Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Portsmouth City Council
Civic Offices, Guildhall Square
Portsmouth
PO12AL
cscplacementteam@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ31 - Portsmouth
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/
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
Breastfeeding Peer Support Service
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85140000 - Miscellaneous health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Breastfeeding Network Service provide a community-based service, adopting multi-faceted approaches in order to improve breastfeeding initiation and prevalence rates in Portsmouth, therefore supporting a reduction in health inequalities. The service contributes to promoting a social and cultural shift where breastfeeding is recognised as the conventional way to feed an infant.
Their team of peer supporters and volunteers are in place to support mothers and expectant mothers throughout their breastfeeding journey and support with the many different factors and techniques involved, inclusive of Combination feeding, expressing, exclusively breastfeeding, chest-feeding, newborn stage, toddler stage, ending the breastfeeding journey and debriefing feelings about a previous journey.
Type of services provide by BfN
Community Groups - These are all drop-in groups, running throughout the week at various locations across the city.
Online support - This involves 1:1 support via Zoom from a trained Breastfeeding Network peer support volunteer.
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: £76,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ31 - Portsmouth
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This notice is confirmation of an award being made due to an urgent circumstance.
Currently the Breastfeeding Network (BfN) is subcontracted under Home-Start Portsmouth through a consortium arrangement, with Home-Start being the consortium lead. This arrangement was put in place via an open tender in 2023 and aligned with Portsmouth plans in relation to the Government funded Family Hub and Best Start for Life offer. The initial term of these Contracts was for 33 months, and are due to terminate 31st March 2025, however, the services were to be extended year on year dependent on the government's intention to continue to fund the Council for this programme.
The DfE have only recently confirmed that the Council will continue to be funded for this service for the 25/26 financial year, and there has been a severely limited timeframe to allocate funds to the appropriate service streams that all fall under this programme.
This consortium arrangement is unable to continue, therefore the decision has been taken to award a short term contract directly with the BfN to ensure minimum disruption to quality of service.
The Public Health Directorate are due to take over and manage these services later in the year, with the aim of awarding their own contract via PSR process by 1st September 2025.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Address immediate risks to safety and quality of care / Weighting: 100
Price - Weighting: 0
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The contract has been awarded for a five month period with the option to extend up to a maximum twelve month period.
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
- Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority
Explanation:
The Provider Selection Regime recognises that there are limited occasions where relevant authorities may need to act urgently and award or modify contracts to address immediate risks to patient or public safety.
These circumstances include where:
• urgent quality/safety concerns pose risks to patients or the public and necessitate rapid changes
In the view of the Council the contract award was urgent due to the above circumstance. It is acknowledged that the discontinuation of such services will pose risks from a quality viewpoint, as BfN provide crucial peer and online support for the benefit of service users' mental health, social health, and relationships with their babies/toddlers/young children
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
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
27 March 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
The Breastfeeding Network
Edinburgh
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKM - Scotland
Scottish Charity Register
SC330639
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: £76,000
Total value of the contract/lot: £76,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This contract has been awarded under the urgent circumstances provision of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR).This contract has been awarded under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 or the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award.
The decision makers for this contract were the Integrated Children's Commissioning Team.
No conflicts of interest were identified as part of this exercise.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Independent Patient Choice & Procurement Panel
London
Country
United Kingdom