Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Bedford and Luton Community Forensic Services

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

27 Jul 2026 at 09:59

Award Notice
Planning

29 Dec 2025 at 12:44

Planning Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust procured specialist community forensic mental health services for adults in Bedfordshire and Luton. The service provides a forensic community care pathway for people who need specialist clinical support outside inpatient settings. Its scope includes multidisciplinary assessment, treatment and risk management; assertive follow-up; psychologically informed interventions; medication management; practical support for housing providers; clinically indicated visits; and targeted risk reduction. It also supports diversion from hospital, discharge from inpatient or secure services, step-up and step-down arrangements, liaison with secure services and criminal justice partners, and access to an Alternative to Admission bed where needed. The procurement is for health services, including psychiatrist or psychologist services.

The procurement has been awarded under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, using a limited award procedure without a prior call for competition. East London NHS Foundation Trust was selected following evaluation and the contract was signed on 23 March 2026. The award and contract value is £847,000, with the contract ending on 31 March 2027. The assessment criteria were equally weighted: Social Value; Integration, Collaboration and Sustainability; Improving Access, Reducing Inequalities and Facilitating Choice; Quality and Innovation; and price. The first and fourth criteria could be prioritised to distinguish otherwise equivalent providers. Three providers expressed interest and two withdrew before evaluation; one bid remained and met the criteria in full.

This procurement indicates demand for established community forensic mental health providers able to manage adults with complex clinical and forensic needs outside hospital. A credible competitor would need multidisciplinary clinical capability spanning assessment, treatment, medication management, risk management and psychologically informed interventions, alongside practical community support. Experience of preventing avoidable admission, supporting discharge from secure or inpatient care, and maintaining stable placements would be relevant. Providers should also be able to coordinate effectively with secure services, housing providers and criminal justice partners, deliver regular and responsive visits, and operate step-up and step-down arrangements. The requirement also favours organisations able to provide or access an Alternative to Admission bed and demonstrate integrated, sustainable, innovative and socially valuable service delivery.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Bedford and Luton Community Forensic Services

Notice Description

This is a specialist community forensic service for Bedfordshire and Luton. The service is to deliver a specialist forensic community care pathway, which includes assertive follow-up, psychologically informed interventions, medication management, practical support to housing providers, regular visits as clinically indicated, and targeted risk reduction interventions. The pathway also encompasses support for timely discharge from inpatient or secure services, step-up/step-down arrangements, and access to an Alternative to Admission (ATA) bed where necessary.

Lot Information

Lot 1

This service will provide a specialist forensic mental health offer for adults who require clinical support in the community instead of an inpatient forensic admission. It will operate within the scope of the national secure and specialised mental health service specification which defines community forensic delivery.

The team will deliver multidisciplinary clinical assessment, treatment and risk management for people whose needs require specialist forensic input. It will support diversion from hospital, earlier transition from secure care and sustained stability in the community.

Key components of delivery are:
- Multidisciplinary clinical assessment and interventions
- Support to maintain community placement and avoid admission
- Liaison with secure inpatient services and local criminal justice partners.

This notice is an intention to award a contract under the most suitable provider process.

Contract Value: Up to PS847,000
New or Existing Service: New
Contract End Date: 31/03/2027

Procurement Information

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by 23:59 on 06/08/2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05fdb4
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070597-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85100000 - Health services

85121270 - Psychiatrist or psychologist services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,812,500 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£847,000 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
14 Jan 2026Expired
Award Date
23 Mar 20265 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WICKFORD
Postcode
SS11 7XX
Postcode Area
Southend-on-Sea
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH3 Essex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH36 Heart of Essex
Delivery Location
TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Local Authority
Chelmsford
Electoral Ward
Rettendon and Runwell
Westminster Constituency
Maldon

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...