Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Devon County Council
County Hall, Topsham Road
Exeter
EX2 4QD
Contact
Miss Grace Evans
Telephone
+44 1392383000
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKK4 - Devon
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
CP2506-24 Health & Wellbeing Services into Atkinson Secure Children's Home
Reference number
DN719157
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85140000 - Miscellaneous health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Devon County Council is recommissioning the following health and wellbeing services into Atkinson Secure Children’s Home:
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
• Nurse Service
• Speech and Language Therapy Service
The contract will commence on 1st April 2025 and will expire on 31st March 2029.
There is an option to potentially extend the contract for a further 3 periods of 12 months.
Atkinson Secure Childrens Home is a purpose-built welfare only secure unit in Exeter which is managed by Devon County Council and provides full residential care, healthcare, and education on site in dedicated facilities. The home is registered for 8 young people who are aged between 10 and 17 years-old and accommodated under section 25 of the Childrens Act 1989. The home has been operating for over 30-years and young people are placed with in Atkinson due to either having a history of absconding or are likely to abscond, likely to suffer significant harm or likely to injure themselves or others.
Atkinson secure children’s home provides a nurturing and caring atmosphere which develops young people’s confidence and self-esteem. All staff are trained in attachment, trauma and restorative approaches enabling the home to effectively manage behaviour and repair relationships. In the most recent Ofsted Inspection in September 2023, Atkinson Secure Childrens Home received a grading of ‘Outstanding’, prior to which they had maintained a grading of ‘Good’ for 6-years.
Feedback following the inspection noted that “The secure children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.”
Devon County Council currently have a section 10/75 agreement with NHS England to commission the health and wellbeing services. The section 10/75 in place in this arrangement constitutes a transition between the previous Section 10 and an intention to align to Section 75 agreements throughout the secure estate.
Pursuant to Section 10 of the Childrens Act 2004 and Section 75 of the NHS Act 2006 the Local Authority must make arrangements to promote co-operation between the authority and the authority’s relevant partners. These arrangements are to be made with a view to improving the well-being of children in the authority’s area relating to their physical and mental health and emotional well-being. For this purpose, NHS England is a relevant partner of the local authority with an area of responsibility which falls within the area of the authority.
This notice is placed to set out Devon County Council's intention to award a contract under the Most Suitable Provider Process of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR).
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: £2,660,224
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85121270 - Psychiatrist or psychologist services
- 85141200 - Services provided by nurses
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKK4 - Devon
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Devon County Council is recommissioning the following health and wellbeing services into Atkinson Secure Children’s Home:
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
• Nurse Service
• Speech and Language Therapy Service
A notice was published for 14 days informing the market of the intention to follow the Most Suitable Provider Process. To express an interest, providers were required to complete and submit the Provider Information Request (PIR) via ProContract.
Only 1 PIR submission was received, from Livewell Southwest CIC. As Livewell Southwest CIC’s PIR response was compliant with the Basic Selection Criteria, they were invited to complete the Further Provider Information Request (FPIR) to provide further information relating to the Key Criteria.
After conducting an assessment, taking into account the Key Criteria, Devon County Council is content that Livewell Southwest CIC will satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard.
This notice is placed to set out Devon County Council’s intention to award a contract under the Most Suitable Provider Process of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR).
The contract will commence from 1st April 2025 for an initial period of 4 years, until 31st March 2029. There is a potential option to extend for a further 3 periods of 12 months at the procurer’s discretion. The total contract value is £2,660,224 over the full 7 year period, or £380,082 per annum. This is an existing service, and Livewell Southwest CIC are a new provider.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Most Suitable Provider process with regard to the Key Criteria / Weighting: 100
Price
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.
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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2025/S 000-000722
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
28 February 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Livewell Southwest CIC
Local Care Centre, 200 Mount Gould Road
Plymouth
PL4 7PY
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKK4 - Devon
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £2,660,224
Total value of the contract/lot: £2,660,224
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The decision to award this contract in line with the Most Suitable Provider Process was based on evaluation against the basic selection criteria within the Provider Information Request document, which was assessed on a pass/fail basis and then the 5 key criteria, within the Further Provider Information Request, which were assessed on an assured/not assured basis, with the below weightings.
• Quality and innovation (20%)
• Integration, collaboration and service sustainability (25%)
• Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice (45%)
• Social value (10%)
• Value (Pass/Fail)
Each question response in the Further Provider Information Request was scored 1-5. The Provider Information Document stipulated that a provider to be considered suitable for this contract, they must score at least 3 on each question (prior to the weighted score being calculated). Livewell Southwest CIC scored a minimum of 3 on each question, therefore providing adequate assurance that they are the Most Suitable Provider.
The annual cost breakdown which Livewell Southwest CIC has provided for this contract totals £380,032, which is within the maximum stated budget, and as such they scored a Pass on the Value key criteria.
Award decisions have been recommended by Devon County Council’s Children’s Strategic Commissioning team, with key decision makers being:
Senior Commissioning Manager of Children’s Services (DCC), Assistant Commissioner of Children and Young People and Non-Custodial Services (NHS England), and Senior Commissioning Manager of Children and Young People and Non-Custodial Services (NHS England).
No conflicts of interest were declared.
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 midnight on 12th March 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
Written representations should be sent through the procurement portal (https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Independent Patient Choice and Procurement Panel
London
Country
United Kingdom