Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
London Borough of Brent
Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way
Wembley
HA9 0FJ
Contact
Brent Corporate Procurement
Telephone
+44 2089373615
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI - London
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
Provision of Integrated Treatment, Recovery Wellbeing and Substance Misuse Service (PSR Direct award route C)
Reference number
DN769585
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Council has a contract titled Integrated Treatment Recovery Wellbeing and Substance Misuse Service.
The Integrated Treatment Recovery Wellbeing and Substance Misuse Service is provided by Via Care (formerly WDP - Westminster Drugs Project).
The services delivers against the key priorities outlined in 2021 National Drug Strategy: From Harm to Hope and this includes Clinical Prescribing including relapse prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services, Care Planned Counselling service and Recovery Day Programme, Outreach and Engagement, Criminal Justice Interventions and Young Persons Early Intervention and Prevention Services.
The Contract formally expired on 31 March 2024 although contractual arrangements with the Council have continued with Via on the same basis since 1 April 2024 whilst Officers considered the most appropriate approach to procurement.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Lowest offer: £4,857,964 / Highest offer: £9,715,964 taken into consideration
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI - London
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Council has a contract titled Integrated Treatment Recovery Wellbeing and Substance Misuse Service.
The Integrated Treatment Recovery Wellbeing and Substance Misuse Service is provided by Via Care (formerly WDP - Westminster Drugs Project).
The service delivers against the key priorities outlined in 2021 National Drug Strategy: From Harm to Hope and this includes Clinical Prescribing including relapse prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services, Care Planned Counselling service and Recovery Day Programme, Outreach and Engagement, Criminal Justice Interventions and Young Persons Early Intervention and Prevention Services.
The Contract formally expired on 31 March 2024 although contractual arrangements with the Council have continued with Via on the same basis since 1 April 2024 whilst Officers considered the most appropriate approach to procurement.
Total contract value depends on continuation of central government funding streams in 25/26.
The contract start date was 1 December 2024.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: The existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard / 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:
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 decision makers by 14/05/2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
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
12 November 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
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: 0
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Via Community Ltd
Passmores House, Third Avenue, Harlow
Essex
CM18 6YL
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKI - London
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Lowest offer: £4,857,964 / Highest offer: £9,715,964 taken into consideration
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
Written representations should be sent to procurement@brent.gov.uk
Details of the award decision-makers - Brent Cabinet resolved to approve the direct award a contract in respect of contract for the provision of Integrated Treatment, Recovery Wellbeing and Substance Misuse Service to the provider Via Community Ltd for 1 year 4 months.
https://democracy.brent.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=71270
Note any declared conflicts or potential conflicts of interest of individuals making the decision and how these were managed - There are no identified conflicts of interest. A report was prepared by the Officer recommending the award and the decision was made and taken by the Council's Cabinet.
Relative importance of the key criteria that the relevant authority used to make a decision - The existing provider was assessed against key criteria which were equally weighted and the provider scored satisfactorily against the assessed criteria as set out below.
Assessment of the existing provider's current performance against the existing contract taking into account the established key criteria:
Quality and innovation: - meets expectation - The provider exceeded the targets for Numbers in Structured Treatment and Opiate completions Targets set out in the 23/24 as set out in the Borough Plan. The service continues to record no waiting times for the service and retention rates are well above the national average for opiates, alcohol and non opiates and alcohol and local performance is highlighted through the National Drug Treatment Drug Monitoring service (NDTMS).
Value: - Meets expectations - Throughout the duration of the contract the service provider has responded to the needs of some of the boroughs most challenging and vulnerable residents many presenting with a range of health and social care needs including blood born viruses, engagement with the criminal justice system and social isolation and works within budget and resources available. The provider is currently working with Public Health, Police, Housing and Community Safety to ensure that those released on the released early from prison are linked into clinical treatment services.
Integration, collaboration and service sustainability: - Meets expectations - The provider is working with key stakeholders across health, social care, housing, the criminal justice system and the police in Brent to improve residents directly impacted by problematic drug and alcohol misuse. The provider is partnering with local services at an operational level by delivering services within Housing, Probation and the Magistrates Courts, Police Custody Suites, satellite services to Family Wellbeing Centres and services working with rough sleepers and street homeless.
Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice: - Meets expectations - The provider works in collaboration with the commissioner and Public Health leads to increase access into services for key vulnerable groups. These have been highlighted in the service specification and outcomes which are provided through the monthly contract reports.
Social value: - Meets expectations - The provider provides outreach and support for wider public health services and works with the boroughs most social excluded and vulnerable residents and provides additional support through the Individual Placement Support Programmes and Capital Card Scheme. The provider employs 40% of its staff from Brent and across North West London.
Rationale for choosing the provider with reference to the key criteria: A direct award for one year and four months is to reflect the availability of current grants. Public Health anticipates that the Government will develop a new national drug strategy as a result of the comprehensive review to be undertaken. A new national policy direction may require public health commissioning to consider a new service model. While this is being coproduced with services users and partners, existing grants will be maintained for a further 12 months from 1 April 2025.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
THE MAYOR AND BURGESSES OF THE LONDON BOROUGH OF BRENT
Brent Civic Centre Engineers Way
Wembley
HA9 0FJ
Country
United Kingdom