Counselling services

Tender description

The Army Welfare Service (AWS) is a specialist welfare service and is the main provider of secondary, non-statutory welfare for all Army Service Personnel and their dependants (including Reservists and their families). They have identified a requirement to provide a comprehensive, professional, and confidential Counselling service responsive to the needs of individuals and families and the Chain of Command in order to maximise the operational effectiveness of Service Personnel. The Contractor is required to provide a quality counselling service to entitled soldiers and families. This is to include counselling provision for a comprehensive range of issues predominantly but not exclusively, relationship issues, but could also include bereavement / loss, depression, self-esteem, anxiety and stress, for whom counselling is the appropriate intervention. The majority of counselling sessions will be face-to-face however, the requirement will also include telephone, and web based counselling. The face to face service must be readily available in the mainland UK and therefore, the Contractor must have access to an extensive network of counsellors across the whole of the UK. The Contractor will be expected to provide access to counselling services within 45 minutes travel time of the Service Users who may reside anywhere in the UK, not just around MOD locations. The Telephone and web based services must be available to services in the rest of the world and therefore, the Contractor will need to have the capability to account for various international time zones. There is also a need to provide counselling sessions at the Services Cotswold Centre which is based in Corsham, Wiltshire approximately once a week. The Authority guarantees no level of throughput although historic information suggests that there is a need to provide between 140 and 200 sessions per month, predominantly for face to face but increasingly for telephone and web based services. The Contractor is required to be British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited or long established in the field of counselling provision with a proven record of efficiency and effectiveness. All counsellors must be a registered and accredited member of BACP or UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and have a minimum of a diploma in counselling (or equivalent). They must also have a current enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance as well as acceptable professional references for a 3 year period. The contract duration will be for 2 years with a 1 year option or part thereof commencing on 1.1.2017 This requirement is being advertised under the ‘Open Procedure’ and therefore, not seeking expressions of interest. If your organisation is interested in tendering for the requirement you will need to gain access to the ‘Supporting Documentation’ which contains the Invitation to (ITT) documentation under access code: 49BC82ECA. Full details of how to apply and complete the ITT are contained within the DEFFORM 47 — Special Notice to Tenderers.