Suicide Postvention Support Services for Devon Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) - Market Engagement

MARKET ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY(Light Touch Regime):

NHS Devon CCG as lead commissioner is looking to invite discussion from the market in regard to commissioning Suicide Postvention Support Services for Devon STP, for delivery within the NHS Devon CCG footprint.

The service will provide support to those who have been bereaved, affected or exposed by suicide. The service will accept referrals from relevant agencies e.g. GPs, schools etc; but will actively enable self-referrals as well as working with partner agencies to enable real time surveillance so that the service can be proactive in reaching out to those bereaved. The service pathway will be agreed with commissioners and based upon the preferred provider's bid. The service is open to anyone who has been bereaved, affected or exposed by suicide (recently or historically), who are registered with a GP within the NHS Devon CCG footprint.

This service is open to all regardless of age.

Provider engagement discussions will be conducted on a 1 to 1 basis on 18th November 2020. These discussions will be held virtually via MS Teams. A market engagement questionnaire will be published on the InTend procurement portal, the provider responses to which will form the basis of these discussions.

Based on the market awareness and findings gathered from this process the commissioner may or may not engage in a competitive process. If a competitive process is undertaken it is envisaged to commence in December 2020 with a 3 year contract awarded in February 2021 and contract start in April 2021. This notice is a call for competition; as such any subsequent competitive process undertaken will not be advertised.

To register an interest and respond to the engagement questionnaire, interested parties are asked to register on the commissioners e-procurement portal via the following link: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Home. Questionnaire returns must be submitted via the e-procurement portal by no later than Friday 13th November 2020 at12:00 Noon (Midday ).

Additional information: This engagement is for information gathering and strategy formation purposes and there is no guarantee that a competitive procurement process will be undertaken as a result of this engagement taking place and therefore publication or response does not commit NHS Devon CCG or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. NHS Devon CCG will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise.

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 response to the questionnaire, you will need to be registered on the e-procurement system and 'express an interest', and then complete the questionnaire as specified.

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 ap