Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings, 20, Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://education.app.jaggaer.com
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://education.app.jaggaer.com
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
School Leaders' Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Package
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80000000 - Education and training services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Secretary of State for Education via Department for Education (the Authority) is undertaking a procurement to appoint a contractor for a single national (England) contract (the “Contract”), for the provision of a School Leaders' Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Package.
The Term of the Contract shall commence around September 2021 and expire on 31 March 2023, subject to earlier termination in accordance with the provisions of the Contract.
The Contract will require recruitment of and delivery of a programme of professional supervision to school leaders who are experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges through virtual or telephone-based peer support and one-to-one counselling.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £760,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85312300 - Guidance and counselling services
- 85312320 - Counselling services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Authority is seeking to appoint a Contractor to deliver a new mental health and wellbeing support package for school leaders, from autumn 2021.
A pilot was set up in June 2020 to provide professional supervision, through online peer to peer support and one to one telephone supervision, to school leaders. Following the completion of the pilot, the Department is now introducing a longer term and larger scale support programme, which builds on evidence from the pilot and aims to offer tailored mental health and wellbeing support to school leaders, in support of the Department’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The successful Contractor shall deliver a programme of professional supervision to a minimum of 2,000 school leaders who are experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges. The service shall be delivered, as a minimum, through facilitated virtual or telephone-based peer support and one-to-one counselling.
The programme must be made available to state primary and secondary school leaders (deputy headteachers and above) in England and prioritised to those with no existing access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) or equivalent.
The programme includes, but is not limited to the following main elements:
a minimum of 2,000 school leaders to be supported via at least six sessions of either:
- an online peer support group programme, with the size of support group and length of session to be determined by the successful Contractor. This should be delivered by experienced, qualified coaches who have an accredited coaching qualification, and ideally, experience of group facilitation in school-based settings.
Or,
- online/telephone one to one counselling, with the length of sessions determined by the successful Contractor. This should be delivered by British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) registered counsellors, or equivalent.
As set out in the tender documents, the Authority expects to award the Contract from September 2021, and the relevant exit activities to have completed by March 2023.
The maximum estimated total contract value is anticipated to be up to £760,000 (excluding VAT). Annual funding for the programme (subject to internal DfE approval) will not exceed £380,000.
Interested organisations are referred to the procurement documents for further information on the description of the procurement, the Contract and the Authority’s needs and requirements.
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: £760,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
End date
31 March 2023
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.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
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: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2021/S 000-011552
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Originally published as:
Date
19 July 2021
Local time
9:00am
Changed to:
Date
26 July 2021
Local time
9:00am
See the change notice.
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
Tender must be valid until: 23 November 2021
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
26 July 2021
Local time
9:00am
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.3) Additional information
1. The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 apply to this procurement (the “Regulations”). The Authority is
using the Open Procedure in accordance with Regulation 27 of the Regulations. Services of the nature of those covered by this procurement are designated as “Schedule 3” Services (the Social and Other Specific Services) under the Regulations and as such are not subject to the full requirements of the Regulations. The Authority is only bound by the application of the Regulations to the extent that they are applicable to Schedule 3 services. The procurement is covered by Regulations 74 to 76 (the Light Touch Regime).
2. Interested economic operators (Applicants) are required to register on the Authority’s e-tendering portal. Applicants can access this system at https://education.app.jaggaer.com where the details of how to register and the terms of free registration are provided.
3. Applicants are referred to the Procurement Documents accompanying this Find a Tender Service Contract Notice for additional information on this procurement and in relation to this Find a Tender Service Contract Notice.
4. The Authority reserves the right to withdraw from or discontinue the procurement process, which shall include the right to not award as a result of this call for competition.
5. Tenders and all supporting documentation for the contracts must be in English and priced in sterling.
6. HM Government requires that contracts awarded by Government Departments with a value exceeding
10000 GBP are published online (http://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). The Authority may use its discretion to redact information to protect key commercial interests or on prescribed grounds (see Procurement Documents).
7. The Authority will not be liable for any bid costs, expenditure, work or effort incurred by an Applicant in proceeding or participating in this procurement, including if the procurement process is terminated or
amended by the Authority.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court
Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
London
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The Authority will incorporate a voluntary minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of the Contract is communicated to tenderers. Applicants who are unsuccessful shall be informed by the Authority as soon as possible after the decision has been made as to the reasons why the Applicant was unsuccessful. If any clarification regarding the award of the Contract has not been successfully resolved, The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No. 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by breach of the rules to take legal action.
Any such action must be brought within the applicable limitation period. Where a contract has not been entered into, the Court may order the setting aside of the award decision or order the Authority to amend any document and may award damages.
If a contract has been entered into the Court may, depending on the circumstances, award damages, make a declaration of ineffectiveness, order the Authority to pay a fine, and/or order that the duration of the contract be shortened. The purpose of the voluntary standstill period referred to above is to allow the parties to apply to the Courts to set aside the award decision before the Contract is entered into.