Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board
Charter House, Parkway
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 6JL
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH23 - Hertfordshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://hertsandwestessex.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
Children & Young People's Therapeutic Health Based Coaching - Essex wide
Reference number
ACE-0666-2023-HWE
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 published to provide notice of the intention of the Contracting Authorities (as named within this notice) to award a contract to N.O.W is the Time for Change (NOW) for Children and Young People's Therapeutic Health Based Coaching across the Essex county footprint. NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (HWE ICB) are the lead commissioner for the service. NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (SNEE ICB) and NHS Mid & South Essex Integrated Care Board (MSE ICB) will be associates to the contract.
On 3rd February 20023, a procurement process was launched to identify a supplier to deliver the services. A contract was not awarded at the end of this process and therefore, to ensure continuity of care for patients, an emergency short-term contract was awarded to NOW as the incumbent supplier (reference: 2023/S 000-016932). This contract began on 1st April 2023 and is due to expire on 31st March 2024.
HWE ICB are now intending to award a further contract to NOW to continue to deliver the services. This contract will start on 1st April 2024 and will end on 31st March 2027 with the option to extend for a further 2-years to 31st March 2029.
The total cumulative spend until March 2024 will be £1,253,302 (excluding VAT and excluding the value of the proposed new contract).
The value of the new contract for a period of 3-years is £1,220,400 (£406,800 p/a excluding VAT) and may rise to £2,034,000 (excluding VAT) if the optional extension is enacted.
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: £2,034,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This is a Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice and is published to provide notice of the intention of the Contracting Authorities (as named within this notice) to award a contract to N.O.W is the Time for Change (NOW) for Children and Young People's Therapeutic Health Based Coaching across the Essex county footprint. NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (HWE ICB) are the lead commissioner for the service. NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (SNEE ICB) and NHS Mid & South Essex Integrated Care Board (MSE ICB) will be associates to the contract.
On 3rd February 20023, a procurement process was launched to identify a supplier to deliver the services. A contract was not awarded at the end of this process and therefore, to ensure continuity of care for patients, an emergency short-term contract was awarded to NOW as the incumbent supplier (reference: 2023/S 000-016932). This contract began on 1st April 2023 and is due to expire on 31st March 2024.
HWE ICB are now intending to award a further contract to NOW to continue to deliver the services. This contract will start on 1st April 2024 and will end on 31st March 2027 with the option to extend for a further 2-years to 31st March 2029.
The total cumulative spend until March 2024 will be £1,253,302 (excluding VAT and excluding the value of the proposed new contract).
The value of the new contract for a period of 3-years is £1,220,400 (£406,800 p/a excluding VAT) and may rise to £2,034,000 (excluding VAT) if the optional extension is enacted.
The Therapeutic Health Based Coaching Service will deliver support to parents and carers of children
and young people who live in Essex and who have been in contact with the Southend, Essex and
Thurrock Children's and Adolescent Mental Health Service (SET CAMHS) and are receiving treatment.
The service will deliver a Primary Schools Wellbeing Programme - specifically for primary school children teaching them the tools and techniques of mindfulness, stress reduction and emotional wellbeing through interactive workshops, as well as Therapeutic health-based coaching to improve emotional wellbeing and mental health of children young people and their families.
The service will also act as an additional support element for families who are experiencing anxiety, depression or require support in their current situation.
The key outcomes of the service are to:
• Provide therapeutic support to families who are facing the additional challenges of emotional wellbeing, anxiety, low mood etc. affecting a child or young person;
• Encourage communication between family members
• Explore any fears, anxieties, difficulty or distress
• Help with conflict and conflict resolution skills
• Help reduce feelings of isolation
• Identify and facilitate ways to address contributing factors in their daily lives
• Gain insight into, and explore strategies to improve, their situation
• Find practical solutions to the daily challenges
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 for those applicable to Public Contracts for social and other specific services listed in Schedule '3' of the Regulations (the "Light Touch" Regime).
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Option to extend for 2-years until 31st March 2029.
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
In line with best practice, The Authority will observe a 10-day standstill from the date of publication of this VEAT, during which the ICB will not enter into any contractual arrangement.
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:
In February 2023 a procurement process was undertaken in line with the Public Contract Regulations. This procurement process was unsuccessful and no contract was awarded. The incumbent provider, NOW, have been delivering the service under emergency arrangements to ensure continuity of service whilst the collaborative partnership agreed the next steps. The service delivered by NOW is delivering an excellent service for our children & young people and their families. The market has not moved since the procurement process was undertaken. Therefore, it is felt that it would not be the best use of public funding to conduct a further procurement process which will likely achieve the same outcome.
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
Children & Young People Therapeutic Health Based Coaching - Essex wide
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
27 November 2023
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
National Online Wellbeing Services Ltd T/A NOWs The Time for Change
Skyline Plaza, 1st Floor, 45 Victoria Avenue
Southend on Sea
SS2 6BB
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKH31 - Southend-on-Sea
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £2,034,000
five.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court of Justice England and Wales
The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board
Charter House, Parkway
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 6JL
Country
United Kingdom