This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

08 Jul 2026 at 14:00

Award

27 May 2026 at 11:47

Tender

13 Jan 2026 at 12:32

Summary of the contracting process

The University of Worcester has completed the procurement process for "Student out of Hours Wellbeing Support," focusing on providing continuous support to students outside regular university hours. This procurement, classified under guidance and counselling services, took place in Worcester, under the UKG12 region. The awarded contract, beginning 1st July 2026 and concluding by 30th June 2028, can potentially extend until 2030. Health Assured, a large-scale UK supplier, has been awarded the contract to deliver these services, which ensures students have immediate access to qualified counsellors during evenings and weekends. The procurement employed an open competition method below the threshold, ensuring a fair bidding process.

This tender presents significant growth opportunities, particularly for large organisations equipped to provide rapid and specialised counselling services accessible via telephone and text. It is an attractive opportunity for businesses capable of offering quick response times and a robust interpretation service for diverse linguistic needs, including Hindi, Nigerian, and Nepalese. Firms in the counselling and mental health service industry, experienced with high-risk scenarios and safeguarding measures, stand to benefit by providing these vital support services for the University of Worcester’s student community. The capacity for service delivery, adherence to BACP standards, and effective risk management strategies are vital components for businesses aiming to succeed in similar opportunities.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Student out of Hours Wellbeing Support

Notice Description

The service is required to provide a point of contact for students who need support when the University's daytime support service is not available. This will include providing a crisis service. This will be required on weekends and weekdays from 4.30pm until 8.30am the following day. The service must be free for students to access and use. It must provide a quick response within one minute and students must have immediate access to a counsellor and not be directed through a triage system. Counsellors must be able to provide support by telephone and text. You should provide an interpretation service or language assistance for students who are not native English speakers. Hindi, Nigerian and Nepalese are our most commonly spoken foreign languages. Counsellors should be BACP qualified or equivalent to level 4 or above with supervision in line with BACP recommendations. You should have safeguarding procedures in place for situations involving children and vulnerable adults and protocols in place to handle high risk students including risk assessments with escalation procedures for crisis situations. The service must validate each service user to ensure only eligible university students utilise the service. Supplier responses should include details of how that will be achieved along with any salient options.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-060497
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/064307-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

85312300 - Guidance and counselling services

85312320 - Counselling services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£29,142 Under £100K
Contracts Value
£29,142 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
8 Jul 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
4 Feb 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
20 May 20261 months ago
Contract Period
30 Jun 2026 - 30 Jun 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UNIVERSITY OF WORCESTER
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WORCESTER
Postcode
WR2 6AJ
Post Town
Worcester
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG1 Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG12 Worcestershire CC
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Worcester
Electoral Ward
St Clement
Westminster Constituency
Worcester

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

HEALTH ASSURED

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.

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