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
UKI72 - Brent
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
Integrated Treatment Recovery Wellbeing and Substance Misuse Service 2026 - 2029 (PSR Direct award route C)
Reference number
DN804395
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health 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 current contract will expire on 31/03/2026.
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: £12,055,520
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85100000 - Health services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI72 - Brent
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Brent Council entered into a contract to provide substance misuse services under the Integrated Treatment Recovery Wellbeing and Substance Misuse Service (the “Contract”) with Westminster Drugs Project (now rebranded and renamed as VIA Community Ltd from 14/11/2024 for 2 years with the current contract due to expire on 31/03/2026.
The Council is intending to award a contract an existing provider following direct award process C.
The approximate lifetime value of the contract is £12,055,520.
The dates between which the services are intended to be provided is 01/04/2026 - 31/03/2029.
The Integrated Treatment Recovery Wellbeing and Substance Misuse Service is provided by Via Community Ltd. The services deliver 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.
There is evidence that being in treatment has marked impacts on the wider health and social care economy, as well as on levels of offending. There continues to be a recognition that evidence-based drug and alcohol services support improvements in health, reduce drug and alcohol related deaths, reductions in blood borne viruses, improve relationships and reduced wider social harms. Substance misuse services in Brent have always been required to demonstrate to Public Health commissioning leads how they contribute to these wider societal agendas.
There is an extensive Treatment and Recovery offer available to Brent residents which is tailored according to individual health and social care needs in which all those who access the service have an individual care plan and a clinical assessment which will also include advice about health and wellbeing, regular one to one key working sessions, support groups weekend services as well as a range of education, training and employment programmes and opportunities for volunteering.
Increasing the numbers of Opiate and Crack user’s (OCU’s) in Structured Treatment and Recovery Services is a key policy priority for central government in its approach to reducing the wider harm to the community caused by drug (and alcohol related) crime and related anti-social behaviour. Increasing the number of OCU’s into the local structured treatment and recovery system will directly influence the level of funding for drug and alcohol services received by Brent through the Public Health Grant.
Via Community Ltd have continued to provide services outlined in the original contract and submissions to National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) through 24/25 and 25/26. They have continued to improve performance on key areas outlined in the 2021 National Drug Strategy: From Harm to Hope such as increasing the numbers in Structured Treatment and increasing the number of opiate and crack users into the local treatment and recovery system.
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:
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 decision makers by 20/03/2026. 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
Lot No
1
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
16 December 2025
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
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £12,055,520
Total value of the contract/lot: £12,055,520
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 decision makers by 20/03/2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
Written representations should be sent to Procurement@brent.gov.uk
Details of the award decision-makers - The decision was approved by Cabinet of the Council on 08/12/2025 and the decision can be found: https://democracy.brent.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?AIId=75104
Any declared conflicts - No conflict of interests declared
Key Criteria: Quality and Innovation - 15% , Value - 25 %, Integration collaboration and service sustainability 25% - improving access reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice - 15%, Social Value - 10%
Rationale for choosing the provider with reference to the key criteria:
Quality and Innovation - The provider will be able to satisfy the new contract to a sufficient standard.
• 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).
• The provider is collaborating with the commissioner on a range of projects that aims to make improvements to the treatment and recovery pathway and key areas of partnership working.
• The provider has been highly responsive on outreach provision and directing their resources to collaborate with police and community safety colleagues to respond to local community-based issues and resident concerns.
Value - The provider will be able to satisfy the new contract to a sufficient standard.
• The provider has signed up a range of additional requirements that contribute and add to the local delivery of the National Drug Strategy. This has included attracting additional funding for Fibroscan machine that detect liver damage and enables service users to be steered into treatment at earlier opportunity.
Integration collaboration and service sustainability - The provider will be able to satisfy the new contract to a sufficient standard.
• The provider supports good collaborative working which has resulted in supporting the work with B3 service users’ group and developing effective working with the Police, Probation, and the Prison service. This has resulted in new partnerships being developed across the borough such as Kilburn Stonebridge and Harlesden as well as Wembley.
Improving access reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice - The provider will be able to satisfy the new contract to a sufficient standard.
• The provider outlines new ways for the service to deliver support including online, and in group settings.
• The provider has been happy to re-align services for young people and women.
Social Value - The provider will be able to satisfy the new contract to a sufficient standard.
• Provider agreed to reprofile rough sleeper funding utilising money saved due to staff vacancies to provide more practical help for rough sleepers during the Severe Weather Engagement Protocol to include access to warm clothing and hot drinks.
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