NHS E South (South Central) - Provision of Liaison & Diversion Services across the Thames Valley

NHS England Health & Justice Team (South Central Region) are seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from providers who have the capability and capacity to deliver Liaison and Diversion services across the Thames Valley Police Force area. The service will aim to improve health and criminal justice outcomes for children, young people and adults who come into contact with the youth and criminal justice systems.

Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services aim to provide early intervention for vulnerable individuals (both young people and adults) as they come to the attention of the criminal justice system. L&D services provide a prompt response to concerns raised by the police, probation service, youth offending teams or court staff, and provide critical information to decision-makers in the justice system, in real time, when it comes to charging and sentencing these vulnerable people. L&D also acts as a point of referral and assertive follow up for these service users, to ensure they can access, and are supported to attend, further help.

The Thames Valley area has a population of 2,358,564 and, whilst there has been partial coverage of L&D across the force footprint, this has not to date covered the full area for both adults and young people.

The procurement is expected to commence with the issue of an Invitation to Tender (ITT) in July/August 2017, for contract commencement on 1st April 2018.

It is anticipated that the contract will be for three years, with the option of a two year extension. (NB: any extension is subject to commissioner discretion and confirmation of funding).

A single contract will be awarded for the Thames Valley area, but commissioners recognise that providers may wish to collaborate in order to meet the needs of the service user group, across the geographical footprint. Please ensure that you indicate in your response whether your organisation is expressing an interest as a potential contract holder, or in order for your details to be passed on as a potential sub-contractor or collaborator.

To express an interest in this project, please register on the In-Tend portal and submit a completed Provider Sounding Questionnaire by 12pm on 19th May 2017. Full details of how to submit the questionnaire can be found at the end of this notice.

Additional information: 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.

Interested providers will be able to view the opportunity via the 'current tenders' list on In-Tend. https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Home

In order to return the questionnaire, you will need to 'express an interest' and register on the system and then upload the completed questionnaire to the placeholder provided.

The Services are healthcare services within the meaning and scope of Annex XIV of Directive 2014/24/EU ("the Directive") and Schedule 3 to the Public Contract Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations"), which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but is instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime", (Articles 74 to 76 of the Directive, and Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations). 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.