Tender

NHS Talking Therapies and Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems Services for NHS Essex ICB

NHS ESSEX INTEGRATED CARE BOARD

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Tender

06 May 2026 at 17:01

Planning

23 Mar 2026 at 18:02

Summary of the contracting process

The NHS Essex Integrated Care Board has issued a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract Notice for the provision of NHS Talking Therapies and Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems services in Essex under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. This contract seeks to improve mental health services across Essex, with a focus on accessibility and integration within the wider health system. The tender is currently in the active procurement stage and encompasses a service contract value of up to £156,223,810 over a possible 5-year term, starting from 1st April 2027. Bids must be submitted by 17th June 2026 at noon, and the process follows an open procedure method, encouraging broad participation from potential service providers.

This tender offers substantial growth opportunities for businesses specialising in healthcare, particularly those with expertise in delivering comprehensive psychological services and therapies. The requirement for integrated and evidence-based mental health services suggests that businesses with a robust track record in delivering NICE-approved therapies will have a competitive edge. Companies well-versed in partnership working and capable of implementing patient-centred services stand to benefit significantly. This project could be particularly appealing to those looking to expand within the healthcare sector, specifically within the Essex region, where there is a strong emphasis on reducing health inequalities and improving patient outcomes.

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How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

NHS Talking Therapies and Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems Services for NHS Essex ICB

Notice Description

This is a Contract Notice communicating NHS Essex Integrated Care Board's (herein referred to as 'the Authority') commencement of a competitive process to award a public contract for provision of this 'NHS Talking Therapies (NHS TT) and Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems (PT SMHP) services (the Service). The process will be conducted in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.<br/><br/>The proposed contract term is from 01st April 2027 - 31st March 2030, with the option to extend for a maximum of 24 months, until 31st March 2032. <br/><br/>The aggregate contract value is PS94,118,443 pound sterling for the 3-year contract term (01st April 2027 - 31st March 2030). This figure acts as the maximum financial envelope for the procurement. <br/><br/>The maximum total contract value over the 5-year period (where optional extension provision is enacted) is PS156,223,810 pound sterling.<br/><br/>The Proposed Contract to be entered into by the Authority and the Preferred Bidder(s) for the Services will be based on the NHS Standard Contract 2026/27 (full-length) and all subsequent variations thereof from time to time during the contract term.<br/><br/>The award criteria, including Basic Selection and Key Criteria are outlined within the procurement documentation. The service requirements and details are outlined in the Document 3 - Service Specification included in the procurement pack. All relevant information can be obtained for free via the e-procurement portal at https://atamis-1928.my.site.com/ under Contract Reference: C443109<br/><br/>If you require assistance / supplier support, please see the Portal Helpdesk: https://suppliersupport.atamis.co.uk/hc/en-gb/sections/4612344115359

Lot Information

Lot 1

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract 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.

Services:
NHS Talking Therapies (formally known as IAPT): The new service will provide a single integrated NHS Talking Therapies which should be accessible, person-centred, and integrated within the wider health system. This will support improvement in service provision, reduce health inequalities, improve patient experience, communication and waiting times for patients. Flexible provider, Partnership working, consistent service delivery across Essex. The aims of the delivery of the Service include: Improve Mental Health & Wellbeing, Ensure Equitable Access, Support Early Intervention & Prevention, Promote Patient Choice & Personalisation, Enhance Recovery & Long-Term Resilience, Integrate with Wider Health & Social Care Services, Deliver NICE-approved, evidence-based psychological therapies for people with depression and anxiety disorders using an integrated but stepped approach to care, appropriate to the needs of those people accessing the service.

The new PT-SMHP service will ensure that individuals with severe mental health conditions receive timely, effective, and person-centred psychological interventions. By focusing on accessibility, integration, and recovery, the service can enhance quality of life, support long-term stability, and reduce demand on crisis and inpatient care. Flexible provider, Partnership working, consistent service delivery across Essex. To provide better quality care and improved outcomes through the delivery of NICE-recommended psychological therapies for people with severe mental health problems; to increase and ensure timely access to evidence-based psychological therapies, as recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), in order to improve outcomes for people with a diagnosis of psychosis, complex emotional needs/'personality disorder', bipolar disorder or eating disorder; to promote recovery, stability, and independence - Support patients in developing coping mechanisms, resilience, and skills for independent living and self-management of their condition.

The scope of the requirement associated with this process has been developed by the Authority. The full details of the scope of the services are set out within Doc 3. Service Specification.

The ICB is seeking to award a single contract to a single legal entity to deliver all or most of this TT & PTSMHP service directly.

The Authority may wish to expand the Services during the lifetime of the contract (Contract modifications) in accordance with Regulation 13. To this end, Bidders should be aware that after the award of contract, there is a possibility that the successful Bidder may be offered a variation(s) to the contract in accordance with Regulation 13 and the provisions within the Contract. Details of potential modifications can be found in the Process documentation. The Authority has allowed for, as per regulations, a figure of PS203,000,000, as advertised in the Find a Tender Service (FTS), to allow for any and all potential modifications that may occur during the life of the contract. The Authority is not bound to utilise any modifications during the life of the contract.

Disclaimer: The Authority shall not be responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by respondents to this procurement in preparing and/or submitting such responses.

All procurement documentation is available at https://atamis-1928.my.site.com/ under Contract Reference: C443109. Additional information: This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract 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.

Options: The proposed contract term is from 01st April 2027 - 31st March 2030, with the option to extend for a maximum of 24 months, until 31st March 2032.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-067205
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/041633-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

85100000 - Health services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£203,000,000 £100M-£1B
Lots Value
£156,223,810 £100M-£1B
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 May 20264 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
17 Jun 20262 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
30 Apr 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Mar 2027 - 31 Mar 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NHS ESSEX INTEGRATED CARE BOARD
Additional Buyers

NHS MID AND SOUTH ESSEX INTEGRATED CARE BOARD

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BASILDON
Postcode
SS14 0UG
Post Town
Not specified
Country
Not specified

Major Region (ITL 1)
Not specified
Basic Region (ITL 2)
Not specified
Small Region (ITL 3)
Not specified
Delivery Location
TLH3 Essex

Local Authority
Not specified
Electoral Ward
Not specified
Westminster Constituency
Not specified

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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