Health services

Tender description

Suffolk County Council is seeking to establish a Framework Agreement to provide in-patient detoxification and residential rehabilitation substance misuse services. Suffolk County Council currently commissions substance misuse treatment services in the community and this procurement seeks to build upon the options available to clients accessing treatment. The primary aim of inpatient detoxification is to provide the means for safe withdrawal from alcohol or drug(s) of dependence. Residential rehabilitation programmes provide intensive support and a structured programme of daily activities over a fixed period. Programmes differ on the basis of underlying philosophy, structure, intensity and duration. This procurement is for services listed within schedule 3 of The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and as a result are subject to the Light Touch Regime under those regulations. Therefore, the Council is not obliged to comply with the full requirements of the 2015 Regulations, however the principles will be applied. As such, the framework will be for a duration of 3 years commencing 1.4.2017 with the option to extend for up to a further 2 years. The anticipated value of the framework is approximately 475 000 GBP per annum based on current budgets. However, no guarantee or commitment as to the initial and future value of any work arising from this framework can be given. The framework will consist of 7 lots and the 5 providers with the highest overall score in each lot will, providing they meet the minimum standards and the Council decides to proceed, be awarded a place on the framework. Providers will be ranked in each lot according to their score achieved as per the award criteria stated within the tender documentation. The framework will be available for use by Suffolk County Council and may also be made available to other public contracting authorities within the geographical boundaries of the East of England (Nuts code UKH) including East Anglia (UKH1), Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire (UKH2) and Essex (UKH3) inclusive of all county councils, district and borough councils and health authorities. It is becoming established practice for government bodies to work closely together and share contract opportunities. Suffolk County Council will promote this framework to other contracting authorities in the eastern region. At the Councils discretion, the framework may be re-opened (in whole or in part) once each framework year (or more often if required), to allow the Council to fill any gaps on the framework or to fill any gaps which may have arisen as a result of any of the service providers appointed to the framework being suspended or removed from the framework for any reason or where there is a legitimate requirement for increased capacity on the framework. Any new entrants will be required to meet the original tender requirements before being appointed to the framework. Existing Providers would be invited to re-submit their tender response should they wish to do so.