Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board
Phoenix House, Christopher Martin Rd,
Basildon
SS14 3HG
Contact
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH3 - Essex
National registration number
99E
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.midandsouthessex.ics.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
Recovery Colleges for NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board
Reference number
ACE-0761-2024-MSE
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85323000 - Community health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This Intention to Award Notice is issued in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 under the Most Suitable Provider process. The Procurement relates to the Due Diligence assessment conducted for the provision of Recovery Colleges in Mid and South Essex. The Authority intends to award the Contract to the Provider that achieved the highest scores across the key criteria used.
This Recovery Colleges is from 01st April 2025 - 31st March 2028, with the option to extend for a further 24 months.
The aggregate contract value exclusive of extensions is £4,197,523 over the three-year contract term. The aggregate contract value inclusive of extensions, as published in Find a Tender Service, is £6,976,371 over the five-year contract term.
Recovery Colleges is a key mental health service provision commissioned by NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board for the patient population in MSE.
The Service has been historically commissioned under separate contractual arrangements held by the individual Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). The ICB was established on 1st April 2022, replacing the CCGs as the Contracting Authority. As a result, these contracts will now be subsumed into a single contract commissioned by the Contracting Authority.
The Services are currently delivered by three different providers through a multifaceted approach with differing offers across the system which is reflective of the previous CCG individual commissioning pathways, resulting in inequitable offers across the population of MSE, as well as no current offer in the Basildon and Brentwood locality. The ICB has proposed a single system-wide offer, to amalgamate all of the contracts for these services into one potential contract to support integration, reduce fragmentation of services and reduce the number of contracts that MSE ICB will need to manage going forward. This will enhance and improve outcomes to elicit patient safety and quality.
The Contracting Authority has worked with the three incumbent providers and is of the view that this cohort of existing providers have the necessary experience, knowledge and skills to offer a collaborative provision via a lead provider model. Recognition that the services will need to do more with less funding and recognising the benefits and efficiencies of doing things once. Providers will also need to share risk and invest in the service provision through this collaborative partnership.
The Contracting Authority intends to award a single contract to suitably, technically capable provider. In order to award a contract, the most suitable provider must have demonstrably satisfied the minimum Basic Selection Criteria, including financial and economical standing, satisfying the Key Criteria assessment and the commercial envelope. The awarded provider will be expected to share the risk, resources, capacity and to work collaboratively with the ICB.
SERVICE: Recovery Colleges support people with Mental Health Problems, their carers, and mental health staff, via adult-education-based approaches rather than clinical or therapeutic models. The key principles are that they are collaborative, strengths-based, person-centred, inclusive and community-focused. A peer support and recovery approach focuses on developing people’s strengths and enabling them to understand their own challenges and how they can best manage these to pursue their aspirations. Recovery Colleges are based on the principles of personal recovery in mental health, co-production between people with lived experience of mental health problems and professionals, and adult learning. Recovery Colleges serve people who use mental health services, with empirical evidence of benefit.
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: £6,976,371
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85323000 - Community health services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
Main site or place of performance
Mid and South Essex Health Economy
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This Intention to Award Notice is issued in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 under the Most Suitable Provider process. The Procurement relates to the Due Diligence assessment conducted for the provision of Recovery Colleges in Mid and South Essex. The Authority intends to award the Contract to the Provider that achieved the highest scores across the key criteria used.
This Recovery Colleges is from 01st April 2025 - 31st March 2028, with the option to extend for a further 24 months.
The aggregate contract value exclusive of extensions is £4,197,523 over the three-year contract term. The aggregate contract value inclusive of extensions, as published in Find a Tender Service, is £6,976,371 over the five-year contract term. This is an existing service (Recovery Colleges for Mid and South Essex) awarded to a known Provider (Inclusion Thurrock MPFT) on behalf of the Provider Partnership.
Recovery Colleges is a key mental health service provision commissioned by NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board for the patient population in MSE. The Service has been historically commissioned under separate contractual arrangements held by the individual Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). The ICB was established on 1st April 2022, replacing the CCGs as the Contracting Authority. As a result, these contracts will now be subsumed into a single contract commissioned by the Contracting Authority.
The Services are currently delivered by three different providers through a multifaceted approach with differing offers across the system which is reflective of the previous CCG individual commissioning pathways, resulting in inequitable offers across the population of MSE, as well as no current offer in the Basildon and Brentwood locality. The ICB has proposed a single system-wide offer, to amalgamate all of the contracts for these services into one potential contract to support integration, reduce fragmentation of services and reduce the number of contracts that MSE ICB will need to manage going forward. This will enhance and improve outcomes to elicit patient safety and quality.
