Healthy Weston Crisis Café for NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group

NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group are seeking to commission a Healthy Weston Crisis Café service located in Weston-super-Mare.

This is a new service that is designed to complement rather than replace or supersede existing local provision. The name 'Crisis Café' is a temporary descriptor and we expect the successful provider to propose a final name for the service during the implementation period considering suggestions which have been identified during the engagement process.

The service aims to meet the needs of people experiencing acute emotional distress associated with a mental health problem (which may or may not have been given a formal diagnosis). The service will operate from a central location within Weston-super-Mare to be identified by the successful provider.

There are two key purposes; to provide a safe, welcoming and comfortable place for people in immediate acute emotional distress and for those seeking to prevent the onset of a crisis, and to work with the individuals to create plans and strategies for managing their mental health and wellbeing and preventing future crisis.

The service is focussed on supporting episodes of emotional distress; it is not designed to be ongoing support intervention. However, it is recognised that there will be a cohort of service users who may access the service a number of times; seeking ongoing support and input. The service would be expected to work these individuals to transition them to more suitable universal support and services.

The contract duration will be for 2 years from 1st April 2020, with an optional extension of any number of period(s) up to a further 1 year at the discretion of the Commissioner. The Commissioner has an annual budget of up to £217,000 per annum, with an additional £80,000 to be ring-fenced for implementation only, full details of which are provided in the procurement documentation.

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

Additional information: Interested providers will be able to view this notice 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

In order to submit a bid, you will need to be registered on the e-procurement system and 'express an interest', and then complete a response as specified within the procurement documents.

On registration, please include at least two contacts to allow for access to the system in times of absence.

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" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).

The tendering process will be conducted in accordance with the requirements and flexibilities provided by Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations. The Authority will run a transparent tender process, treating all Bidders equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union or any other regulations or legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services.

Neither the inclusion of a Bidder selection stage, nor the use of any language or terms found in the Directive or Regulations, nor the description of the procedure voluntarily adopted by the Authority ("Open", "Restricted", "Competitive Procedure with Negotiation", "Competitive Dialogue" or any other description), nor any other indication, shall be taken to mean that the Authority intends to hold itself bound by the Directive or Regulations, save by the provisions applicable to services coming within the scope of Annex XIV of the Directive / Schedule 3 of the Regulations.

The Contracting Authority intends to voluntarily observe the award decision notices provisions and 10 day standstill period described in Regulation 86 of the Regulations. Unsuccessful Bidders will receive scores and reasons for the decision, including the characteristics and relative advantages of the winning bid and the reasons why the Bidder/application was unsuccessful. Deadline for lodging of appeals should be in accordance with Regulation 87 and Regulation 91 of the Regulations.