Contract

Sexual Assault and Abuse Therapy Service in Swindon and Wiltshire

  • NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board

F21: Social and other specific services – public contracts (contract award notice)

Notice identifier: 2023/S 000-019684

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-03956c

Published 10 July 2023, 5:39pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board

Jenner House, Unit E3, Langley Park, Avon Way

Chippenham

SN15 1GG

Contact

Hannah Morley

Email

Scwcsu.procurement@nhs.net

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKK1 - Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.bsw.icb.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

Sexual Assault and Abuse Therapy Service in Swindon and Wiltshire

Reference number

C120485

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 85100000 - Health services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board sought to commission a Sexual Assault and Abuse Therapy Service to deliver high quality specialist counselling for children and young people and adults residing in Swindon and Wiltshire who have experienced historical or recent sexual abuse.

The commissioner sought an experienced provider to deliver an innovative and effective service that will promote and protect the mental health of survivors of rape and/or sexual abuse that occurred at any time in their lives through the provision of therapeutic interventions that responds to complex trauma and diverse needs.

The contract has been awarded to FearLess. The contract term will be 6 years, with a total contract value of £1,310,956.69.

Commissioners reserve the right to add funding to the contract over its duration to accommodate service development measures or initiatives, up to an equivalent value of the original contract. For the avoidance of doubt, this would mean an annual contract value of, for example, £440k per annum and a consequent increase in the overall contract value.

The new service is due to commence on 1st October 2023.

This procurement has been carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner(s).

The project reference number for this opportunity is C120485, (previously C99873).

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: £1,314,000

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 85100000 - Health services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKK1 - Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board sought to commission a Sexual Assault and Abuse Therapy Service to deliver high quality specialist counselling for children and young people and adults residing in Swindon and Wiltshire who have experienced historical or recent sexual abuse.

The commissioner sought an experienced provider to deliver an innovative and effective service that will promote and protect the mental health of survivors of rape and/or sexual abuse that occurred at any time in their lives through the provision of therapeutic interventions that responds to complex trauma and diverse needs.

The aims and objectives include but not limited to:

• Provide a range of therapeutic interventions to respond to diverse needs and presentations of children, young people and adults, including those with complex trauma and learning disabilities. This may also include for example befriending, peer support, psychoeducation, brief interventions, creative therapies, counselling, EMDR.

• Provide group sessions to develop a range of self-help tools, which could include mindfulness, grounding, managing triggers. flashbacks and nightmares, communication skills, psychoeducation around the impact of trauma.

• When there is sufficient demand, to offer specific pre-counselling groups such as LGBT+ and students.

• Flexible, timely and responsive services which can fluctuate to changes in demand. At times, individuals may not be ready to engage in therapeutic interventions and services will need to respond and ensure contact is maintained with the individual pending their agreement to engage.

• Use of a 'trauma lens' - trauma informed approaches integrated into organisational policy and practice.

• Choice of gender of therapist (wherever possible).

• The number of trauma-focused one-to-one counselling sessions agreed and reviewed reflecting rate of progression and response to therapy.

• Missed sessions not to be an indicator for discharge without discussion with service user.

• Provision of services within dedicated premises and via remote platforms (by telephone or online), according to service user preference.

• Ensure planned endings of therapy by assessing readiness, acknowledging the relationship and service user's resilience to prevent dependencies on service.

• Service should be provided regardless of involvement (or not) in a criminal justice process

The contract has been awarded to FearLess. The contract term will be 6 years, with a total contract value of £1,310,956.69.

Commissioners reserve the right to add funding to the contract over its duration to accommodate service development measures or initiatives, up to an equivalent value of the original contract. For the avoidance of doubt, this would mean an annual contract value of, for example, £440k per annum and a consequent increase in the overall contract value.

The new service is due to commence on 1st October 2023.

This procurement has been carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner(s).

The project reference number for this opportunity is C120485, (previously C99873).

two.2.14) Additional information

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but are instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Form of procedure

Open procedure

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number: 2023/S 000-000333


Section five. Award of contract

Title

Sexual Assault and Abuse Therapy Service in Swindon and Wiltshire

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

25 May 2023

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 3

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 2

Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

FearLess

Oak House, Epsom Square, White Horse Business Park

Trowbridge

BA14 0XG

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKK1 - Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area
Charity Commission (England and Wales)

1064764

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £1,314,000

Total value of the contract/lot: £1,310,956.69


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but are instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).

The tendering process has been conducted in accordance with the requirements and flexibilities provided by Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations. The Authority ran a transparent tender process, treating all Bidders equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services.

Neither the inclusion of a selection stage, nor the use of any language or terms found in the Directive or Regulations, nor the description of the procedure voluntarily adopted by the Authority ("Open", "Restricted", "Competitive Procedure with Negotiation", "Competitive Dialogue" or any other description), nor any other indication, shall be taken to mean that the Authority intends to hold itself bound by the Directive or Regulations, save by the provisions applicable to services coming within the scope of Annex XIV of the Directive / Schedule 3 of the Regulations.

The Contracting Authority has voluntarily observed the award decision notices provisions and held a 10 day standstill period as described in Regulation 87 of the Regulations.