Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS England North West Region
Liverpool
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKD - North West (England)
NHS Organisation Data Service
Q84
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
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
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
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
NHSE1054 L&D and RECONNECT Services, Enhanced RECONNECT Services and MH Treatment Requirement Services
Reference number
NHSE1054
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85323000 - Community health services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
North of England Commissioning Support (NECS) is a commissioning support service working for and on behalf of NHS England - North West (the Relevant Authority), who are undertaking a competition to commission Liaison and Diversion and Reconnect Services, Enhanced Reconnect Services and Mental Health Treatment Requirement Services for Lancashire and Cumbria under the NHS Standard Contract.
Liaison and Diversion Services - Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services aim to provide early intervention for vulnerable people as they come to the attention of the criminal justice system. L&D services provide a prompt response to concerns raised by the police, probation service, youth offending teams or court staff, and provide critical information to decision-makers in the justice system, in real time, when it comes to charging and sentencing these vulnerable people.
Reconnect and Enhanced Reconnect Services - RECONNECT seeks to improve the continuity of care of vulnerable people leaving prison by working with them before they leave and support their transition to community-based services, thereby safeguarding health gains made whilst in prison. RECONNECT services aim to improve the wellbeing of people leaving prison, reduce inequalities and address health-related drivers of offending behaviours.
The Enhanced RECONNECT (ER) service builds upon the RECONNECT programme as an enhanced pathway of care. The ER service will work in collaboration with partners, including those from across government to ensure that individuals that have been identified as high risk to the public and have complex health needs that may impact on their risk of reoffending. This may include, but is not limited to, violent and sexual offenders, terrorist act offenses and those at risk of terrorism. This risk must be related to a health need.
Mental Health Treatment Requirement Services - Three Community Sentence Treatment Requirements (CSTRs) were introduced in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 as many offenders experience mental health and substance misuse issues that are proven to underpin their offending behaviour. Treatment requirements offer courts an alternative to custodial sentences (especially short custodial sentences) and seek to prevent reoffending, by addressing the underlying vulnerabilities.
This specification will be focusing on the provision of Primary Care MHTRs. Primary Care MHTRs provide assessment, treatment, and interventions for those whose mental health issues don't cross the threshold of secondary care services, but also may present with additional health, social care, and substance misuse issues.
This service provides a clinical assessment and therapeutic pathway of support for those whose offence crosses the community order threshold, including secondary care MHTRs which may also be combined with either an Alcohol Treatment Requirement (ATR) or Drug Rehabilitation Requirement (DRR).
Services will be delivered in Lots:
Lot 1 will be the Liaison and Diversion and RECONNECT contract
Lot 2 will be the Enhanced RECONNECT contract
Lot 3 will be the Mental Health Treatment Requirement Services contract.
The contract terms for Lot 1 and Lot 3 are for 5 years commencing on 01 April 2026, with an option to extend for a further 3 years at the discretion of the Relevant Authority and subject to satisfactory contractual and financial performance.
Lot 2 is a fixed term 1-year contract, with effect from 01 April 2026.
All contracts are existing contracts.
The deadline for submission of competition responses is 12 noon on 01 October 2025.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 3
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Liaison and Diversion and RECONNECT
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services aim to provide early intervention for vulnerable people as they come to the attention of the criminal justice system. L&D services provide a prompt response to concerns raised by the police, probation service, youth offending teams or court staff, and provide critical information to decision-makers in the justice system, in real time, when it comes to charging and sentencing these vulnerable people.
RECONNECT seeks to improve the continuity of care of vulnerable people leaving prison by working with them before they leave and support their transition to community-based services, thereby safeguarding health gains made whilst in prison. RECONNECT services aim to improve the wellbeing of people leaving prison, reduce inequalities and address health-related drivers of offending behaviours.
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract Notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Healthcare Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Regulations 2024 (Procurement Act 2023) and/ or Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award.
