Children & Young People's Therapeutic Health Based Coaching - Essex wide

Concepts

• health services
• welwyn garden city
• children young people
• therapeutic support
• adolescent mental health service
• young people
• primary school children
• young person
• young peoples therapeutic health based coaching services
• west essex integrated care board

Location

Welwyn Garden City

Description

This is a Contract Award Notice to communicate a contract award made by the Contracting Authority; Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board, (hereinafter referred to as “the Authority”) in compliance with their local standing financial instructions (SFIs). On 6th December 2023, the Authority published a Voluntary Ex-Ante Transparency Notice (VEAT) (Reference 2023/S 000-036014) to inform the market of its intention to award the contract. The Authority applied a voluntary 10-day standstill period prior to conclusion of the contract. The contract award is made to National Online Wellbeing Services Ltd T/A NOWs The Time for Change for the provision of Children & Young People's Therapeutic Health Based Coaching services. On 3rd February 20023, a procurement process was launched to identify a supplier to deliver the services. A contract was not awarded at the end of this process and therefore, to ensure continuity of care for patients, an emergency short-term contract was awarded to NOW as the incumbent supplier (reference: 2023/S 000-016932). This contract began on 1st April 2023 and is due to expire on 31st March 2024. HWE ICB are now intending to award a further contract to NOW to continue to deliver the services. This contract will start on 1st April 2024 and will end on 31st March 2027 with the option to extend for a further 2-years to 31st March 2029. The total cumulative spend until March 2024 will be £1,253,302 (excluding VAT and excluding the value of the proposed new contract). The value of the new contract for a period of 3-years is £1,220,400 (£406,800 p/a excluding VAT) and may rise to £2,034,000 (excluding VAT) if the optional extension is enacted.

Total Quantity or Scope

On 6th December 2023, the Authority published a Voluntary Ex-Ante Transparency Notice (VEAT) (Reference 2023/S 000-036014) to inform the market of its intention to award the contract. The Authority applied a voluntary 10-day standstill period prior to conclusion of the contract. The contract award is made to National Online Wellbeing Services Ltd T/A NOWs The Time for Change for the provision of Children & Young People's Therapeutic Health Based Coaching services. On 3rd February 20023, a procurement process was launched to identify a supplier to deliver the services. A contract was not awarded at the end of this process and therefore, to ensure continuity of care for patients, an emergency short-term contract was awarded to NOW as the incumbent supplier (reference: 2023/S 000-016932). This contract began on 1st April 2023 and is due to expire on 31st March 2024. HWE ICB are now intending to award a further contract to NOW to continue to deliver the services. This contract will start on 1st April 2024 and will end on 31st March 2027 with the option to extend for a further 2-years to 31st March 2029. … The Therapeutic Health Based Coaching Service will deliver support to parents and carers of children and young people who live in Essex and who have been in contact with the Southend, Essex and Thurrock Children's and Adolescent Mental Health Service (SET CAMHS) and are receiving treatment. The service will deliver a Primary Schools Wellbeing Programme - specifically for primary school children teaching them the tools and techniques of mindfulness, stress reduction and emotional wellbeing through interactive workshops, as well as Therapeutic health-based coaching to improve emotional wellbeing and mental health of children young people and their families. The service will also act as an additional support element for families who are experiencing anxiety, depression or require support in their current situation. The key outcomes of the service are to: • Provide therapeutic support to families who are facing the additional challenges of emotional wellbeing, anxiety, low mood etc. affecting a child or young person; • Encourage communication between family members • Explore any fears, anxieties, difficulty or distress • Help with conflict and conflict resolution skills • Help reduce feelings of isolation • Identify and facilitate ways to address contributing factors in their daily lives • Gain insight into, and explore strategies to improve, their situation • Find practical solutions to the daily challenges The Service to which this procurement relates fall within Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as amended by as amended by The Public Procurement (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, (the "Regulations"). As such, the Contracting Authority does not intend to hold itself bound by any of the Regulations, save for those applicable to Public Contracts for social and other specific services listed in Schedule '3' of the Regulations (the "Light Touch" Regime).

Award Detail

Renewal Options

Option to extend for 2-years until 31st March 2029.

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85100000 - Health services

Indicators

• Options are available.
• Award on basis of price.

Legal Justification

In February 2023 a procurement process was undertaken in line with the Public Contract Regulations. This procurement process was unsuccessful and no contract was awarded. The incumbent provider, NOW, have been delivering the service under emergency arrangements to ensure continuity of service whilst the collaborative partnership agreed the next steps. The service delivered by NOW is delivering an excellent service for our children & young people and their families. The market has not moved since the procurement process was undertaken. Therefore, it is felt that it would not be the best use of public funding to conduct a further procurement process which will likely achieve the same outcome.