The Provision of Railway Chaplaincy Services

Tender description

Network Rail intends to re-tender its current Chaplaincy Services contract which is scheduled to expire in March 2023. Network Rail requires a focused, proactive innovative and integrated Chaplaincy service, capable of effectively providing national, annual 24/7 emotional support services for rail staff during and immediately after traumatic incidents, as well as undertaking proactive site visits to industry locations. Next Rail seeks to understand the supplier market in terms of those prospective suppliers who may be capable of providing these services. Lot 1: To support the Network Rail Central Suicide Prevention Team, the supplier shall be required to provide a focused, proactive innovative and integrated Chaplaincy service, capable of effectively providing national, annual 24/7 emotional support services for rail staff during and immediately after traumatic incidents, as well as undertaking proactive site visits to industry locations. Network Rail currently employs 43,000 people. Whilst this service will be predominantly for front-line staff or those directly or indirectly involved in incident response/management, any member of staff may use the service. The key deliverables of the proposed Chaplaincy services are as follows: • Independent and confidential short-term emotional support for: o Network Rail staff, contractors and passengers impacted by traumatic incidents; o staff during other times of depression / trauma (not specifically as a result of an operational incident) • 24/7, 365 days a year (for emergencies); • Priority of face-to-face contact; • Response deployments to a Network Rail site (can include signal box, depot or control room as well as incident site) following fatality incidents, major incidents and/or death in service situations; • Deliver a schedule of proactive visits to locations set out by location categories and confirmed in the contract. Proactive visits should last a minimum of 30 minutes and be arranged to maximise the number of staff that can be spoken to; • UK coverage, regionally delivered (i.e. not one central team for the whole UK); • Raise awareness of and signpost to Network Rail’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) / other service providers (e.g. Samaritans) as appropriate; and • Possess and demonstrate an understanding of the unique challenges facing rail staff.