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Provision of 111-2 Service

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS trust

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

28 Jul 2026 at 14:51

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust intends to procure specialist call-handling services for the NHS 111 Mental Health Crisis Response Service, known as 111 Option 2. The service will support people experiencing mental health crises through both adult and children and young people’s pathways. The appointed provider will be responsible for access, triage and call management, while the Trust retains responsibility for clinical assessment, clinical decision-making and outcomes. The service must provide a dedicated mental health response and work as part of an integrated model with urgent and emergency care pathways, crisis services, community mental health teams, acute hospitals, ambulance services, primary care and voluntary sector partners. The work is classified as health services and will be delivered in the United Kingdom.

This procurement is at the planning stage and the buyer is undertaking preliminary market engagement rather than inviting tenders. The future procurement is expected to cover one lot, with a planned contract period from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030 and a possible extension or renewal to 31 March 2032. The estimated value is £4.5 million excluding VAT, or £5.4 million including VAT. The buyer expects to publish a future notice by 11 September 2026. Interested providers were asked to respond to the engagement questionnaire by 14 August 2026, with clarification questions accepted until 5 August 2026. Engagement responses are not scored and will not determine participation in any later formal process. The lot is identified as suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

This work is likely to suit providers experienced in operating NHS or other urgent mental health telephone response services, particularly organisations able to handle high-volume contacts, undertake structured triage and manage calls safely around the clock. Suppliers should be prepared to support adults and under-18s through a single integrated pathway, while clearly separating call handling from the Trust’s clinical assessment and decision-making responsibilities. Strong partnership working will be important, including coordination with crisis and community mental health teams, hospitals, ambulance services, primary care, urgent and emergency care services and voluntary-sector organisations. The operating model will require matrix management, shared strategic and operational leadership, robust governance, professional standards and specialist expertise across partners. SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises are expressly identified as suitable participants and can use the engagement to explain their capabilities and barriers.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of 111-2 Service

Notice Description

The development of a specialist all age mental health response via 111 is a key ambition of the NHS England Long Term Plan (2021-2024), and the recovery plan for urgent and emergency care priority for 2023/24. This required all calls for support during mental health crisis to be made via 111 by the end of March 2024 and is referred to as 111-2. Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) currently deliver this service in partnership with a system partner. AWP will shortly be seeking a provider to deliver an integrated model for the NHS 111 Mental Health Crisis Response Service (111 Option 2) for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis across both adult (18 years and over) and children and young people (under 18 years) pathways. The appointed provider will be solely responsible for the delivery of the call handling element of the 111 Option 2 pathway, including access, triage and call management. AWP will retain responsibility for all clinical assessment activity and associated clinical decision-making and outcomes. The provider must be able to operate within a matrix management model, whereby all partners maintain responsibility for their own governance arrangements, professional standards and areas of specialist expertise, while working collaboratively at both strategic and operational leadership levels to deliver a seamless, integrated and high-quality service. The service forms part of the NHS England requirement that callers contacting NHS 111 and selecting the mental health option are connected directly to a dedicated mental health response service available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The service will work collaboratively with urgent and emergency care pathways, crisis services, community mental health teams, acute hospitals, ambulance services, primary care and voluntary sector partners. AWP are seeking to understand what interest there might be from providers and the barriers that may exist in providing these services. All documents or information provided as part of this engagement exercise are in draft form only. The Commissioner reserves the right to amend or change any of the content. Interested parties should note that a response to this Notice does not guarantee an automatic invitation to any subsequent formal process, which the Commissioner will consider in due course.

Planning Information

All documents or information provided as part of this engagement exercise are in draft form only. The Commissioner reserves the right to amend or change any of the content. Interested parties should note that a response to this Notice does not guarantee an automatic invitation to any subsequent formal process, which the Commissioner will consider in due course. No questions in this questionnaire are scored, and there are no word counts to any of the responses, please expand the response boxes as required. Responses to this questionnaire will not impact any evaluation of any future opportunity in the event a formal procurement process is undertaken. AWP will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise. Please note any clarification question can be posted via Multiquote until 12 noon 5th August 2026. If you are interested in in participation, please complete this questionnaire and return via Multiquote no later than 12 noon 14th August

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d56a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/071291-2026
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

85100000 - Health services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£4,500,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 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
Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS 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
BATH
Postcode
BA1 3QE
Postcode Area
Bath
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Bath and North East Somerset
Electoral Ward
Newbridge
Westminster Constituency
Bath

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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