Notice Information
Notice Title
DHSC: OHID: National Breast Feeding Helpline 2026
Notice Description
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is seeking to commission an external provider to deliver and operate the National Breastfeeding Helpline (NBH). The NBH provides free, non-judgemental and evidence-based breastfeeding information and support to families across the United Kingdom. The service operates nationally and supports individuals seeking guidance, reassurance and signposting in relation to breastfeeding and infant feeding. The appointed supplier will be responsible for the delivery of a fully managed helpline service, including the provision of advice and support via telephone and digital channels, governance and quality assurance arrangements, safeguarding processes, reporting, and the operation of a public-facing website to support access to the service. The service shall include, but not be limited to, the following: Provision of a national helpline offering timely, non-judgemental breastfeeding information, advice and support; Call handling and digital engagement, including appropriate referral and signposting to other services where required; Safeguarding processes and escalation arrangements appropriate to the service user group; Governance, quality assurance and performance reporting arrangements in line with the Specification; Operation and maintenance of a public-facing website providing information about the service and how to access it. The contract will be awarded for an initial period of two years and nine months, with options to extend for up to two further periods of up to twelve months each, subject to the terms of the contract. The estimated total value of the contract for the initial term is PS3,198,500 excluding VAT. The total contract value including extension options is PS5, 598,500 excluding VAT (PS1,200,000 for each twelve month extension option).
Lot Information
Lot 1
Renewal: The contract has the option to extend for a further 24 months, in 12 month periods
Planning Information
As described in this preliminary engagement notice, DHSC is seeking potential providers who are interested in bidding for the National Breastfeeding Helpline, which will provide breastfeeding information, guidance and applicable support via a 24-hour helpline for families across the UK. Potential providers should register their interest by the date specified within this notice. Following the market engagement event, DHSC will issue follow-up questionnaires to attendees to obtain feedback on the outline specification, and the likelihood of success of the procurement.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-052446
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/040116-2026
- Current Stage
- Tender
- All Stages
- Planning, Tender
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK4 - Tender Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Open
- Procurement Method Details
- Open procedure
- Tender Suitability
- SME, VCSE
- Awardee Scale
- Not specified
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
-
- CPV Codes
79512000 - Call centre
85312310 - Guidance services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- £5,598,500 £1M-£10M
- Lots Value
- £5,598,500 £1M-£10M
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 30 Apr 20261 months ago
- Submission Deadline
- 4 Jun 2026Expired
- Future Notice Date
- 20 Oct 2025Expired
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 30 Jun 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 2-3 years
- Recurrence
- 2029-01-01
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Active
- Lots Status
- Active
- Awards Status
- Not Specified
- Contracts Status
- Not Specified
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE
- Additional Buyers
- Contact Name
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
- Contact Email
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
- Contact Phone
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Buyer Location
- Locality
- LONDON
- Postcode
- SW1H 0EU
- Post Town
- South West London
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLI London
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLI3 Inner London - West
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLI35 Westminster and City of London
- Delivery Location
- TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England), TLL Wales, TLL1 West Wales and The Valleys, TLL14 South West Wales, TLL2 East Wales, TLM Scotland, TLM5 North Eastern Scotland, TLM7 Eastern Scotland, TLM8 West Central Scotland, TLM9 Southern Scotland, TLN Northern Ireland, TLN0 Northern Ireland
-
- Local Authority
- Westminster
- Electoral Ward
- St James's
- Westminster Constituency
- Cities of London and Westminster
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/040116-2026
30th April 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/040093-2026
30th April 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/049663-2025
18th August 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/049662-2025
18th August 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/026881-2025
23rd May 2025 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.
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