Scope
Reference
DN787538
Description
Sefton Council provides an occupational health service to its employees which it also extends to its Schools, Academies and local organisations through SLA agreements.
The Council currently purchases a variety of occupational health services in relation to its conditions of service, pension provision, statutory requirements, more specific requirements of health and safety legislation and national health strategies as they apply.
The numbers of staff employed by the Council fluctuates with seasonal, casual and temporary staff, but accounting for these fluctuations the total number of employees including schools can be in the region of circa 8,000. Occupational Health Providers are now invited to tender for the provision of services to the Council.
The Council is prepared to consider more than one Contractor so it can ensure its overall provision is as cost effective and flexible as necessary to meet its continually changing operational needs. Consequently, the contract is separated into 3 Lots:
1) Occupational Health Physician and Occupational Health Advisor
2) Physiotherapy
3) Counselling and Psychotherapy / CBT / Trauma-based Therapy
Providers can bid for single or multiple lots.
Total value (estimated)
- £1,074,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2027
- Possible extension to 31 December 2029
- 4 years
Description of possible extension:
There will be 2 x 12 month extensions which will be exercised if the chosen provider(s) performs to the required standards and costs remain within budget.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85100000 - Health services
Contract locations
- UKD73 - Sefton
Lot 1. Occupational Health Physician and Occupational Health Adviser
Description
(a) OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH PHYSICIAN based at OH Unit, Magdalen House, Bootle, 1 day per week, plus
(b) OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH PHYSICIAN based at Hawthorne Road, Bootle, 1 day per fortnight, plus
(c) OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH ADVISER based at Hawthorne Road, Bootle, 1 day per fortnight
Practice standards will be in accordance with the British Medical Association, General Medical Council and Faculty of Occupational Medicine's Guidelines.
The Contractor will be required to:
1) Provide medical reports to managers, using a template report provided by Sefton, within a mutually agreed timescale. These will need to be accurate, unambiguous, provide clear and practical advice, and address fitness for work, health concerns and the requirements as determined by the Equality Act 2010. These should be prepared in accordance with the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988 and made available immediately following medical consultation with the employee.
2) Provide advice that will, allowing for the constraints of medical confidentiality, contain all relevant information that will assist managers to make effective and accurate decisions with regard to:
- an individual's fitness to work,
- where determinable, work related or not,
- reasonable adjustments and suitable assistance in the workplace,
- appropriate changes in work duties,
- reasonable alterations to conditions of employment, etc
- potential for redeployment or ill health retirement
Estimated annual Sessions 1800
Lot value (estimated)
- £604,800 including VAT
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. Physiotherapy
Description
Providing advice that will, allowing for the constraints of medical confidentiality, contain all relevant information that will assist managers to make effective and accurate decisions with regard to:
a) an individual's fitness to work,
b) reasonable adjustments and suitable assistance in the workplace,
c) appropriate changes in work duties,
d) reasonable alterations to conditions of employment, etc.
Estimated volume 250 sessions per year
Lot value (estimated)
- £151,200 including VAT
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 3. Counselling and Psychotherapy / CBT / Trauma-based Therapy
Description
As described in the Tender Documents
The service will be provided as a minimum for at least one day each week for 50 weeks per annum.
Sessions would normally run between 0900 and 1700 however the Council will be prepared to discuss alternatives if greater flexibility is needed.
Approximately 580 Sessions per year
Lot value (estimated)
- £318,000 including VAT
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
Lot 1. Occupational Health Physician and Occupational Health Adviser
Lot 2. Physiotherapy
Lot 3. Counselling and Psychotherapy / CBT / Trauma-based Therapy
As stated in the tender documents
Technical ability conditions of participation
Lot 1. Occupational Health Physician and Occupational Health Adviser
Lot 2. Physiotherapy
Lot 3. Counselling and Psychotherapy / CBT / Trauma-based Therapy
As stated in the tender documents
Particular suitability
Lot 1. Occupational Health Physician and Occupational Health Adviser
Lot 2. Physiotherapy
Lot 3. Counselling and Psychotherapy / CBT / Trauma-based Therapy
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
8 September 2025, 12:00pm
Submission type
Tenders
Tender submission deadline
15 September 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
14 November 2025
Recurring procurement
Publication date of next tender notice (estimated): 1 August 2029
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Price | 55% | |
| Quality and Method Statements | Written Submission |
Quality | 30% |
| Interview | Quality | 15% |
Other information
Description of risks to contract performance
1. Increase in the number of Occupational Health referrals requiring access to the service. The capacity within the contract must enable us to respond to increased demand. This area is of strategic importance to to the Service, so it is high risk. We need the ability to respond by expanding the contract.
2. Possible changes to legislation or policy.
3. The use of Artificial Intelligence will require clear oversight and governance of any use and possible amendments to contractual terms.
4. The emergence of yet unidentified risks to health or associated with future roles undertaken by Council employees to which there has been no Health and Safety assessments carried out.
5. The occurrence of traumatic events which could have a significant impact on the mental health of Council employees.
6. Possible requirement to provide services outside of proposed contractual hours as a result of specific demand yet unidentified.
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Competitive flexible procedure description
For those bidders that meet the Conditions of Participation, there will be a 2 stage award process.
Stage 2i will comprise of a written submission in response to various Quality and Method Statement questions plus a price submission. The responses to each Quality and Method Statement queston will be scored (0 - 5) according to the Table on Page 35 by a panel of assessors taken from Sefton Council. A moderation process will take place to determine an agreed score for each submission.
For each Lot up to a maximum of two bidders submitting the highest scoring bids based on quality and price will then be taken through to Stage 2ii of the award process subject to those bidders being able to promote their bid to a successful position with the marks remaining for Stage 2ii of the award process
Stage 2ii of the process will comprise of an interview with a panel consisting of members of Sefton Council's Occupational Health and HR departments. The interview will consist of a series of set questions to which the interviewee will be expected to respond to. The questions will NOT be made available to bidders prior to the interview.
Contracting authority
Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PTHP-5656-DLCN
Bootle Town Hall
Bootle
L20 7AE
United Kingdom
Email: cdp@sefton.gov.uk
Website: http://sefton.gov.uk
Region: UKD73 - Sefton
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government