Tender

Provision of a Digital Mental Health Support Service for Young People in Berkshire West to Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board

  • NHS SOUTH, CENTRAL AND WEST COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT

F21: Social and other specific services – public contracts (contract notice)

Notice identifier: 2023/S 000-001327

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0397f7

Published 16 January 2023, 4:28pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

NHS SOUTH, CENTRAL AND WEST COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT

THREE SIX ZERO

BRISTOL

BS13NX

Contact

Stevie Crawford

Email

stevie.crawford2@nhs.net

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKK11 - Bristol, City of

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.bucksoxonberksw.icb.nhs.uk/

Buyer's address

https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Health


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Provision of a Digital Mental Health Support Service for Young People in Berkshire West to Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board

Reference number

SC/WA13734

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 85100000 - Health services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & West Berkshire (BOB) Integrated Care Board (ICB) seeks to commission a Digital Mental Health Support Service for Young People in Berkshire West.

The commissioner seeks an experienced provider who will deliver a service to young people who live or go to school in Berkshire West aged 11-17 years (up to the 18th birthday). The service will adopt a no wrong door policy. Any young person under the age of 11 years (not yet had their 11th birthday) or aged 18 years and over will be signposted to more appropriate services.

The contract term will be for an initial term of one year, with an option to extend for a further three years in one year increments at the sole discretion of the Commissioner and subject to funding being made available.

The Commissioner has a maximum budget of £140,000 per annum and a total contract value of £560,000.

Services are scheduled to commence on 1 July 2023.

This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKJ1 - Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Main site or place of performance

Berkshire West

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board seeks to commission a Digital Mental Health Support Service for Young People in Berkshire West. The online services must be up and running by the start of the contract on 1st July 2023.

The service is for young people who live or go to school in Berkshire West aged 11-17 years (up to the 18th birthday). The service will adopt a no wrong door policy. Any young person under the age of 11 years (not yet had their 11th birthday) or aged 18 years and over will be signposted to more appropriate services. Children whose needs are deemed too complex for direct work with the Digital Service criteria will be signposted to a more appropriate service. The Digital Service will work with the CYP/Family/Carer to find the most suitable service, likely to be CAMHS.

The service will provide secure and moderated digital tools created in collaboration with young people and which are appropriately integrated with family, educational and clinical intervention.

The tools will consist of, as a minimum, a secure, moderated website, an App (with iOS and Android functionality) and a range of moderated forums to offer young people an appropriate first point of entry including:

- chat function for a young person to 'speak' to someone, including supportive peers;

- a messaging function for young people to contact the service;

- live discussion groups - run by professionals and with all comments moderated, to enable groups of young people to interact with each other in a safe environment;

- step-up options which will support young people experiencing, or at risk of deteriorating emotional health and wellbeing with the ability to connect with a qualified clinician via digital option to prevent levels of distress rising;

- evidence-based practice including brief psychological interventions carried out by trained professionals;

- Activities on the site for young people to download;

- A social media presence.

The digital tools need to provide comprehensive and safe digital solution and tools that are young person-friendly which empower young people to take control of their mental health and wellbeing.

The online portal will be available 7 days a week 365 days a year with the chat function that is available at appropriate time for these age groups.

The service will :

- Be fully integrated, through building strong working relationships with: Schools (notably head teachers, nominated pastoral leads, child protection leads, MHSTs, school nurses and any existing counselling provider in schools), Community-based young people's counselling services, Primary Care, Youth services, Children's services (inc. social care and early help), Health, CAMHS crisis services.

- Work in close partnership with other services to ensure the appropriate level of access and the appropriate level of emotional wellbeing and mental health intervention for children and young people.

- Ensure that pathways are in place for follow on referral work, signposting and to work closely with education (schools and Local Authorities), the CAMHS provider, urgent and emergency care, to develop effective service pathways.

- Have clear safeguarding protocols in place and work closely with the Local Authorities, BHFT and IBC Berkshire West to implement effective safeguarding and child protection procedures and referral processes.

- Use recognised assessment tools and outcomes measures with CYP using the service.

- Provide effective management and clinical oversight to the online services.

- Provide a trained qualified workforce experienced in working with CYP.

- Ensure that there are clearly established and followed pathways to all relevant local services.

- Ensure the service is developed in participation with children and young people.

- Offer a range of local promotion opportunities to a range of key stakeholders i.e. schools to facilitate awareness, engagement, uptake and evaluation.

- Develop a communications and engagement plan in collaboration with the ICB and local authorities ensuring this is co-designed with Berkshire West partners.

- Proactively target those children and young people in the Getting Advice and Getting Help quadrants of Thrive, with a particular focus on those young people who are hard to engage.

The contract term will 4 years with a maximum budget of £140,000 per annum and a total contract value of £540,000.

This process is being managed by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the ICB.

two.2.7) Duration of the contract or the framework agreement

Duration in months

48

two.2.14) Additional information

Atamis: Interested providers will be able to view this notice via the 'Live Opportunities' list on the e-procurement system, Atamis, available on the following link:

https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but is instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).

The tendering process will be conducted in accordance with the requirements and flexibilities provided by Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations. The Authority will run a transparent tender process, treating all Bidders equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services.

The Contracting Authority intends to voluntarily observe the award decision notices provisions and 10 day standstill period described in Regulation 86 of the Regulations. Unsuccessful Bidders will receive scores and reasons for the decision, including the characteristics and relative advantages of the winning bid and the reasons why the Bidder/application was unsuccessful. Deadline for lodging of appeals should be in accordance with Regulation 87 and Regulation 91 of the Regulations.


Section four. Procedure

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

15 February 2023

Local time

12:00pm

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

Interested providers will be able to view this opportunity via the live opportunities list on the 'Health Family' e-procurement system, Atamis. Click on 'View our Live Opportunities' from the home page, available on the following link:

https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome.

Once you have found the opportunity (via the search function, using the title or reference number), to gain full access to the bid documentation (including questionnaires), you will need to click on 'Register interest' - this will take you to the log-in page.

If you are not already registered on the system, you will need to do so before gaining full access to the documentation and be able to submit a bid.

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but are instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).

The tendering process will be conducted in accordance with the requirements and flexibilities provided by Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations. The Authority will run a transparent tender process, treating all Bidders equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services.

Neither the inclusion of a Bidder selection stage, nor the use of any language or terms found in the Directive or Regulations, nor the description of the procedure voluntarily adopted by the Authority ("Open", "Restricted", "Competitive Procedure with Negotiation", "Competitive Dialogue" or any other description), nor any other indication, shall be taken to mean that the Authority intends to hold itself bound by the Directive or Regulations, save by the provisions applicable to services coming within the scope of Annex XIV of the Directive / Schedule 3 of the Regulations.

The Contracting Authority intends to voluntarily observe the award decision notices provisions and 10 day standstill period described in Regulation 87 of the Regulations. Unsuccessful Bidders will receive scores and reasons for the decision, including the characteristics and relative advantages of the winning bid and the reasons why the Bidder/application was unsuccessful. Deadline for lodging of appeals should be in accordance with Regulation 87 and Regulation 91 of the Regulations.

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

High Court

London

Country

United Kingdom

six.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures

As described in VI.3, deadline for lodging of appeals should be in accordance with Regulation 87 and Regulation 91 of the 2015 Regulations.