Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
Trust Headquarters, Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Ethelbert Road
Canterbury
CT1 3NG
Contact
Senior Category Manager - Corporate (C326841)
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ44 - East Kent
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's 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
Provision of an Independent Freedom to Speak Up Guardian Service
Reference number
C326841
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79414000 - Human resources management consultancy services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
2gether Support Solutions is looking to award a three year contract on behalf of the Contracting Authority for the provision of a tailored, including direct contact with staff, Independent and Confidential Freedom to Speak Up Guardian Service.
It is 2gether Support Solutions consideration that The Guardian Service Ltd. is the most suitable, and sole, provider of these services within the United Kingdom.
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: £617,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79633000 - Staff development services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ44 - East Kent
Main site or place of performance
Contracting Authority's hospital sites across East Kent.
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
2gether Support Solutions is looking to award a three year contract on behalf of the Contracting Authority for the provision of a tailored, including direct contact with staff, Independent and Confidential Freedom to Speak Up Guardian Service.
It is 2gether Support Solutions consideration that The Guardian Service Ltd. is the most suitable, and sole, provider of these services within the United Kingdom.
The service is to provide information and emotional support in a strictly confidential and non-judgemental manner. The one-to-one nature of the service is a fundamental foundation of the service, providing personal contact in contrast to an online, email or drop box approach. The service is focused on the individual, helping them to articulate their concern and decide what action they wish to take. The service does not offer advice, legal or otherwise. The purpose is to help the individual articulate their concerns, understand what options exist in resolving their concern and helping them reach their own decision as what to do. The service does not make recommendations but offers support as an independent facilitator principle where two parties to a concern wish to meet and where the reporting staff member seeks this support. This is not a mediation service, but an independent facilitation of the meeting. With the agreement of the staff member, the service provider should escalate the issue in line with agreed parameters, bringing the issue to the attention of the appropriate Executive or management team member.
If you think that your organisation is competent, suitably experienced and appropriately qualified to deliver such a service, then you may approach 2gether Support Solutions and express your interest in being considered. Your must submit information against a questionnaire (containing both basic selection and key criteria) against project reference C326841_Provision of an Independent Freedom to Speak Up Guardian Service within the e-Tendering portal.
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
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:
It is 2gether Support Solutions consideration that The Guardian Service Ltd. is the most suitable, and sole, provider of these services within the United Kingdom.
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
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
18 December 2024
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
The Guardian Service Ltd.
14 Grays Inn Rd
London
WC1X 8HN
contact@theguardianservice.co.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
09030131
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: £617,000
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £617,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
2gether Support Solutions is issuing this F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice in accordance with Regulation 99 of The Public Contract Regulations 2015 to inform the market of the Contracting Authority's intention to enter into a contract with The Guardian Service Ltd. for the provision of these services.
This notice will be published for at least 10 days.
If you think that your organisation is competent, suitably experienced and appropriately qualified to deliver such a service, then you may approach 2gether Support Solutions and express your interest in being considered. To register on the Health Family Single eCommercial System e-tendering portal:
If you have not accessed the portal before you will need to click Register from the landing page and complete the required form.
1) Register on the portal webpage https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome. Please note that registration and use of the website is free of charge.
2) Once registered, to search for tendering opportunities that have been published, click 'Find Opportunities'; and
3) From the Find Opportunities page, click on the title of an opportunity. If the tendering project is at the stage where it is open for suppliers to express interest, you will be able to click 'Register Interest'.
For technical support in submitting your Expression of Interest or registering on the ‘Atamis Electronic Sourcing system please contact the Atamis helpdesk via email: support@atamis.co.uk.
All communications from providers should come through the Atamis portal. Strictly no other forms of communication to 2gether Support Solutions or the Trust will be accepted (including telephone calls, postal queries/submissions, faxes or email communications) during this period.
2gether Support Solutions are aware of our transparency obligations under The Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Please note for those expressing an interest for these services, doing so does not guarantee that you will not be required to register for any future procurement activities and you should not rely on your response to this notice as confirmation that 2gether Support Solutions will proceed further with either this, or other such, activities.
2gether Support Solutions reserves the right not to proceed with the award of the contract.
Neither 2gether Support Solutions nor the Trust shall be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by any provider in connection with the completion and return of the information requested in this intended approach notice or in completion, or submission, of any response, irrespective of the outcome of the process if the process is cancelled or postponed for whatever reason.
All dates, timescales and values specified in this intended approach notice are provisional and 2gether Support Solutions reserves the right to change these.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
2Gether Support Solutions Limited
William Harvey Hospital, Kennington Road, Ashford
Kent
TN24 0LZ
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.2gethersupportsolutions.org/
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
2Gether Support Solutions Limited
William Harvey Hospital, Kennington Road, Ashford
Kent
TN24 0LZ
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.2gethersupportsolutions.org/
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
2Gether Support Solutions Limited
William Harvey Hospital, Kennington Road, Ashford
Kent
TN24 0LZ
Country
United Kingdom