Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board
Phoenix House, Christopher Martin Rd,
Basildon
SS14 3HG
Contact
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH3 - Essex
National registration number
99E
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.uk
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Mental Health Core Services (TT & PT SMHP) for NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (Intention to Award PSR)
Reference number
ACE-0796-2025
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This Intention to Award Notice is issued in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 under the competitive process. The Procurement relates to the Invitation to Tender (competitive process) for the provision of Mental Health Core Services (TT & PTSMHP) in Mid and South Essex.
The Authority has undertaken a full evaluation and assessment of the compliant bid submissions received as part of this competitive process, which were evaluated in line with the procurement documentation published within the Competitive Process Overview (CPO). The contract award criteria are specified in the procurement documentation and CPO. As a result of this, the Authority intends to award the proposed Contract for the Service to the Provider that achieved the highest technical and commercial scores across the key criteria used.
The purpose of this competitive process was for the Authority to secure a suitably qualified provider to deliver this Mental Health Core Services across Mid and South Essex.
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: £55,879,469 / Highest offer: £92,503,175 taken into consideration
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
Main site or place of performance
Mid and South Essex Health Economy
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This Intention to Award Notice is issued in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 under the competitive process. The Procurement relates to the Invitation to Tender (competitive process) for the provision of Mental Health Core Services (TT & PTSMHP) in Mid and South Essex.
The Authority has undertaken a full evaluation and assessment of the compliant bid submissions received as part of this competitive process, which were evaluated in line with the procurement documentation published within the Competitive Process Overview (CPO). The contract award criteria are specified in the procurement documentation and CPO. As a result of this, the Authority intends to award the proposed Contract for the Service to the Provider that achieved the highest technical and commercial scores across the key criteria used.
The purpose of this competitive process was for the Authority to secure a suitably qualified provider to deliver this Mental Health Core Services across Mid and South Essex.
The scope of the requirement associated with this process has been developed by the Authority. The full details of the scope of the services are set out within Document 3 – Service Specification.
The new service will provide a single provision for NHS Talking Therapies and Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems across Mid and South Essex, ensuring that patients are seen by the right person, at the right time and on the correct pathway.
The aims and objectives for delivery of the Service include:
• Improving the health of our population and reducing health inequalities, by ensuring improved patient outcomes with a focus on quality of delivery across the ICS.
• Ensure patients have equitable offer across the board, while encouraging partnership working amongst organisations across the system.
• Enhance productivity and value for money, by reducing administration time, duplication, and overall management costs.
The total proposed aggregate value of the contract (including extensions) as advertised in the Find a Tender Service (FTS) is £92,503,175. The financial envelope which acts as an affordability cap for the purposes of the Process is £55,879,469 over the three-year term.
The service that this notice relates is within scope of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). The Authority is bound only by the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: PSR Key Criteria 1 - Quality and Innovation / Weighting: 38.00%
Quality criterion - Name: PSR Key Criteria 2 - Value / Weighting: 7.20%
Quality criterion - Name: PSR Key Criteria 3 - Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability / Weighting: 21.00%
Quality criterion - Name: PSR Key Criteria 4 - Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities and Facilitating Choice / Weighting: 15.00%
Quality criterion - Name: PSR Key Criteria 5 - Social Value / Weighting: 9.00%
Cost criterion - Name: Price (Commercial Offer Template) / Weighting: 10
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Option to extend for a maximum of 24 months
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
The service that this notice relates is within scope of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). The Authority is bound only by the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.
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: No
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2025/S 000-007732
Section five. Award of contract
Title
Proposed contract for provision of ‘Mental Health Core Services’
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
2 May 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Vita Health Solutions Ltd
3 Dorset Rise,
London
EC4Y 8EN
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKH - East of England
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Lowest offer: £55,879,469 / Highest offer: £92,503,175 taken into consideration
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
Please note that this form has a mandatory minimum requirement for at least '1' to be marked against the below statements. The true number should be read as '0'.
Section V Award of Contract:
V.2.2) Information about tenders:
- Number of tenders received from SMEs: '0'
- Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: '0'
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 Authority intends to award a NHS Standard Contract for the provision of Mental Health Core Services for Mid and South Essex.
In line with the regulations, the Authority will observe the standstill period from Thursday 08th May 2025 until midnight Tuesday 20th May 2025. Representations by Providers must be made to the Authority by Tuesday 20th May 2025, this can be made via email to cariad.burgess@attain.co.uk.
Please note that this contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award a contract under the competitive process of the PSR. Attain is conducting this process as agent for and on behalf of the Authority.
DECISION MAKING PROCESS:
The selected provider was selected due to achieving the highest scores across the key criteria used. The provider has been assessed and passed against the relevant key criteria.
Basic Selection Criteria was set out in the procurement documentation, the Selection Questionnaire (SQ) and were scored Pass/Fail. The Key Criteria was:
The selected provider was selected due to achieving the highest scores across the key criteria used. The provider has been assessed and passed against the relevant key criteria. As outlined in the procurement documentation, the key criteria contained Technical Questions. The raw weighting and applied weightings have been assigned per Key Criterion in accordance with its relative importance in line the assessment of this tender process as determined by NHS MSE ICB. The Key Criteria was:
- PSR Key Criteria 1 - Quality and Innovation - 42.00% Raw Weighting (out of 100%) / 37.80% Weighting (out of 90%)
- PSR Key Criteria 2 - Value - 8.00% Raw Weighting (out of 100%) / 7.20% Weighting (out of 90%)
- PSR Key Criteria 3 - Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability - 23.00% Raw Weighting (out of 100%) / 20.70% Weighting (out of 90%)
- PSR Key Criteria 4 - Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities and Facilitating Choice - 17.00% Raw Weighting (out of 100%) / 15.30% Weighting (out of 90%)
- PSR Key Criteria 5 - Social Value - 10.00% Raw Weighting (out of 100%) / 9.00% Weighting (out of 90%)
The decision to award this procurement has been taken by the following approval committees at NHS MSE ICB:
NHS MSE ICB Board. Working and Decision-Making Group. There were no conflicts of interest identified among the procurement project group members approving the award of the procurement.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board
Phoenix House, Christopher Martin Rd,
Basildon
SS14 3HG
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board
Phoenix House, Christopher Martin Rd,
Basildon
SS14 3HG
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
Representations must be made to the relevant Authority at the email address indicated in section V1.3 by Tuesday 20th May 2025 and should clearly articulate any suspected breach in the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). This will then be reviewed by the Authority's PSR Representation Review Panel.
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board
Phoenix House, Christopher Martin Rd,
Basildon
SS14 3HG
Country
United Kingdom