The closing date for submission of competition response is by 12 noon on 01 October 2025.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality and Innovation / Weighting: 25
Quality criterion - Name: Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability / Weighting: 30
Quality criterion - Name: Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities and Facilitating Choice / Weighting: 20
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Cost criterion - Name: Finance / Weighting: 15
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £4,156,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 April 2026
End date
31 March 2034
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The contract term for Lot 1 is 5 years, with effect from 01 April 2026, with the option to extend for a further 3 years, subject to satisfactory financial and contractual performance and at the discretion of the Relevant Authority.
two.2.14) Additional information
The Provider Response Documentation includes the contract award criteria, including the agreed relative importance of key criteria (for example, weightings apportioned to questions within the key criteria) against which responses will be evaluated. The providers will be assessed against the relevant 5 key criteria.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 2 - Enhanced RECONNECT
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85100000 - Health services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Enhanced RECONNECT (ER) service builds upon the RECONNECT programme as an enhanced pathway of care. The ER service will work in collaboration with partners, including those from across government to ensure that individuals that have been identified as high risk to the public and have complex health needs that may impact on their risk of reoffending. This may include, but is not limited to, violent and sexual offenders, terrorist act offenses and those at risk of terrorism. This risk must be related to a health need.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality and Innovation / Weighting: 25
Quality criterion - Name: Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability / Weighting: 30
Quality criterion - Name: Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities and Facilitating Choice / Weighting: 20
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Cost criterion - Name: Finance / Weighting: 15
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £620,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 April 2026
End date
31 March 2027
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.14) Additional information
The Provider Response Documentation includes the contract award criteria, including the agreed relative importance of key criteria (for example, weightings apportioned to questions within the key criteria) against which responses will be evaluated. The providers will be assessed against the relevant 5 key criteria.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 3 - Mental Health Treatment Requirement
Lot No
3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85121270 - Psychiatrist or psychologist services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Three Community Sentence Treatment Requirements (CSTRs) were introduced in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 as many offenders experience mental health and substance misuse issues that are proven to underpin their offending behaviour.
Treatment requirements offer courts an alternative to custodial sentences (especially short custodial sentences) and seek to prevent reoffending, by addressing the underlying vulnerabilities.
This specification will be focusing on the provision of Primary Care MHTRs
Primary Care MHTRs provide assessment, treatment, and interventions for those whose mental health issues don't cross the threshold of secondary care services, but also may present with additional health, social care, and substance misuse issues.
This service provides a clinical assessment and therapeutic pathway of support for those whose offence crosses the community order threshold, including secondary care MHTRs which may also be combined with either an Alcohol Treatment Requirement (ATR) or Drug Rehabilitation Requirement (DRR).
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality and Innovation / Weighting: 25
Quality criterion - Name: Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability / Weighting: 30
Quality criterion - Name: Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities and Facilitating Choice / Weighting: 20
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Cost criterion - Name: Finance / Weighting: 15
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £710,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 April 2026
End date
31 March 2034
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The contract term for Lot 3 is 5 years, with effect from 01 April 2026, with the option to extend for a further 3 years, subject to satisfactory financial and contractual performance and at the discretion of the Relevant Authority.
two.2.14) Additional information
The Provider Response Documentation includes the contract award criteria, including the agreed relative importance of key criteria (for example, weightings apportioned to questions within the key criteria) against which responses will be evaluated. The providers will be assessed against the relevant 5 key criteria.
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
1 October 2025
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
1 October 2025
Local time
1:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.3) Additional information
NECS is utilising an electronic tendering tool to manage this competition and communicate with potential providers. Accordingly, there will be no hard copy documents issued to potential providers and all communications with NECS, including response submissions, will be conducted via the Atamis portal at: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome. It is free to register on the portal and it can be accessed at any time of day providing you have a working internet connection. Should providers have any queries, or are having problems registering on the portal; they should contact the Atamis helpdesk via:
Support-health@Atamis.co.uk or phone number 0800 0988201
The helpdesk is open Monday - Friday between 08.00 am - 06.00 pm.
The "Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006" as amended by the "Collective Redundancies and Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) (Amendment) Regulation 2014" (TUPE) may apply to these contracts. Providers are advised to obtain their own legal advice and carry out due diligence including the New Fair Deal non-statutory policy setting out how pensions issues are to be dealt with when staff are compulsorily transferred from the public sector to independent providers delivering public services.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
NHS England - North West Region
Liverpool
Country
United Kingdom