Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Tower Hamlets
New Town Hall, 160 Whitechapel Road London
London
E1 1BJ
Contact
Ms Kelly Kerr
kelly.kerr@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 244778066
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI - London
Internet address(es)
Main address
http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk
Buyer's address
http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
HAC6035: Stop Smoking London Integrated Digital Smoking Cessation Service Pilot
Reference number
DN741337
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The aim of the pilot is to provide a digital offer to Service Users, providing benefits across three key features:
1. Digital platform containing information and support materials and enabling access to (National Centre for Smoking Cessation Training) NSCST trained Stop Smoking Advisors.
2. Access to behavioural support from NCSCT trained advisors 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
3. Service user choice of stop smoking aid; Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) or starter vape, delivered direct to the service user to support their quit attempt.
This service is complementary to traditional services e.g. the Local Stop Smoking Services and the Stop Smoking London offer, increasing overall capacity within the system. The intention is to increase the number of successful quit attempts and capture this within the NHS Digital data set.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £695,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI - London
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
London Borough of Tower Hamlets is looking to procure the Most Suitable Provider to deliver a Stop Smoking London Integrated Digital Smoking Cessation Service Pilot.
This is a notice of intention to award a contract under the most suitable provider process
The estimated value of the total 2 year term is £695,000. Year one funding is guaranteed at £195,000 with the second year estimated at £500,000.
The successful provider will enter into contract with Tower Hamlets utilising their standard T&Cs included in the Tender pack, the contract will be for an initial term of 12 months with optional an extension of a maximum further 12 months.
This is a new service with a new provider
Tower Hamlets are following the Most Suitable Provider procurement procedure in accordance with the The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: most suitable provider process with regard to the key criteria / Weighting: 100
Price - Weighting: 0
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 13/02/2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.’
Written representations should be provided to kelly.kerr@towerhamlets.gov.uk
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2024/S 000-028124
four.2.9) Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice
The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
14 October 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
23 Limited (trading as Smoke Free)
71-75 Shelton Street
London
WC2H 9JQ
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £695,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 13/02/25. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
Written representations should be provided to kelly.kerr@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Decision makers as follows:
- Tracy Parr
- Somen Banarjee
- Sevil Rush
There were no conflicts of interest in the decision making process
Key criteria as follows:
- Must be a UK based provider to ensure appropriate Smoking Cessation programme and advisor standard and the digital functionality must meet the required DTAC criteria
- Be able to implement the service at pace to meet the in-year delivery requirements of the pilot. This is a requirement due to the nature of the pilot service that is being procured and that the agreed funding from each of the 33 London Boroughs is for in year spend.
- Must provide real-time support with trained accredited advisors and not be AI/Chat bot delivery. This is a key requirement a commissioned report on London smokers insights into potential digital smoking cessation services showed that the AI/Chatbot functionality was the lowest ranked feature from the respondents, with 3/4 of respondents not ranking the feature at all.
- Must offer 24 hour support and access to advisors from start of delivery. This is required as many smokers in priority target groups, and those suffering from the highest inequalities, are often unable to access existing local services due to shift patterns or other family commitments. This level of support will also allow service users the opportunity of direct support at times of risk of relapse or when struggling with certain triggers.
- Be able to deliver smokers choice of NRT / vape direct to the smokers home. This is important to simplify the process for receiving their smoking cessation aid in a timely manner for facilitating the service users quit attempt. It avoids the need for additional steps in the journey and enables service users with limited mobility the flexibility of ease of access.
These criteria were evaluated for each of the possible providers on a pass fail basis, with the exception of implementation of the service which was scored based on each Bidder's proposal
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court of England and Wales
London
Country
United Kingdom