Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group
Civic Offices 2nd Floor, New Road
Grays
RM17 6SL
Contact
Amy Wilson
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKH3 - Essex
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.thurrockccg.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 Support Teams in Mid and South Essex
Reference number
ACE-0416-2020-ALC
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85100000 - Health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This is a voluntary ex ante transparency notice and is intended to provide notice of NHS Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), NHS Basildon & Brentwood CCG, NHS Castle Point and Rochford CCG, NHS Southend CCG, NHS Thurrock CCG ("the CCG's) intention to award a contract commencing 1st January 2022 that will expiring on 31st December 2024.
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: £3,404,847
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
Main site or place of performance
Mid and South Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This is a voluntary ex ante transparency notice and is intended to provide notice of NHS Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), NHS Basildon & Brentwood CCG, NHS Castle Point and Rochford CCG, NHS Southend CCG, NHS Thurrock CCG ("the CCG's) intention to award a contract to existing CYP MH Service Provider (NELFT) for the provision of Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) in Mid and South Essex.
Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) are new services designed to support mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in and around schools and colleges. The teams were described in Transforming children and young people's mental health provision: a Green Paper and they are a key element of the ambitions set out in the NHS Long Term Plan.
The CCGs are developing a multi-year trajectory and a regional plan for future MHST waves (Waves 5 , 7 and 9) from 2022 to 2024 in accordance with NHSE's "Transforming Children and Young People's Mental Health Provision Green Paper". A further six teams are being allocated to Mid and South Essex and the proposed total aggregate contract value is £3,404,847.
NHSE have decided nationally to move away from the current annualised bidding process for funding relating to Mental Health Support Teams that CCG's had to undertake previously, to a multi-year approach. This was to ensure the NHS achieve at least 20-25% coverage nationally by 2023/24 in line with the proposals within the in "Transforming Children and Young People's Mental Health Provision Green Paper".
Additionally, it means that the NHS can take a longer-term view and thus:
• Ensure more equitable coverage across (& within Regions)
• It will allow local areas more time to plan and prepare for future waves e.g. engaging with key partners locally at an earlier stage.
• It will support local systems and regions transition MHSTs to 'business as usual' in preparation for the expected continuation and expansion of roll out of MHSTs beyond 2023/24.
NHSE/I's 'Delivery Support Pack' for CCG's stated in the operating principles that as part of the funding being awarded, MHSTs should be additional to, and integrated with, existing support. The CCGs were expected in their funding application to reflect how the MHST offer is integrated with the existing local offer. NHSE/I set a clear expectation that a broad coalition of partners spanning a range of education settings, local authorities including public health, the voluntary sector, Higher Education Institutions (HEI's) and local providers collaborate with CCGs in steering and supporting local implementation.
In light of considerable mobilisation risks associated with any transfer of service, and the ambitious timescales mandated by NHSE/I, the CCGs decided that the best solution to ensure that children and young people in Mid and South Essex continue to benefit from MHST is to integrate with the CYP MH provider, who is uniquely placed to successfully deliver MHST and its future expansion programme, within the mandated timescales. As such the CCGs propose to observe a 10-day standstill from the date of publication of this VEAT, prior to awarding a contract to NELFT for the provision of MHST wavs 5, 7 and 9, service delivery commencing 1st January 2022 - until 31st Dec 2024.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 100
Price - Weighting: 0
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
two.2.14) Additional information
The Service to which this procurement relates fall within Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as amended by as amended by The Public Procurement (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, (the "Regulations"). As such, the Contracting Authority does not intend to hold itself bound by any of the Regulations, save those applicable to Schedule 3 Services.
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Negotiated without a prior call for competition
- The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
- absence of competition for technical reasons
Explanation:
The delivery timescales mandated by NHSE/I in relation to successfully bidding for and then subsequently implementing waves 5, 7 and 9 MHST were ambitious, reflecting the importance attached to further roll out of MHST as a key component of the Mental Health offer for children and young people. In accordance with this national process, early 2021, regions were expected to engage with local systems to develop multi-year trajectories and plans, working with their respective Sustainable Transformation Partnerships or Integrated Care Systems to develop plans for the delivery of MHSTs across waves 5, 7 and 9 their area, with support from NHSEI, DfE & HEE throughout.
