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Independent public voice, challenge and assurance function in support of NHS Essex Integrated Care Board's Population Health Improvement Programme (PHIP)

NHS Essex Integrated Care Board

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

20 Aug 2026 at 15:29

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

20 Aug 2026 at 09:57

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

NHS Essex Integrated Care Board is procuring an independent public voice, challenge and assurance service for its Population Health Improvement Programme (PHIP). The service must gather, represent and report the views and experiences of Essex residents, particularly people most affected by strategic commissioning decisions and service transformation. It goes beyond engagement, consultation or research by providing independent scrutiny, challenge and assurance throughout programme implementation, helping maintain public confidence that residents’ views are reported openly and independently. Delivery is across Essex. The procurement is for social research services, with the requirement also involving public participation, community insight, independent reporting and assurance linked to wider health and care system transformation.

The procurement has reached the award stage. NHS Essex Integrated Care Board used a direct award, concluding that Healthwatch Essex was the only provider able to combine recognised independence, public trust, countywide reach, local infrastructure, community relationships, independent reporting and immediate mobilisation. Healthwatch Essex was awarded the contract on 13 July 2026, with an awarded value of £16,000 gross. The contract period is 2 September 2026 to 1 September 2028, with an extension option of up to 24 months, potentially ending 1 September 2030. The estimated annual value was up to £400,000, with a potential four-year value of up to £1.6 million. One lot was used and was identified as suitable for SMEs and VCSEs.

This opportunity demonstrates demand from NHS Essex for an established, independent public voice function rather than a narrowly defined engagement or research exercise. A credible future supplier would need to gather residents’ experiences systematically, represent community views fairly and report findings independently, while providing constructive challenge and assurance to a population health improvement programme. The buyer’s stated requirements indicate that public recognition, community trust, countywide reach across Essex, existing local infrastructure and durable relationships with residents and community organisations are important competitive strengths. Suppliers would also need to mobilise immediately, operate through changing health and care arrangements, and adapt insight, engagement and assurance activity to service transformation, health inequalities and changing community needs.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Independent public voice, challenge and assurance function in support of NHS Essex Integrated Care Board's Population Health Improvement Programme (PHIP)

Notice Description

NHS Essex Integrated Care Board (the Authority) intends to award a contract to Healthwatch Essex Ltd (Healthwatch Essex) for the delivery of an independent public voice, challenge and assurance function in support of the Population Health Improvement Programme (PHIP). It is anticipated that the proposed contract may be effective from 02nd September 2026 for an initial period of two years to 01st September 2028, with an option to extend for a further two years to 01st September 2030. The estimated annual contract value is up to PS400,000, giving a total potential contract value of up to PS1.6 million over the full four-year term. The purpose of the contract is to ensure that the views and experiences of Essex residents, particularly those most likely to be affected by strategic commissioning decisions and service transformation, are independently gathered, represented and reported throughout the implementation of the PHIP. The requirement extends beyond engagement, consultation or research activity alone. A key objective is to provide independent challenge, scrutiny and assurance, while maintaining public confidence that residents' views can be expressed openly and reported independently of the Authority. The PHIP is already being implemented alongside wider system transformation, including local government reform and evolving commissioning arrangements. The Authority therefore requires a provider that can mobilise immediately and operate effectively across Essex from the commencement of the contract. Delays associated with establishing new infrastructure, relationships, networks or community trust would create a significant risk that valuable public insight and independent challenge could be lost during critical stages of programme delivery. The Authority has considered whether the requirement could reasonably be delivered by an alternative provider. Whilst other organisations may be capable of delivering individual elements of engagement, participation, research or advisory services, the Authority has concluded that successful delivery of this requirement depends on a combination of recognised independence, established public trust, countywide reach, local infrastructure, community relationships, the ability to provide independent challenge and reporting, and immediate operational readiness. Healthwatch Essex has an established role within Essex as an independent public voice organisation, supported by an existing countywide infrastructure, longstanding relationships with residents and community organisations, and established mechanisms for gathering, representing and reporting local people's experiences. The Authority considers these characteristics to be fundamental to the delivery of the contract and necessary to achieve its intended outcomes. The Authority has therefore concluded that there is no reasonable alternative provider capable of delivering an equivalent independent public voice, challenge and assurance function within Essex with the same combination of public recognition, community trust, local infrastructure and immediate mobilisation capability. Accordingly, the Authority considers Healthwatch Essex to be the only provider capable of delivering the requirement in the manner necessary to achieve the objectives of the contract. The award of this contract is subject to the Procurement Act 2023 and associated regulations. The contract is a non-healthcare services contract and falls within the scope of the Act. The estimated value exceeds the applicable threshold for sub-central contracting authorities and is therefore subject to the full requirements of the legislation. The contract has not yet been awarded and this Contract Award Notice serves as a notice of intention to award under the Procurement Act 2023, and triggers the commence of a standstill period. Any representations to the award notice must be submitted by midnight on 29th August 2026. Representations should be submitted in writing to: amy.wilson@attain.co.uk The decision-maker for this award is the NHS Essex ICB Executive Board, having regard to the value and duration of the proposed contract. The Authority has undertaken an appropriate and proportionate review of declarations and is satisfied that effective arrangements are in place to identify and manage any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest. Where required, mitigation measures have been applied to ensure that no conflict confers an undue advantage or disadvantage. The Authority is therefore satisfied that no conflict of interest has adversely affected, or is capable of adversely affecting, the integrity of the procurement.

Procurement Information

The Authority requires an independent public voice, challenge and assurance function to support delivery of the Population Health Improvement Programme (PHIP) during a period of significant health and care transformation across Essex. This requirement extends beyond engagement or consultation activity and includes the provision of independent scrutiny, challenge and reporting throughout implementation of the programme. The Authority has considered whether the requirement could reasonably be delivered by an alternative provider. Whilst other organisations may be capable of delivering individual aspects of engagement, participation, research or advisory services, the Authority has concluded that successful delivery of this requirement depends on a combination of recognised independence, established public trust, countywide reach, local infrastructure, community relationships, independent reporting capability and immediate operational readiness. Healthwatch Essex has an established role within Essex as an independent public voice organisation with existing countywide infrastructure, established community relationships and the ability to mobilise immediately. The Authority has concluded that there is no reasonable alternative provider capable of delivering an equivalent independent public voice, challenge and assurance function within Essex with the same combination of public recognition, community trust, local infrastructure and immediate mobilisation capability. The Authority therefore considers Healthwatch Essex to be the only provider capable of delivering the requirement in the manner necessary to achieve the objectives of the contract.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e839
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079567-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

79315000 - Social research services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£16,000 Under £100K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Aug 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
13 Jul 20261 months ago
Contract Period
2 Sep 2026 - 1 Sep 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NHS 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
CHELMSFORD
Postcode
CM1 1QH
Postcode Area
Chelmsford
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
Not specified
Local Authority
Chelmsford
Electoral Ward
Moulsham and Central
Westminster Constituency
Chelmsford

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Healthwatch Essex

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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