow, stop, be consolidated, decommissioned or traded off in order to materially improve the financial position in 2026/27 and demonstrate a credible path to medium-term financial balance. The focus is on making the consequences of affordability explicit rather than developing narrative strategies, consensus or recommendations on preferred options. Each option must be articulated in granular operational terms, including affected services or sites, the nature of the change, workforce implications linked directly to service and activity change (including WTE impact), financial impact and phasing, delivery dependencies and constraints, and key risks and trade-offs including impacts on access, quality, safety and workforce. Options must clearly distinguish between what could realistically contribute in 2026/27 and what would deliver benefit in later years. The work will complement existing internal savings programmes, bring independent challenge and judgement, avoid optimism bias and untested productivity assumptions, and be delivered at pace within a tight timeframe. Outputs must be suitable for Board consideration and engagement with Welsh Government. The external support will provide analysis and option appraisal only, with all substantive outputs completed by no later than 31 March 2026 II.2.5) Award criteria Quality criterion: Technical / Weighting: 60 Price / Weighting:  40 II.2.11) Information about options Options: No II.2.13) Information about European Union funds The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No Section IV: Procedure IV.1) Description IV.1.1) Type of procedure Restricted procedure IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes IV.2) Administrative information IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure Notice number in the OJ S: 2026/S 000-001731 Section V: Award of contract Contract No: CAV-MIN-61737 A contract/lot is awarded: Yes V.2 Award of contract V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract 10/02/2026 V.2.2) Information about tenders Number of tenders received: 3 Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0 Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0 Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1 Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3 The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor MCKINSEY & COMPANY INC UNITED KINGDOM The Post Building , 100 Museum Street London WC1A1PB UK E-mail: tenderadmin@mckinsey.com NUTS: UK The contractor is an SME: No V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT) Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: Total value of the contract/lot: : 600 000.00 GBP V.2.5) Information about subcontracting Section VI: Complementary information VI.3) Additional information This Procurement was undertaken via mini-competition and therefore, the Health Board is issuing an 4 day voluntary standstill period which is expected to end at midnight at the end of Monday 16th February 2026 that being the 4th working day after the day on which a notice is being sent by electronic means to all relevant bidders (i.e. counting the day after the sending as day 1). (WA Ref:161454) VI.4) Procedures for review VI.4.1) Review body High Court Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand London WC2A 2LL UK Telephone: +44 2079477501 VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice 11/02/2026