In April 2021, the regional trajectories and delivery plans were shared with National team, who conducted an assessment and assurance of such multi-year trajectories and plans. From May 2021 onwards; the regions mobilised the future waves of MHSTs that they have been granted via fair share allocation, through the process. This includes the beginning of MHST workforce recruitment and regions mobilising the new MHSTs with a national support offer. Whilst it is stated that each Region can determine what approach they take to deliver the requirements, there is a clear expectation that regional plans will be developed collaboratively with key partners, overseen by a Multi-Agency Working Group who will make the decision about where future teams are placed.
NHSE/I's 'Delivery Support Pack' for CCG's stated in the operating principles that as part of the funding being awarded, MHSTs should be additional to, and integrated with, existing support. The CCGs were expected in their funding application to reflect how the MHST offer is integrated with the existing local offer. NHSE/I set a clear expectation that a broad coalition of partners spanning a range of education settings, local authorities including public health, the voluntary sector, Higher Education Institutions (HEI's) and local providers collaborate with CCGs in steering and supporting local implementation.
There are significant mobilisation risks, particularly around workforce recruitment and training to secure competent staff at the appropriate levels of seniority to successfully deliver waves 5, 7 and 9 of the MHST in Mid and South Essex. The scale of work includes; working in partnership with HEE and HEI's to deliver a capable workforce, recruiting staff to teams, supporting staff through training, ensuring the ability to mobilise the appropriate blend of clinical and administrative personnel to deliver MHST, ensuring clear and appropriate local governance of MHSTs, ensuring integration with other elements of the local offer, and working in partnership with Regional Implementation Teams (DfE) and the wider education system to ensure education settings are engaged and ready to receive MHSTs and their service.
In light of these risks and the ambitious timescales mandated by NHSE/I, the CCGs deem that the time limits for the open or restricted procedures or competitive with negotiated procedure cannot be complied with. Even if a provider were identified via an accelerated procurement procedure, there would be insufficient time to complete a robust contract mobilisation involving critical mobilisation risks, particularly around workforce recruitment and training, to meet the delivery trajectory. If the CCGs cannot meet this timeline, there is an unacceptable risk that mid and south Essex will be removed as an area from the NHSE/I pilot scheme and funding will be lost, meaning MHST cannot be delivered in mid and south Essex.
The CCGs decided to integrate with the existing CYP MH provider, who is uniquely placed and the only technically capable provider to successfully deliver MHST and its future expansion programme, within the mandated timescales. As such the CCGs propose to award a contract to NELFT for the provision of MHST commencing 1st April 2022.
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/concession
Title
Mental Health Support Teams in Mid and South Essex
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
19 October 2021
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
NELFT NHS Foundation Trust
CEME Centre - West Wing Marsh Way
Rainham
RM13 8GQ
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKH3 - Essex
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £3,404,847
five.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The Contracting Authorities participating in the publication of this VEAT and the award of the contract communicated herein are:
NHS Basildon & Brentwood Clinical Commissioning Group
Phoenix House, Christopher Martin Road
Basildon
SS14 3HG
https://basildonandbrentwoodccg.nhs.uk/
NHS Castle Point and Rochford Clinical Commissioning Group
Pearl House, 12 Castle Road
Rayleigh
SS6 7QF
https://castlepointandrochfordccg.nhs.uk/
NHS Southend Clinical Commissioning Group
6th Floor, Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue
Southend-on-Sea
SS1 9SB
NHS Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group
Wren House, Colchester Road
Chelmsford
CM2 5PF
NHS Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group
Wren House, Colchester Road
Chelmsford
CM2 5PF
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court of Justice of England and Wales
Stand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom