Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Oxfordshire County Council
3rd Floor, County Hall
Oxford
OX1 1ND
Contact
Mr Alex White
Telephone
+44 7554339176
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
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
Smoking Cessation Services
Reference number
DN754586
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Oxfordshire County Council has invited tenders using the competitive process in accordance with Regulation 11 of The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (PSR) to provide a smoking cessation service. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this procurement or any subsequent award.
This is a notice of intention to make an award to a new provider following a competitive process in accordance with Regulation 11 and Schedule 10 PSR.
Our vision is clear, we want to create Smokefree Generation. Local stop smoking service support, which is at the heart of communities is significant to achieving this ambition. The Council requires a service which is dynamic, and innovative, which can deliver a person-centred approach to support a wide range of people who, continue to smoke.
Through this contract, The Service(s) will have the scope and freedom, to deploy their expertise to develop a service which can meet the needs of a wide range of people. By offering a ‘Hub and Spoke’ model, they can be expected to provide a menu of quit support options, enabling choice for people who smoke, giving them the best chance of quitting. The Service will have the opportunity to focus their efforts for those who experience the most health, social and economic inequalities.
The Service includes specialist pathways for those with Substance misuse and poor mental health for example. Innovation Programmes to operate with target population and community innovation. Opportunity to develop county wide communication campaign to motivate quit attempts. Co-production, particularly with target group will be integral to ensuring the service remains fit for purpose to continually review and innovate the service for the lifetime of the contract.
The Service will have a key leadership role, in Oxfordshire Whole Systems approach to becoming smokefree. close partnership with a whole host of organisation, least of all Oxfordshire County Council, Integrated Care Board, Community and Voluntary sector. Partnership working is also key to delivering a dynamic and flexible service across the entire county, with ambition SAQD targets.
The Service has 6 core elements:
- Single point of access;
- delivering a high-quality specialist behaviour change support and access to evidence based quit aids;
- training and capacity building;
- community innovation projects – targeting priority groups;
- communication and digital innovation and insights gathering; and
- co-production for continuous innovation.
The Contract period will be up to 4 years, beginning on contract signature, and ending on 31 March 2029 (including mobilisation period). Delivery of the services is anticipated to commence on 1 July 2025, following the mobilisation period. Oxfordshire County Council have an option to extend the contract period by a further 2 years (to 31 March 2031).
The decision to award the contract was made by Ansaf Azhar - Director of Public Health and Communities, Oxfordshire County Council.
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: £5,847,750
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Oxfordshire County Council has invited tenders in accordance with Regulation 11 of The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (PSR) to provide a smoking cessation service. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this procurement or any subsequent award.
This is a notice of intention to make an award to a new provider following a competitive process in accordance with Regulation 11 and Schedule 10 PSR.
Our vision is clear, we want to create Smokefree Generation. Local stop smoking service support, which is at the heart of communities is significant to achieving this ambition. The Council requires a service which is dynamic, and innovative, which can deliver a person-centred approach to support a wide range of people who, continue to smoke.
Through this contract, The Service(s) will have the scope and freedom, to deploy their expertise to develop a service which can meet the needs of a wide range of people. By offering a ‘Hub and Spoke’ model, they can be expected to provide a menu of quit support options, enabling choice for people who smoke, giving them the best chance of quitting. The Service will have the opportunity to focus their efforts for those who experience the most health, social and economic inequalities.
The Service includes specialist pathways for those with Substance misuse and poor mental health for example. Innovation Programmes to operate with target population and community innovation. Opportunity to develop county wide communication campaign to motivate quit attempts. Co-production, particularly with target group will be integral to ensuring the service remains fit for purpose to continually review and innovate the service for the lifetime of the contract.
The Service will have a key leadership role, in Oxfordshire Whole Systems approach to becoming smokefree, involving close partnership with a whole host of organisation, least of all Oxfordshire County Council, Integrated Care Board, Community and Voluntary sector. Partnership working is also key to delivering a dynamic and flexible service across the entire county, with ambition SAQD targets.
The Service has 6 core elements:
- Single point of access;
- delivering a high-quality specialist behaviour change support and access to evidence based quit aids;
- training and capacity building;
- community innovation projects – targeting priority groups;
- communication and digital innovation and insights gathering; and
- co-production for continuous innovation.
The Contract period will be up to 4 years, beginning on contract signature, and ending on 31 March 2029 (including mobilisation period). Delivery of the services is anticipated to commence on 1 July 2025, following the mobilisation period. Oxfordshire County Council have an option to extend the contract period by a further 2 years (to 31 March 2031).
The decision to award the contract was made by Ansaf Azhar - Director of Public Health and Communities, Oxfordshire County Council.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality & Innovation / Weighting: 20
Quality criterion - Name: Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability / Weighting: 8
Quality criterion - Name: Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities and Facilitating Choice / Weighting: 36
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 16
Cost criterion - Name: Value / Weighting: 20
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The Council has an option to extend the contract period unilaterally by up to 2 years in aggregate by giving the service provider 6 months written notice.
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
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: 2024/S 000-039672
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
11 April 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 5
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 4
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 5
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Solutions 4 Health Ltd
1 Thames Court, 2 Richfield Avenue
Reading
RG1 8EQ
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £5,730,796
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 standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by midnight on 29 April 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
Representations must be made in writing via the South East Business Portal e-tending portal which can be accessed via https://sebp.due-north.com/
The award decision maker for this procurement process is Ansaf Azhar - Director of Public Health and Communities.
The key criteria used for this procurement is as follows:
1.Quality and Innovation 20%
2. Improving access, reducing inequalities and facilitating choice 36%
3. Integration, collaboration and service sustainability 8%
4. Value 20%
5. Social Value 16%
All bids were assessed against the above key criteria by a tender evaluation panel. The chosen provider scored highest following the evaluation and a recommendation was made to the Director of Public Health and Communities, Ansaf Azhar to proceed with an intention to award to this provider. This recommendation was approved.
There was one potential conflict of interest recorded in relation to this procurement. A Commissioner who is a member of the evaluation panel received a Christmas food hamper from a tenderer during the tender response period. The potential conflict was managed by donating the hamper to a local food bank. The tenderer concerned is not the tenderer to whom the Council intends to award.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Independent Choice and Procurement Panel
Wellington House
London
SE1 8UG
Country
United Kingdom