Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings, 20, Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
staff.wellbeing@education.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
School Leaders' Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Package
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80000000 - Education and training services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Secretary of State for Education via Department for Education (the Authority) is undertaking a procurement to appoint a contractor for a single national (England) contract (the “Contract”), for the provision of a School Leaders' Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Package.
The Term of the Contract shall commence around September 2021 and expire on 31 March 2023, subject to earlier termination in accordance with the provisions of the Contract.
The Contract will require recruitment of and delivery of a programme of professional supervision to school leaders who are experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges through virtual or telephone-based peer support and one-to-one counselling.
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: £759,997
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Authority is seeking to appoint a Contractor to deliver a new mental health and wellbeing support
package for school leaders, from autumn 2021.
A pilot was set up in June 2020 to provide professional supervision, through online peer to peer support and
one to one telephone supervision, to school leaders. Following the completion of the pilot, the Department
is now introducing a longer term and larger scale support programme, which builds on evidence from the
pilot and aims to offer tailored mental health and wellbeing support to school leaders, in support of the
Department’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The successful Contractor shall deliver a programme of professional supervision to a minimum of 2,000
school leaders who are experiencing mental health and wellbeing challenges. The service shall be delivered,
as a minimum, through facilitated virtual or telephone-based peer support and one-to-one counselling.
The programme must be made available to state primary and secondary school leaders (deputy headteachers
and above) in England and prioritised to those with no existing access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) or equivalent.
The programme includes, but is not limited to the following main elements: a minimum of 2,000 school leaders to be supported via at least six sessions of either:
- an online peer support group programme, with the size of support group and length of session to be
determined by the successful Contractor. This should be delivered by experienced, qualified coaches who
have an accredited coaching qualification, and ideally, experience of group facilitation in school-based
settings.
Or,
- online/telephone one to one counselling, with the length of sessions determined by the successful
Contractor. This should be delivered by British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or UK
Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) registered counsellors, or equivalent.
As set out in the tender documents, the Authority expects to award the Contract from September 2021, and
the relevant exit activities to have completed by March 2023.
The maximum estimated total contract value is anticipated to be up to £760,000 (excluding VAT). Annual
funding for the programme (subject to internal DfE approval) will not exceed £380,000.
Interested organisations are referred to the procurement documents for further information on the
description of the procurement, the Contract and the Authority’s needs and requirements.
two.2.5) Award criteria
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
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2021/S 000-014462
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
12034
Title
School Leaders' Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Package
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
1 November 2021
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 8
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Education Support Partnership
London
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £759,997
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
1. The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 apply to this procurement (the “Regulations”). The Authority is
using the Open Procedure in accordance with Regulation 27 of the Regulations. Services of the nature of
those covered by this procurement are designated as “Schedule 3” Services (the Social and Other Specific
Services) under the Regulations and as such are not subject to the full requirements of the Regulations. The
Authority is only bound by the application of the Regulations to the extent that they are applicable to
Schedule 3 services. The procurement is covered by Regulations 74 to 76 (the Light Touch Regime).
2. Interested economic operators (Applicants) are required to register on the Authority’s e-tendering portal.
Applicants can access this system at https://education.app.jaggaer.com where the details of how to register
and the terms of free registration are provided.
3. Applicants are referred to the Procurement Documents accompanying this Find a Tender Service Contract
Notice for additional information on this procurement and in relation to this Find a Tender Service Contract
Notice.
4. The Authority reserves the right to withdraw from or discontinue the procurement process, which shall
include the right to not award as a result of this call for competition.
5. Tenders and all supporting documentation for the contracts must be in English and priced in sterling.
6. HM Government requires that contracts awarded by Government Departments with a value exceeding
10000 GBP are published online (http://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). The Authority may use its discretion
to redact information to protect key commercial interests or on prescribed grounds (see Procurement
Documents).
7. The Authority will not be liable for any bid costs, expenditure, work or effort incurred by an Applicant in
proceeding or participating in this procurement, including if the procurement process is terminated or
amended by the Authority.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court
London
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The Authority will incorporate a voluntary minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of the Contract is communicated to tenderers. Applicants who are unsuccessful shall be informed by the Authority as soon as possible after the decision has been made as to the reasons why the Applicant was unsuccessful. If any clarification regarding the award of the Contract has not been
successfully resolved, The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No. 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by breach of the rules to take legal action.
Any such action must be brought within the applicable limitation period. Where a contract has not been entered into, the Court may order the setting aside of the award decision or order the Authority to amend any document and may award damages.
If a contract has been entered into the Court may, depending on the circumstances, award damages, make a declaration of ineffectiveness, order the Authority to pay a fine, and/or order that the duration of the contract be shortened. The purpose of the voluntary standstill period referred to above is to allow the parties to apply to the Courts to set aside the award decision before the Contract is entered into.