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Parent Infant Psychological Therapy Services

West Sussex County Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

27 Oct 2026 at 13:06

Planning Notice
Summary of the contracting process

West Sussex County Council intends to commission a specialist parent–infant psychological therapy service for expectant parents and parents with children aged 0–2 who live in West Sussex. The service is intended to provide therapeutic support to families during pregnancy and early childhood. The work is a health service, delivered to eligible families in West Sussex, and is described as specialist rather than general psychological therapy. The Council is the buying organisation. The requirement is for one service; it is not divided into separate lots. The service is intended to support parent–infant relationships through therapeutic interventions delivered to parents and young children, with provision in both group and one-to-one settings.

The process is at the planning stage: West Sussex County Council has announced an intended approach, but has not formally awarded the contract and this is not an invitation to tender. The Council intends to use the Most Suitable Provider process under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023; it says the alternative direct award routes do not apply. The intended contract term is 1 December 2026 to 30 November 2027, with a stated total value of £20,000. The Council expected the intended approach period to run from 27 October 2026 until 12 noon on 10 November 2026, before assessing providers. A further notice was anticipated for 1 December 2026. Assessment is to apply the five Provider Selection Regime criteria in order: quality and innovation; integration, collaboration and sustainability; value; access, health inequalities and choice; and social value.

This service is most relevant to providers with established expertise in parent–infant psychological therapy and the capacity to support expectant parents and families with children aged 0–2. Practitioners delivering therapy must have appropriate professional qualifications and, where applicable, registration with a relevant professional or regulatory body. Experience delivering specialist therapy both one-to-one and in groups is specifically sought. Providers will also need to demonstrate suitability to provide the service, including relevant regulatory or accreditation requirements, and adequate technical and professional ability; economic and financial standing may be considered where relevant. The Council will assess quality and innovation, integration and collaboration, service sustainability, value, access and health inequalities, choice, and social value. An identified likely provider has committed charitable resources and secured further local nursery-provider resources, a factor relevant to the stated value and sustainability criteria.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Parent Infant Psychological Therapy Services

Notice Description

Specialist parent-infant psychological therapy service for expectant parents and parents with children aged 0-2 years living in West Sussex.

Lot Information

Lot 1

This is a Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Intended Approach Notice. This notice is subject to Regulation 10 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.

For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a procurement via Procurement Act 23 or Public Contract Regulations 2015.

West Sussex County Council is releasing this Intended Approach Notice as per the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) using the Most Suitable Provider route. As per schedule 5 under Regulation 10 of the PSR, please see the following information below:

1. WSCC is intending to follow the Most Suitable Provider Process to award a contract.

2. The contract title: Parent Infant Psychological Therapy Service. The contract reference: I-89168.

3. The aim is to procure a Specialist parent-infant psychological therapy service for expectant parents and parents with children aged 0-2 years living in West Sussex. Due to the specialist nature of the service, all practitioners delivering therapeutic interventions must hold appropriate professional qualifications and, where applicable, maintain registration with a relevant professional or regulatory body. They should also be experienced in delivering specialist parent-infant psychological therapy in both group and one-to-one settings.

4. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intended approach notice under the PSR.

5. Should you wish to be considered, written representations should be sent to BSDProcurement@westsussex.gov.uk ensuring the following details are referenced:

Project reference: I-89168

Project title: Parent Infant Psychological Therapy Service - Most Suitable Provider process

This PSR MSP Intended Approach Notice will be published on 27 October 2026 and will be open to representations until 12pm, 10 November 2026. Additional information: This PSR MSP Intended Approach Notice will be published on 27 October2026 and will be open until 12pm, 10 November 2026.

This notice is published by West Sussex County Council pursuant to Regulation 10 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 as notice of its intention to follow the Most Suitable Provider (MSP) process.

The requirement concerns the procurement of Parent Infant Psychological Therapy Services. The proposed contract term is 1 December 2026 to 30 November 2027. The total contract value is PS20,000.

West Sussex County Council considers the MSP process appropriate because Direct Award Processes A, B and C do not apply.

The likely provider who has been identified by WSCC has committed PS5,000 from their own charitable resources to this project and has worked with a local nursery provider to secure an additional PS5,000 of resource should they be awarded this provision. This notice is being published for at least 14 calendar days before assessment of providers against the key criteria. Any provider not presently known to West Sussex County Council that believes it is capable of delivering these services may ask to be considered as a potential provider.

In accordance with the Provider Selection Regime, West Sussex County Council will assess likely providers against the five mandatory key criteria and the basic selection criteria.

The key criteria to be applied in order of importance to this procurement are:

1. Quality and innovation
2. Integration, collaboration and service sustainability
3. Value
4. Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice
5. Social value

The basic selection criteria will be applied on a pass/fail basis and will include:

- suitability to pursue the activity, including relevant regulatory and accreditation requirements;
- economic and financial standing, where relevant; and
- technical and professional ability.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-079135
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/101542-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
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
£20,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Oct 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Dec 20264 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
West Sussex 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
CHICHESTER
Postcode
PO19 1RG
Postcode Area
Portsmouth
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ27 West Sussex (South West)
Delivery Location
TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex
Local Authority
Chichester
Electoral Ward
Chichester Central
Westminster Constituency
Chichester

Further Information

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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