Planning

Provision of School Based Counselling Service

NEWPORT CITY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

20 Nov 2025 at 15:33

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Newport City Council is in the planning stage of a tender process titled "Provision of School Based Counselling Service" under the industry category of Counselling Services. The initiative is located in Newport, UK, and focuses on providing counselling services to children and young people aged 10 to 19. The procurement process is currently at the planning stage, with a pre-market engagement meeting scheduled for 10 December 2025. The deadline to express interest in participating in these meetings is 5 December 2025. The contract is set to commence on 1 September 2026, with an end date of 31 July 2031, and it includes options for renewal.

This tender presents significant opportunities for growth for businesses specialised in educational and youth counselling services. With funding available for the provision of a comprehensive counselling service across multiple schools in Newport, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSE) are well-suited to compete for this contract. These businesses will be able to leverage their expertise to provide face-to-face counselling sessions across schools, manage referral systems, and collaborate with educational stakeholders in Newport. The project not only offers a stable, long-term contract but also a chance to make a meaningful impact on the wellbeing of young people in the community.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of School Based Counselling Service

Notice Description

The School Standards and Organisation Act (Wales) 2013 places a statutory requirement on Local Authorities to provide an independent school based counselling service for children and young people from year 6 of their primary education up to their 19th birthday. The counselling service will be available to children and young people between the ages of 10 and 19 years (school years 5 to 13). The Service will predominantly be provided on a face to face basis and free of charge to the client at the point of delivery. The funding available for 2026-27 will be PS413k as a minimum, funding partly from core funding and partly from WSA grant funding. The counselling offer would need to minimum of 25 days per week of direct counselling provision to children and young people, term time only and split as follows: - Minimum of 2 days per week face to face session counselling (and online for EBSA students) in each of the 9 secondary schools (18 days per week total) - Minimum of 4 days total per week face to face counselling to Y6 pupils across the city, managing a referral system based on highest need. - Minimum of 1 day per week counselling for the Pupil Referral Unit - Minimum of 1 day per week counselling for the 2 special schools in Newport. - Minimum of 1 day a week Community Counselling including online counselling for young people who are EHE and NEET. - Additional desirable: - Minimum of 1 day a week play therapy for younger children - Minimum of 3 days a week to provide face to face counselling to Y5 pupils and under across the city The funding would also need to include a Clinical Lead to: - liaise with the Principal EP around the commissioning of the service, - manage referrals, - complete WSA grant data and other data requests for Welsh Government, - line management and supervision of counsellors, - termly meetings with secondary school wellbeing leads to feedback data on school based counselling, - Provide support to schools alongside the EPS in the event of a serious critical incident.

Planning Information

This pre-market engagement notice is to establish the suppliers in the market who would be interested in providing this service . The Council will also take the opportunity to discuss and improve the current specification. Suppliers are invited to attend individual pre-market engagement meetings on Wednesday 10 December 2025 at the Civic Centre, Newport, NP20 4UR. Suppliers who wish to attend are requested to email joanneclaire.james@newport.gov.uk. Times to attend will be issued no later than 5 December 2025.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05e5c3
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075781-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85312320 - Counselling services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,891,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Nov 20252 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
2 Feb 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Aug 2026 - 31 Jul 2031 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NEWPORT CITY COUNCIL
Contact Name
Joanne James
Contact Email
joanneclaire.james@newport.gov.uk
Contact Phone
+441633987782

Buyer Location

Locality
NEWPORT
Postcode
NP20 4UR
Post Town
Newport
Country
Wales
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL54 Monmouthshire and Newport
Delivery Location
TLL21 Monmouthshire and Newport
Local Authority
Newport
Electoral Ward
Allt-yr-yn
Westminster Constituency
Newport West and Islwyn

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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