Tender

NHS Cheshire & Merseyside ICB - Adult Autism Post-Diagnosis Support Service (AAPDSS) - Halton and Warrington Place

  • NHS Cheshire & Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB)

F02: Contract notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-007333

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04e837

Published 26 February 2025, 4:15pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

NHS Cheshire & Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB)

Warrington

WA1 1QY

Contact

Sophie Riding

Email

mlcsu.tendersnorth@nhs.net

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKD - North West (England)

NHS Organisation Data Service

0YD

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk/

one.3) Communication

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

https://atamis-1928.my.site.com/s/Welcome

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://atamis-1928.my.site.com/s/Welcome

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

NHS Cheshire & Merseyside ICB - Adult Autism Post-Diagnosis Support Service (AAPDSS) - Halton and Warrington Place

Reference number

WHISP345

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 85100000 - Health services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit (MLCSU) is acting as an agent on behalf of NHS Cheshire & Merseyside Integrated Care Board (ICB) who are looking to undertake a Competitive Process for the provision of a Adult Autism Post Diagnosis Support Service (AAPDSS) covering

Halton and Warrington Places.

Where an adult is on the waiting list for an autism assessment and the autism assessment provider has been identified as needing support whilst waiting (and will struggle without support during the wait time) they may be referred to this service by the assessment provider.

The service will be accessed through referral only. Referrals will mainly be initiated by the adult autism assessment provider or via self-referral (or carer/family referring on behalf of individual as appropriate). Referrals can additionally be made by other service providers who work with adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC).

The current service is due to end on Thursday 31st July 2025. It is the intention of the ICB to start commissioning one new contract from Friday 1st August 2025 for 3 years, with an option to extend

for a further 2 years.

This one contract will cover both Halton and Warrington places.

Any bid must not exceed the maximum financial envelope of £60,000 per annum per place (Halton Place - £60,000 and Warrington Place - £60,000).

Any bid that exceeds this criterion will be viewed as Non-Compliant and will take no further part in the procurement exercise.

The total financial envelope is £120,000 per annum for both places (£600,000 for 3 years with an option

to extend for 2 years), excl. VAT). The cost analysis will be based on the lowest total overall price submitted (for 3 years + 2 year optional extension).

The ITT will be live on Wednesday 26th February 2025 on the Atamis Portal. The deadline for submission will be Friday 28th March 2025 12:00pm mid day.

To express interest and participate in the Competitive Process, please register and apply via Atamis e-sourcing portal https://healthfamily.force.com/s/Welcome.

Should Tenderers have any queries, or have problems using the portal, they should contact the Helpdesk at:

Phone: 0800 9956035

E-mail: support-health@atamis.co.uk

The Atamis contract reference is C336385 - 'C&M ICB Adult Autism Post-Diagnosis Support Service - Warrington and Halton Feb 2025'.

The questionnaires will be located within the requirements. Further details will be made available via documentation and information released during the tender process.

The ICB has set an affordability threshold for each place. Bidders who submit a bid over the maximum contract values for each place will not achieve the score of a pass. The cost analysis will be based on the lowest total overall price submitted (for 3 years + 2 year optional extension).

The competitive tendering process to which this ITT relates to and further to which the Authority intends to purchase the Services as set out in regulation 11 of the provider selection regime 2023 for the award of a contract with a competition.

This ITT has been made available to all Bidders who have expressed a potential interest in delivering this service in line with the requirements which fall under Regulation 11 for the award of a

contract with a competition, and Schedule 1 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. As such, the competitive tendering of these Services is being run as a

bespoke, single-stage tender process as described in the documentation in this ITT, and in the Find a Tender contract notice advertisement.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £600,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 85100000 - Health services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKD6 - Cheshire
  • UKD7 - Merseyside
Main site or place of performance

Halton and Warrington

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The current service is due to end on Thursday 31st July 2025. It is the intention of the ICB to start commissioning a new contract from Friday 1st August 2025 for 3 years, with an option to extend for a further 2 years.

Any bid must not exceed the maximum financial envelope of £60,000 per annum per place (Halton Place - £60,000 and Warrington Place - £60,000).

Any bid that exceeds this criterion will be viewed as Non-Compliant and will take no further part in the

procurement exercise.

The total financial envelope is £120,000 per annum for both places (£600,000 for 3 years with an option to extend for 2 years), excl. VAT). The cost analysis will be based on the lowest total overall price submitted (for 3 years + 2 year optional extension).

The ITT will be live on Wednesday 26th February 2025 on the Atamis Portal. The deadline for submission will be Friday 28th March 2025 12:00pm mid day.

To express interest and participate in the Competitive Process,

please register and apply via Atamis e-sourcing portal https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome.

Should Tenderers have any queries, or have problems using the portal, they should contact the Helpdesk at:

Phone: 0800 9956035

E-mail: support-health@atamis.co.uk

The Atamis contract reference is C336385 - 'C&M ICB Adult Autism Post-Diagnosis Support Service - Warrington and Halton Feb 2025'.

The questionnaires will be located within the requirements. Further details will be made available via documentation and information released during the tender process.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £600,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months

60

This contract is subject to renewal

No

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2.14) Additional information

The competitive tendering process to which this ITT relates to and further to which the Authority intends to purchase the Services is the Healthcare Services Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Regulations as set out in regulation 11 for the award of a contract with a competition.

This ITT has been made available to all Bidders who have expressed a potential interest in delivering this service in line with the requirements which fall under Regulation 11 for the award of a contract with a competition, and Schedule 1 of the

Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. As such, the competitive tendering of these Services is being run as a bespoke, single-stage tender process as described in the documentation in this ITT, and in the Find a Tender contract notice advertisement.

The Authority reserves the right to make changes to the process as it sees necessary whilst adhering to those sections of the Provider Selection Regime regulations which lay out the principles for the competitive tendering process. The Authority will ensure that Bidders are made aware, in reasonable time, of any changes it makes to the process. All changes will be communicated through the Procurement portal messaging system, Atamis.

Right to Cancel: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to discontinue the Competitive Process at any time, which shall include the right not to award a contract or contracts, and does not bind itself to accept the lowest tender, or any tender received, and reserves the right to award a contract in part, or to call for new tenders should it consider this necessary.

The Contracting Authority shall not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by any candidate or tenderer in connection with the completion and return of the information requested in this Contract Notice, or in the completion or submission of any tender, irrespective of the outcome of the competition or if the competition is cancelled or postponed.

All dates, time periods and values specified in this notice are provisional and the Contracting Authority reserves the right to change these.

Transparency: The Contracting Authority is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004(EIR) and may be required to disclose information received in the course of this procurement under FOIA or the EIR.

In addition, and in accordance with the UK Government's policies on transparency, the contracting authority intends to publish documentation and the text of any resulting contractual arrangements, subject to possible redactions at the discretion of the Contracting Authority.

Any redactions, whether in relation to information requests under FOIA, the EIR or policies on transparency will be in accordance with those grounds prescribed under the Freedom of Information Act. If and when this requirement is offered to tender, this will be done via electronic means using the internet.


Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information

three.1) Conditions for participation

three.1.2) Economic and financial standing

Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents

three.1.3) Technical and professional ability

Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No

four.2) Administrative information

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

Date

28 March 2025

Local time

12:00pm

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

English

four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

28 March 2025

Local time

12:01pm


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

six.3) Additional information

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract Opportunity Notice. The subsequent awarding of this contract will be 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 Opportunity Notice

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

NHS Cheshire & Merseyside Integrated Care Board

Warrington

Country

United Kingdom