Health services

Tender description

NHS England South (South Central) and Thames Valley Police sought to jointly re-commission Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) services in Thames Valley. The commissioners sought tender responses from providers who have the capability and capacity to undertake such a contract. This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central & West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners. The Commissioner will be contracting for the Services using the National NHS Standard Contract. Contracts will be for an initial term of 3 years and are planned to commence from 1.4.2019. The value of the service will be 2 391 635 GBP over three years. At the discretion of the Commissioner, the contract may be extended for a further 24 months. NHS England’s vision for sexual assault services in Thames Valley is: ‘To deliver sexual assault services that meet the needs of victims/survivors through a pathway that gives access to appropriate and relevant support for the full range of health and justice services. Services operating to high standards of provision based on sound clinical quality, operational performance targets and meeting the needs of survivors and stakeholders alike.’ Reflecting this vision, and in response to the core considerations from the HNA findings, commissioners sought services across Thames Valley that achieve the following commissioning principles: — Be people-oriented and focused on addressing the diverse needs of victims/survivors, — Provide consistency of available services across the Thames Valley, — Meet national quality and clinical standards, — Provide value and effectiveness of provision, — Secure equal access to services across the region (access and travel times), — Ensure 24/7 access to advice, information and referral via telephone, — Increase referrals, and self-referrals in particular, — Empower people to make informed decisions, — Ensure SARCs have a workforce with the required capabilities and competencies and with sufficient cases to maintain and enhance their specialist skills, — Be based on fair and equitable funding arrangements for the populations of the Thames Valley, — Provide clarity and consistency about services offered to different age groups, — Operate as part of a coherent Sexual Assault Pathway, — Adapt and respond to changes in demand. Interested parties were invited to take part in an Invitation To Tender (ITT) process, based on the Open procedure, and designed to identify the Most Economically Advantageous Tender and therefore determine the incoming provider. The attention of potential bidders is drawn to the availability of a bidder briefing taking place by WebEx on 15.5.2018 and mid-stage tender clarification meetings in week commencing 11.6.2018 – more details on which are provided within the tender documentation.