---
title: "(NU/1433-3) Immersive Virtual Reality intervention for anxiety: Commercialisation of university research through provision of management skills to assist in successful spin-out company creation"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-4952fb53-7851-4e91-a8ba-0c0a5184271c"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-4952fb53-7851-4e91-a8ba-0c0a5184271c"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-4952fb53-7851-4e91-a8ba-0c0a5184271c.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-4952fb53-7851-4e91-a8ba-0c0a5184271c.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY"
published: "2019-10-22"
---

# (NU/1433-3) Immersive Virtual Reality intervention for anxiety: Commercialisation of university research through provision of management skills to assist in successful spin-out company creation

Buyer: NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-4952fb53-7851-4e91-a8ba-0c0a5184271c

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-4952fb53-7851-4e91-a8ba-0c0a5184271c)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-4952fb53-7851-4e91-a8ba-0c0a5184271c.json)

## Summary

The procurement process for the development and commercialisation of an immersive virtual reality intervention for anxiety is led by Newcastle University. This project, titled "(NU/1433-3) Immersive Virtual Reality intervention for anxiety," is classified under business and management consultancy services, with a contract value of £30,000. The procurement process is currently in the award stage, having been awarded to North East BIC on 22nd October 2019. The contract period will commence on 28th October 2019 and run until 30th April 2020. The project targets the North East region of the United Kingdom.

This tender presents significant growth opportunities for SMEs that can provide virtual reality solutions and therapeutic training services tailored for the healthcare industry. Companies with expertise in developing immersive VR technology or those with consultancy capabilities in the health sector would be particularly well-suited to compete. The focus on a controlled therapeutic environment makes this project appealing to technology providers that can enhance mental health interventions, particularly for those targeting autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in both the UK and international markets.

## Notice

Professor Jeremy Parr and colleagues at Newcastle University and Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (NTW) have developed a manualised modified Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) intervention to treat situation specific phobia in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Training materials for health professionals have been created. The intervention is delivered over four sessions in an immersive VR room where the participant works with a therapist to gradually be exposed to their feared situation. The immersive room means there is no need for a headset or goggles and the participant and therapist can interact throughout. The treatment method is manualised and a training workshop for therapists has been designed and delivered successfully to over 20 therapists. To date the intervention has been delivered using an immersive virtual reality (VR) system developed by a local SME Third Eye Neurotech but there are many other VR providers who could also provide this function. This intervention has advantages over traditional Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for situation specific phobia in individuals with ASD due to the ability to immerse the individual in their specific situation making them feel 'present' in the scenario. Real life graded exposure can be overwhelming for people with autism; the controlled environment of VR allows more effective therapy to take place. Published, peer reviewed evidence shows that the intervention has been shown to be feasible to deliver in the NHS, and acceptable to health professionals, children and adults and their relatives (in 41 children and 8 adults with autism spectrum disorder). The proposal is to create a New Co (as yet unnamed) to bring the intervention to market in the NHS and private medical market in the UK and elsewhere globally. A suitable executive will be engaged to carry out an options appraisal of the best business model for roll out of the modified CBT intervention and training package and the business model for provision of the necessary VR hardware for delivery. The main markets to be targeted initially are the UK, EU, US and Canada and Middle East with penetration into further markets in a progressive manner.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b8902a54-aec7-4387-81f0-1bf34ad465b7 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Other - |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 22 Oct 2019 |
| Submission deadline | 9 Aug 2019 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 21 Oct 2019 |
| Contract period | 28 Oct 2019 - 30 Apr 2020 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £30,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £30,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY |
| Locality | NEWCASTLE |
| Post town | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Postcode | NE1 7RU |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear |
| ITL 3 | TLC43 Tyneside |
| Local authority | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Electoral ward | Monument |
| Westminster constituency | Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West |
| Delivery location | TLC North East (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | NORTH EAST BIC |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

## Release History

- 22 Oct 2019 at 14:19 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b8902a54-aec7-4387-81f0-1bf34ad465b7

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b8902a54-aec7-4387-81f0-1bf34ad465b7
  22nd October 2019 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## Notice URLs

- https://ncl.ac.uk

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-4952fb53-7851-4e91-a8ba-0c0a5184271c. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-4952fb53-7851-4e91-a8ba-0c0a5184271c.json.