Scope
Description
Democratic Therapeutic Communities (DTCs) in His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) including Therapeutic Communities Plus (TC+) for offenders with Learning Disabilities (LD) are a recognised offending behaviour programme designed with the aim of reducing reoffending, some having been in existence within the prison system for more than 50 years. They form part of the National Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway, jointly commissioned between HMPPS and NHS England, offering a pathway of interventions for male and female offenders with complex needs.
There are currently 14 DTCs operating in the Prison Service; 11 of these delivering the DTC core model within five establishments; and three delivering the TC+ model.
DTCs in prisons aim to reduce re-offending through challenging offence-related risk factors. They address the interpersonal problems, attitudes, thinking and emotions of offenders and aim to engage in treatment those who also have additional emotional and psychological needs.
DTCs can provide intervention for offenders with impaired psychological functioning and seek to engage offenders who may not be suitable to undertake other accredited Offending Behaviour Programmes. They are an intensive intervention - prisoners will be expected to remain in therapy for at least 18 months and more likely for two years. Therefore, places in DTCs are normally reserved for offenders serving longer sentences, who have a higher likelihood of re-offending, or who are judged to present a high risk of harm to others.
DTCs have a strong evidence base underpinning their theoretical model of change that should be delivered in accordance with a set of manuals which have been accredited by the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel (CSAAP).
The prison DTCs participate in a mandatory integrated standards-based process of quality assurance processes. These processes require continued development to ensure an effective and appropriate means of measuring the therapeutic environment and the quality of the therapy delivered.
The MoJ requires a Supplier to design, develop, deliver and review an integrated standards-based audit and quality improvement process for all DTCs in HMPPS including TC+.
The service is to be delivered incorporating a full clinical audit, using specialist auditors, within each cycle that measures each DTC's compliance with the detailed and accredited operating models for reducing reoffending. This review process will provide a measure of the quality of the intervention as a DTC and its clinical integrity; additionally, it will provide an assessment of clinical performance and report to the Correctional Services Accreditation and Advice Panel (CSAAP) in line with accreditation requirements.
The Supplier must also be able to provide avenues for shared learning for all HMPPS DTCs, support their overall development, provide workforce development opportunities for training and improvements in the clinical skills and knowledge of DTC staff and facilitate access to relevant knowledge and learning opportunities.
Critically, the clinical evaluation and quality improvement processes will need to be delivered through a methodology that is in keeping with the philosophy and values of the DTC model and will support the specific therapeutic and clinical requirements of its operation
If you are interested this opportunity and would like to see the full specification, please email us at MoJProcurement.Off@justice.gov.uk
Total value (estimated)
- £600,000 excluding VAT
- £720,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2032
- 6 years
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
The Authority reserves the right to modify the Contract to extend its duration by up to two (2) years beyond the original expiry date, solely for the purpose of ensuring service continuity. Any such extension will be subject to compliance with applicable procurement regulations and will require written agreement by both Parties
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85100000 - Health services
- 79212000 - Auditing services
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
8 December 2025, 11:59pm
Tender submission deadline
9 January 2026, 11:00am
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
30 January 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluation Price | Evaluation Price will be calculated using the price provided by bidders within the Commercial Envelope. |
Price |
| Technical Questions | Overall technical score will be determined by the sum of the weighted scores for the following Technical questions (question weighting in brackets): Methodology & Approach 30% Expertise & Capability... |
Quality |
Weighting description
The Final Evaluation will be determined by Price Per Quality Point (PQP), using the following formula:
Evaluation Price / Overall Technical Score = PQP score
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Contracting authority
Ministry of Justice
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDNN-2773-HVYN
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
United Kingdom
Contact name: Sarah Young
Email: CommercialStandards@justice.gov.uk
Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/procurement
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public authority - central government