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Substance Use Service for Children and Young people

Oxfordshire County Council

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

27 Jul 2026 at 16:34

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

27 Jul 2026 at 11:31

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

27 Jul 2026 at 11:25

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

27 Jul 2026 at 10:42

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Oxfordshire County Council intends to commission a substance use service for children and young people in Oxfordshire. The core service will support those aged from 8 until their 19th birthday with treatment for their own substance use, support for children and young people affected by somebody else’s substance use, brief interventions, information campaigns and consultation for professionals. The council is also considering pilot arrangements extending support to people up to age 25 and providing a whole-family service. This is a public service contract, classified under rehabilitation services. Delivery will take place in Oxfordshire. The service will suit organisations experienced in working with children, young people, families and professionals around substance use, including voluntary, community and social enterprises.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the council has announced its intention to procure and is seeking market views before issuing an invitation to tender. The council expects to publish the main tender on 11 September 2026. Providers are invited to respond to a market engagement questionnaire by 19 August 2026, addressing the service scope and future contract arrangements. The anticipated contract is one lot, with a planned term from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030 and a possible extension to 31 March 2034. Its estimated value is £4.9 million excluding VAT, or £5.88 million including VAT. The council expects to use an above-threshold tender procedure; the detailed evaluation and participation requirements will be set out when the tender is issued.

This will suit providers with established clinical, therapeutic or community-based substance use services for children and young people, particularly organisations able to support both direct users and those affected by another person’s use. Relevant preparation includes demonstrating safe and effective work with children aged 8 to 18, brief interventions, prevention and information activity, professional consultation, and coordinated support for families. Providers able to develop or operate services for young adults up to age 25 may be well placed to contribute to the proposed age-extension pilot. Organisations with whole-family service capability may also be relevant. The council has identified the requirement as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises, so these businesses should consider responding to the market engagement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Substance Use Service for Children and Young people

Notice Description

The core service is for children and young people from 8 years of age until their 19th birthday. This core service covers treatment for young people's substance use, for those affected by others use, brief interventions, information campaigns and a professionals consultation requirement. The service currently has pilot programmes running for an age extension up to 25 and for a whole family service.

Planning Information

The Council wishes to provide an effective substance use service that addresses the need in Oxfordshire for support for children and young people impacted by their own, or someone else's substance use. We are inviting providers to consider responding to a set of questions in relation to the scope and future contract arrangements. The market engagement questionnaire is published on Proactis, https://procontract.due-north.com/RfxResponse/Index?rfxId=2ee745f6-ce89-f111-813c-005056b64545 Any clarification on the questionnaire should be sent through the "messages" section of the homepage. Please note that the main tender may be published on Atamis instead of South East Business Portal. This will be explicitly stated in UK4 notice when the time comes.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d400
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070924-2026
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

85312500 - Rehabilitation services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£4,900,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
11 Sep 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2030 3-4 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
Oxfordshire County Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
OXFORD
Postcode
OX1 1ND
Postcode Area
Oxford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC
Delivery Location
TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC
Local Authority
Oxford
Electoral Ward
Osney & St Thomas
Westminster Constituency
Oxford West and Abingdon

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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