Published date: 10 September 2020

This notice was replaced on 17 May 2021

This notice does not contain the most up-to-date information about this procurement. The most recent notice is:

Opportunity (published 17 May 2021, last edited 18 May 2021)

Closed early engagement


Contract summary

Industry

  • Health and social work services - 85000000

Location of contract

South West

Procurement reference

WA10324

Published date

10 September 2020

Closing date

30 November 2020

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice in order to facilitate engagement with potential providers, and relates only to pre-procurement market engagement, including 1:1 provider meetings with Commissioners.

NHS England and NHS Improvement South West, in partnership with the South West Offices of the Police & Crime Commissioners and Police Forces are seeking to re-commission Sexual Offence Examiner (SOE) and Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) provision for both adults and paediatrics across the South West.

The two services are currently delivered via separate contracts, with a South West wide contract for SOE provision, contract managed by the OPCCs and Police, and four separate contracts for SARC service provision, contract managed by NHSE/I and covering the four Police Force areas of:

• Avon & Somerset
• Gloucestershire
• Swindon & Wiltshire
• Devon & Cornwall

Consideration is being given to the consolidation of both SOE and SARC Services within an integrated service specification. A final decision regarding scope will be informed by outcomes of market engagement and the Health Needs Assessment.

The services in scope for this re-commissioning exercise include; SARC facilities and management, Sexual Offence Examiners and Forensic Medical Examinations, crisis worker provision and onward referral.

Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) services and therapeutic provision, such as counselling are out of scope of this re-commissioning exercise (these are commissioned separately).

The main aims and objectives of the re-commissioning exercise are;
- To determine the most appropriate commissioning strategy for SARC and SOE provision. As part of this, consideration will be given to whether the two services can/should be integrated under one contract, with NHSE/I taking the (lead) commissioning responsibility for both elements, to align with other regions in the South.
- To determine the most appropriate service delivery model across the region.
- To ensure emerging guidance and accreditation requirements are taken into account.
- To re-commission sustainable SARC and SOE services across the region as well as increase equity of access and ensure a consistent and high quality of care to victims of sexual assault in line with the Strategic Direction for Sexual Assault and Abuse Services (2018).
- To increase and improve cross-border links with SARCs both within and beyond the South West.

It is anticipated that the new contracts will commence on 01 October 2022.

At this time, the Commissioners would like to determine the level of provider interest from all sectors (including voluntary and third sector) in preparation for forthcoming market engagement activities, which will consist of 1:1 meetings with the Commissioners in October / November 2020 and may then be followed by further events as deemed appropriate, e.g. a briefing event.

More information

Links

Additional text

Expressions of interest are welcome from providers who may be interested in bidding for these services, either in their own right or as a subcontractor or partner, though 1:1 meetings will be facilitated with potential contract holding / lead providers only.

The 1:1 meetings will be an opportunity for providers to meet with the Commissioners and discuss the critical issues, challenges and opportunities that relate to future commissioning and provision of SOE and SARC services. At this stage, only high level information in respect to current services or the future procurement strategy / process will be given. The focus will be on obtaining insight from the market to help inform re-commissioning and gauge market interest in these services.

Requests for 1:1 meetings with the Commissioners must be submitted by COP 30th September 2020, though general expressions of interest in the opportunity / any further events will be received until 30th November 2020.

Further details for the 1:1 meetings and any further engagement events undertaken will be provided to those who express an interest.

Interested providers will be able to view this opportunity via the 'current tenders' list on the e-procurement system, In-Tend, available on the following link: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Home

If you are not already registered on the system you will need to do so before you can fully access the opportunity. On registration, please include at least two contacts to allow for access to the system in times of absence.

To register your expression of interest, please complete the Provider Sounding Questionnaire, available within In-Tend as a downloadable Word doc and upload to the placeholder provided.

Providers may indicate if they would like Commissioners to pass their contact details on to other providers to facilitate partnering/subcontracting opportunities. Please ensure that you indicate in your questionnaire response whether your organisation is expressing an interest as a contract holding/lead provider or as a subcontractor, and whether you would like your details to be shared.

This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.

This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit NHS England or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. NHS England will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise.

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but is instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime"

About the buyer

Contact name

Alexandra Searle

Address

South Plaza,Marlborough Street
BRISTOL
BS13NX
England

Email

Scwcsu.procurement@nhs.net