Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Integrated Care Board (ICB)
BRISTOL
Contact
Jamie MacKay
Telephone
+44 7
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKK11 - Bristol, City of
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
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
Crisis Text Services to South West NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs)
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to inform the market of NHS ICB's in the South West of England, (the Commissioner's), intention to commission a 24/7 text messaging support service. The Commissioner would like to understand the level of provider interest in delivering these services.
The service will support people at times of crisis and be evidenced as able to support people who are or may be:
• Highly anxious or stressed
• Depressed or in a heightened emotional state
• Suicidal or at risk of harm to themselves
The overall aim of the service will be to offer an alternative to people who may not use telephone services to access emergency support, and to provide a digital platform to offer support and escalation, signpost to existing local services that takes into account waiting lists and referral pathways and works in harmony with local services. The service will reduce the number of people reaching crisis and need for further more intensive support.
Whilst NHS BNSSG ICB is putting this PIN forward, the full list of ICBs working collaboratively to consider these services and their individual estimate annual budgets are as follows:
- NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB (£66k p/a)
- NHS Devon ICB (£141k p/a)
- NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) ICB (£88k p/a)
- NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) ICB (£116k p/a)
- NHS Dorset ICB (£87k p/a)
- NHS Gloucestershire ICB (£66k p/a)
- NHS Somerset ICB (£94k p/a)
This means a combined estimated annual value of £658,000. At this time the ICBs are considering contract terms of up to 3 years, so a total estimated opportunity value of £1,974,000 (over 3 years). These figures are early estimates and are liable to change.
The Commissioners are looking for expressions of interest from providers who have the capability and capacity to deliver the requirement, as well as responses to some general market engagement questions. This information will used by the Commissioners to inform their next steps.
The deadline to register your interest is 12:00 Tuesday 17th December 2024.
This exercise is being managed by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKK - South West (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to inform the market of NHS ICB's in the South West of England, (the Commissioner's), intention to commission a 24/7 text messaging support service. The Commissioner would like to understand the level of provider interest in delivering these services.
The service will support people at times of crisis and be evidenced as able to support people who are or may be:
• Highly anxious or stressed
• Depressed or in a heightened emotional state
• Suicidal or at risk of harm to themselves
The overall aim of the service will be to offer an alternative to people who may not use telephone services to access emergency support, and to provide a digital platform to offer support and escalation, signpost to existing local services that takes into account waiting lists and referral pathways and works in harmony with local services. The service will reduce the number of people reaching crisis and need for further more intensive support.
Outcomes are expected to include:
• Support provided directly
• Referral to services that can support locally
• Sharing of information and self-help tools where appropriate
• Identification of serious risk of harm and escalation to emergency services when required
• Support for people with known and ongoing mental health issues including serious mental health and personality disorders
The service provider will need to offer a consistent 24/7 service across the 7 South West England ICBs, and work in each of the 7 Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) to establish the required local pathways and escalation measures as required.
As this is a new service area providers will be expected to provide activity reports and thematic analysis of usage including reasons for service use, onward referrals and service outcomes as much as is possible. This information will then support decisions around longer term funding.
Whilst NHS BNSSG ICB is putting this PIN forward, the full list of ICBs working collaboratively to consider these services and their individual estimate annual budgets are as follows:
- NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB (£66k p/a)
- NHS Devon ICB (£141k p/a)
- NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) ICB (£88k p/a)
- NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) ICB (£116k p/a)
- NHS Dorset ICB (£87k p/a)
- NHS Gloucestershire ICB (£66k p/a)
- NHS Somerset ICB (£94k p/a)
This means a combined estimated annual value of £658,000. At this time the ICBs are considering contract terms of up to 3 years, so a total estimated opportunity value of £1,974,000 (over 3 years). These figures are early estimates and are liable to change.
The Commissioners are looking for expressions of interest from providers who have the capability and capacity to deliver the requirement, as well as responses to some general market engagement questions. This information will used by the Commissioners to inform their next steps.
Full detail of the envisaged service specification is available once you have registered on Atamis and located the opportunity.
TUPE does not apply.
The deadline to register your interest is 12:00 Tuesday 17th December 2024.
This exercise is being managed by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.
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).
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
31 March 2025
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit the Authority or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. The Authority will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise.
Interested providers will be able to view this opportunity via the live opportunities list on the 'Health Family' e-procurement system, Atamis. Click on 'View our Live Opportunities' from the home page, available on the following link: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome.
Once you have found the opportunity (via the search function, using the title or reference number), to gain full access to the relevant information and market engagement questionnaire, you will need to click on 'Register interest' - this will take you to the log-in page.
If you are not already registered on the system, you will need to do so before gaining full access to the documentation and to be able to submit your expression of interest and market engagement questionnaire.
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).
Any future tendering process will be 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 will run a transparent tender process, treating all Bidders equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services.