Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Cambridgeshire County Council
New Shire Hall Emery Crescent Enterprise Campus,
Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon
PE284YE
sarah.fuller@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH12 - Cambridgeshire CC
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/
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
25061 Support for Families: Wellbeing in Education
Reference number
25061
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85323000 - Community health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Support for Families: Wellbeing in Education
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: £400,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH12 - Cambridgeshire CC
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The service is to provide a system-wide approach to support for families of children and young people who have difficulty attending school due to mental health issues. The funds will be primarily focused to support education settings in Cambridgeshire that do not currently benefit from having mental health support teams; to build and/or re-ignite relationships between families and education or health services where appropriate to improve health outcomes.
Cambridgeshire County Council is intending to award a contract to an existing provider following direct award process C of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR).
The approximate lifetime value of the contract is £400,000.
The estimated start date of the service is 01/08/2025 until 31/07/2027.
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 - Weighting: 0
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: 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 or Procurement Act 2023 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 the relevant authority by 23 July 2025. 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: Yes
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
11 July 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Nessie in ED CIC
Kjar Senior Site, Garden Walk
Royston
SG8 7JH
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
Companies House
11719406
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £400,000
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 or the Procurement Act 2023 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 23 July 2025. You can make representations by emailing sarah.fuller@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
Decision-maker: Patrick Warren-Higgs - Executive Director of Adults, Health and Commissioning.
No conflicts of interest declared.
Key criteria:
Quality & innovation - 50%. This weighting reflects the importance of the service delivery model and outcomes, as well as innovation. Since the service inception in April 2024, the provider has significantly strengthened the systemic capacity to support children and young people. Qualitative feedback from CYP, parents, and school professionals highlights emotional relief, increased understanding, and improved engagement with services. There is quantitative evidence of the good outputs that have been achieved in the first year of the service. The provider plans to continue this work. They have also identified several themes that they are committed to tackling going forward to further improve the service.
Value: 30%. After considerable investigation and scrutiny, a maximum budget has been agreed with CCC leadership governance. This has been mapped against expected outcomes as detailed within the service specification e.g. staffing structure. Throughout 2024-25, Nessie have delivered on budget, reporting to expected deadlines every quarter. They will be expected to adhere to agreed KPIs, regular performance and financial monitoring, and meet required insurance thresholds as set out in the contract terms and conditions
Integration, collaboration and service sustainability - 5%. Nessie have brought together over 25 local partners regularly who each work with CYP and families with emotional-based school avoidance, to identify commonalities, develop and improve pathways and access, reduce waiting lists, and improve CYP outcomes. They have built strong lasting relationships and stakeholder networks with partners, to signpost, refer, and work alongside to better improve the local system. They are already building stronger links with relevant partners by developing more seamless referral routes. They will also work alongside the re-organisation of Mental Health Support Teams in Schools, as they move from 50% to 100% coverage of schools by 2029/30.
Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice - 5%. KPIs are focussed on reducing health inequalities and improving access e.g. Number of Schools contacted and engaged without a Mental Health Support Team; No. of CYP supported. Nessie has performed well against these. Nessie plan to have more focus on those CYP not in mainstream education i.e. alternative provision, home elected learners, NEET etc. They will continue to collect and apply extensive demographic and needs-based data to guide future practice.
Social value - 10%. Weighting in line with the council's guidance on social value. As projected in their original submission bid, Nessie have recruited locally and upskilled the local workforce. Environmental factors have been considered, including car sharing, online services where possible to reduce carbon footprint and promoting recycling. The nature of this type of service shows a commitment to tackling health inequalities and improving the health outcomes of our CYP as a not-for-profit enterprise. Nessie have committed to continuing to deliver the above and will be required to adhere to agreed KPIs.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
N/A
N/A
Country
United Kingdom