Scope
Reference
002213
Description
Durham County Council are seeking a provider to deliver a specialist stop smoking support service for people who live / work in County Durham, which comprises of evidence-based interventions including behavioural support and access to pharmacotherapy to support quit attempts.
The service is to offer support that includes dedicated Stop Smoking Advisors (Level 3 provision) - responsible for direct support to key target groups.
The Provider will be responsible for a coordinated approach to delivery of stop smoking support including but not limited to:
•Promotion of services through the coordination and management of effective marketing and communications strategies.
•Development and maintenance of local referral pathways and networks across a range of services including primary and secondary care within the NHS.
•Direct provision of specialist stop-smoking support for targeted groups and people with complex needs.
•Management, payment and coordination of universal stop smoking support provision (Level 2).
•Provision of the recruitment, training, support and resource for the Vape + and NRT + offer (Level 1.5).
•Sub-contract of the Smokefree App, or equivalent in consultation with commissioners, to ensure that there is a coordinated regional approach to app-based support to compliment behavioural support for those in service, but also to provide self-support for those who are not ready or do not feel that traditional stop smoking service support is for them.
•Training of stop smoking support providers.
•Building capacity of the wider health and social care workforce (Primary Care Networks, acute trust, mental health trust), and voluntary and community sector in very brief advice.
•Contribution to place-based and settings work facilitated by Public Health.
•Development of and access to self-help support, including, but not limited to the Smokefree App.
•Coordination and management of data collection for the quarterly submissions to the Department of Health and Social Care.
•Management of referrals and allocation to the correct advisor.
•Membership of the Tobacco Control Alliance.
•Supply a case management system from Year 2 of the contract.
This Invitation to Bid (ITB) is issued under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (Competitive Process) and is including a preferred supplier negotiation stage with the first ranked bidder.
The highest scoring Supplier for will be invited to engage in further discussions with the Council as part of a preferred supplier stage. This stage will be used to finalise the agreed service delivery. It is expected that the following matters will be discussed as part of this stage, noting that the Council reserves the right to amend this list as required:
• Service delivery
• Staffing
• Pricing including Management Overheads
• County Durham Approach to Wellbeing
• Case Management System
• Smoke Free App
• Invoicing frequency
• IT Policies and Practices
Please note, for the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this opportunity.
Total value (estimated)
- £10,000,000 excluding VAT
- £10,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029
- Possible extension to 31 March 2032
- 6 years
Description of possible extension:
The proposed contract is to be let with an option to extend for a further 3 periods of 12 months each from the actual end date subject to funding and commissioner approval.
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
*Funding for these services is reliant upon the continued availability of funds from the Council's Public Health core budget. Funding amounts and sources are uncertain over the contract term, including available extensions, and therefore DCC may need to invoke either contract extensions, modifications or termination as permitted under the relevant sections of the contract terms and conditions.
At the Council's discretion, should the Council acquire further funding, including from different sources, additional services may be required and may differ to that detailed in the Specification but will fall under the remit or compliment delivery of stop smoking services.
The Council reserves the right to apply inflationary uplifts to the contract value at its sole discretion and will be based upon the availability of funding and commissioning priorities.
The Council reserves the right to modify the contract specification if new legislation and/or guidance regarding stop smoking services is published by the Government and or Governing Bodies.
The case management system must meet the essential requirements of Appendix B, as a minimum however, please note, Appendix B requirements may change subject to policy, legislation and future needs and should be reviewed with commissioners before proceeding.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
Contract locations
- UKC14 - Durham CC
Submission
Enquiry deadline
12 November 2025, 10:00am
Tender submission deadline
21 November 2025, 10:00am
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
9 December 2025
Recurring procurement
Publication date of next tender notice (estimated): 1 October 2031
Award criteria
| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| Contract Specific Essential Criteria and Technical Questions | Quality |
Weighting description
Contract Specific Essential Criteria - Pass / Fail Criteria
Technical Questions - 100%
Pricing - Pass / Fail Criteria
For full details access please access tender documents free of charge at www.open-uk.org
Other information
Payment terms
This opportunity is under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt the Procurement Act 2023 does not apply to this opportunity.
Description of risks to contract performance
Funding for these services is reliant upon the continued availability of funds from the Council's Public Health core budget. Funding amounts and sources are uncertain over the contract term, including available extensions, and therefore DCC may need to invoke either contract extensions, modifications or termination as permitted under the relevant sections of the contract terms and conditions.
At the Council's discretion, should the Council acquire further funding, including from different sources, additional services may be required and may differ to that detailed in the Specification but will fall under the remit or compliment delivery of stop smoking services.
The Council reserves the right to apply inflationary uplifts to the contract value at its sole discretion and will be based upon the availability of funding and commissioning priorities.
The Council reserves the right to modify the contract specification if new legislation and/or guidance regarding stop smoking services is published by the Government and or Governing Bodies.
The case management system must meet the essential requirements of Appendix B, as a minimum however, please note, Appendix B requirements may change subject to policy, legislation and future needs and should be reviewed with commissioners before proceeding.
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Justification for not publishing a preliminary market engagement notice
This opportunity is under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt the Procurement Act 2023 does not apply to this opportunity.
Documents
Associated tender documents
http://www.open-uk.org
tender documents can be accessed free of charge at www.open-uk.org and searching on Smokefree County Durham.
Contracting authority
Durham County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PMPB-8772-VYWM
Corten House, Dunholme Close
Durham
DH1 5WB
United Kingdom
Email: corporate.procurement@durham.gov.uk
Website: http://www.durham.gov.uk/
Region: UKC14 - Durham CC
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government