The Contracting Authority has worked with the three incumbent providers and is of the view that this cohort of existing providers have the necessary experience, knowledge and skills to offer a collaborative provision via a lead provider model. Recognition that the services will need to do more with less funding and recognising the benefits and efficiencies of doing things once. Providers will also need to share risk and invest in the service provision through this collaborative partnership.
The Contracting Authority intends to award a single contract to suitably, technically capable provider. In order to award a contract, the most suitable provider must have demonstrably satisfied the minimum Basic Selection Criteria, including financial and economical standing, satisfying the Key Criteria assessment and the commercial envelope. The awarded provider will be expected to share the risk, resources, capacity and to work collaboratively with the ICB.
SERVICE: Recovery Colleges support people with Mental Health Problems, their carers, and mental health staff, via adult-education-based approaches rather than clinical or therapeutic models. The key principles are that they are collaborative, strengths-based, person-centred, inclusive and community-focused. A peer support and recovery approach focuses on developing people’s strengths and enabling them to understand their own challenges and how they can best manage these to pursue their aspirations. Recovery Colleges are based on the principles of personal recovery in mental health, co-production between people with lived experience of mental health problems and professionals, and adult learning. Recovery Colleges serve people who use mental health services, with empirical evidence of benefit.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: most suitable provider process with regard to the key criteria / Weighting: 100%
Cost criterion - Name: PSR Key Criteria 1 - Quality and Innovation / Weighting: 38
Cost criterion - Name: PSR Key Criteria 2 - Value / Weighting: 10
Cost criterion - Name: PSR Key Criteria 3 - Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability / Weighting: 26
Cost criterion - Name: PSR Key Criteria 4 - Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities and Facilitating Choice / Weighting: 16
Cost criterion - Name: PSR Key Criteria 5 - Social Value / Weighting: 10
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Option to extend for a further 24 months (from 1st April 2028 - 31st March 2023)
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
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 do not apply to this award.
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 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by 19th December 2024. 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: No
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2024/S 000-025855
Section five. Award of contract
Title
Recovery Colleges for Mid and South Essex
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
19 December 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Inclusion Thurrock (part of Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT)
Mellor House, Trust Headquarters, Corporation Street,
Stafford
ST16 3SR
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
Internet address
https://inclusionthurrock.org/
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £6,714,504
five.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract is likely to be subcontracted
Short description of the part of the contract to be subcontracted
This award is being made to Inclusion Thurrock (MPFT) as Lead Provider on behalf of the Provider Partnership for Recovery Colleges:
1. TrustLinks (47 Fairfax Dr, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 9AG) - Substantial Sub Contractor
2. Provide CIC (Business Park, 900 The Crescent, Highwoods, Colchester CO4 9YQ) - Substantial Sub Contractor
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 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by 02nd January 2025. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR. Attain has conducted this process as agent for and on behalf of the Authority. Any representations should be submitted via email to cariad.burgess@attain.co.uk (Cariad Burgess, Commercial Manager).
The decision to undertake and award this Most Suitable Provider process procurement approach of Recovery Colleges for Mid and South Essex was NHS MSE ICB Board. The decision to award this procurement has been taken by the following approval committees at NHS MSE ICB:
Working and Decision-Making Group. (19th December 2024). There were no conflicts of interest identified among the procurement project group members approving the award of the procurement.
Conflicts of interest identified among the Working and Decision Making Group: 0.The non-conflicted members have assessed the nature and risk of this conflict, and have decided which steps to take to avoid or manage it in line with the ICB's organisational process for identifying and managing COIs.
The selected provider was selected due to achieving the highest scores across the Key Criteria used. The provider has been assessed and passed against the relevant Key Criteria. The Key Criteria was:
PSR Key Criteria 1 - Quality and Innovation 38.00%
PSR Key Criteria 2 - Value 10.00%
PSR Key Criteria 3 - Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability 26.00%%
PSR Key Criteria 4 - Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities and Facilitating Choice 16.00%
PSR Key Criteria 5 - Social Value 10.00%
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court of Justice of England and Wales
Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board
Phoenix House, Christopher Martin Rd,
Basildon
SS14 3HG
Country
United Kingdom