Scope
Reference
WAR - 0004
Description
Warwickshire County Council (the Council) is seeking to award a single contract for the delivery of a Domestic Abuse Specialist Counselling and Therapy (DASCAT) Service for adults and children across Warwickshire. The service will provide specialist counselling and therapy to victim-survivors of domestic abuse, whether they are residing in safe/relevant accommodation or in their own homes (please see the Domestic Act 2021 for specification of safe/relevant accommodation).
The service is expected to support a minimum of 400 victim-survivors of domestic abuse annually, through a combination of 1:1 and group sessions. Of these, at least 300 individuals are expected to receive an average of 10 1:1 counselling/therapy sessions each.
The service will support both adult and child victim-survivors of domestic abuse. In line with the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, children are recognised as victims in their own right, entitled to protection, support, and recovery services tailored to their unique experiences and needs.
Current demand for the service suggests therapeutic interventions will be required for a minimum of 240 adult victim-survivors (60%) and 160 children/young people victim-survivors (40%) per year, with approximately half residing in safe/relevant accommodation.
The service will be delivered countywide, with a mix of face-to-face, online, and telephone-based support, and must be accessible across all five districts and boroughs. Delivery must be flexible to meet the needs of victim-survivors, including availability during evenings, weekends, and school holidays.
The Council intends to award this contract to one provider who can demonstrate the ability to deliver a high-quality, inclusive, and evidence-based counselling and therapy service. The service must be registered with or working towards accreditation with a recognised professional body (e.g. BACP, NCPS, UKCP) and be able to deliver a range of counselling and therapeutic interventions, that can be delivered through 1:1 and group sessions.
Aim of service
The primary aim of the service is to support victim-survivors of domestic abuse to recover and heal from their domestic abuse experiences, through the provision of a Domestic Abuse Specialist Counselling and Therapy Service. The service will seek to reduce the harmful impact of domestic abuse on victim-survivors' mental health and well-being.
Domestic abuse often leads to long-term physical injuries, chronic pain, and mental health conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Therapy can play a crucial role in preventing and addressing the harmful effects of domestic abuse by:
· Helping victim-survivors learn strategies to protect themselves and seek help before situations become more dangerous.
· Breaking the intergenerational cycle of trauma impact.
By engaging victim-survivors in effective therapeutic interventions to improve their wellbeing and provide trauma stabilisation, it is expected that the likelihood of intergenerational/transgenerational trauma on child victim-survivors will be consequentially reduced.
Survivors of domestic abuse are at a higher risk of suicide or self-harm due to the trauma they experience. Therapeutic Counselling provides a safe space to process emotions and develop healthier coping strategies.
Total value (estimated)
- £3,059,000 excluding VAT
- £3,671,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 June 2026 to 30 September 2029
- Possible extension to 1 October 2033
- 7 years, 4 months, 1 day
Description of possible extension:
The initial contract term will be for 3 years and 4 months however the Council reserves the right to extend the contract by further periods not exceeding 48 months (48 being the maximum available extension period) at the discretion of the Council based on the contract performance of the successful applicant.
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Development and adaptation of the service as detailed in the Specification.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
- 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services
Contract locations
- UKG13 - Warwickshire
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
See tender documetation.
Technical ability conditions of participation
See tender documentation.
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
23 October 2025, 5:00pm
Submission type
Tenders
Tender submission deadline
28 October 2025, 10:00am
Submission address and any special instructions
Warwickshire County Council will be using its new e-tendering system (In-Tend Warwickshire County Council) for the administration of this procurement process. Providers must register with the system to be able to express an interest and download documents. The web address for the portal is:
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/warwickshirecc/aspx/Home
Registration and use of our portal is free. When registering you will be re-directed to the In-Tend sell2midlands site. If you already registered and have issues logging in then you may need to re-set your password. You will need to select "Log in to portal" next to Warwickshire County Council.
All correspondence or clarifications relating to this procurement must be via the portals' correspondence function. If you are having trouble registering with the portal, please email us at: procurement@warwickshire.gov.uk
Providers must register on In-Tend and log in to our portal to express an interest in this project and to be able to correspond with us about this procurement.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
8 December 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | 90% with pass/fail threshold. |
Quality | 90% |
| Cost | 10% with pass/fail element. |
Cost | 10% |
Other information
Description of risks to contract performance
The satisfactory performance of the contract may be jeopardised by the following risks, which by their nature, are unable to be addressed in the contract as awarded:
• The changing needs and requirements of the Council and the changing demands placed on the Council by its customers. Increases or decreases in funding - such as reductions or additions in budget allocations as part of the Council's budget setting processes, or as a consequence of additional funding streams which were unknown at the time of awarding the contract, but which are provided to increase the volume and scope of services delivered
• Changes in legislation or national guidance
• Changes arising from the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021
• Changes arising from the Local Government Reorganisation
• The identification of additional service recipients, not originally captured by the scope of the contract e.g. (but not limited to) residents of another County Council area.
• Opportunities offered by emerging/new technologies.
Applicable trade agreements
- Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Competitive flexible procedure description
This procedure will be conducted in 6 stages. These stages are described in more detail in the tender documents:
Conditions of Participation, Stage 1 Mandatory Questions, Stage 2 Cost, Stage 3 Quality, Stage 4 Presentations/clarifications, Stage 5 Award. Applicants may be excluded at these stages.
Justification for not publishing a preliminary market engagement notice
Market engagement was carried out before the Procurement Act went live.
Contracting authority
Warwickshire County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDTN-5446-NMXW
Shire Hall
Warwick
CV34 4SA
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@warwickshire.gov.uk
Website: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk
Region: UKG13 - Warwickshire
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government