---
title: "Fylde & Wyre CCG: Voluntary Ex-Ante Competition Notice (VEAT)"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-7d8fc73e-e494-4c90-ac40-d6aac4942567"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-7d8fc73e-e494-4c90-ac40-d6aac4942567"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-7d8fc73e-e494-4c90-ac40-d6aac4942567.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-7d8fc73e-e494-4c90-ac40-d6aac4942567.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NHS MIDLANDS AND LANCASHIRE COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT"
published: "2020-05-11"
---

# Fylde & Wyre CCG: Voluntary Ex-Ante Competition Notice (VEAT)

Buyer: NHS MIDLANDS AND LANCASHIRE COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-7d8fc73e-e494-4c90-ac40-d6aac4942567

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## Summary

The NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit is facilitating the procurement of Digital IAPT Services (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) on behalf of the NHS Fylde & Wyre Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and other collaborating CCGs in the North West of England. This procurement process is classified under the category of miscellaneous health services and is currently in the Award stage. The contract, which was directly awarded without prior competition due to the urgent demand arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, has a value of £271,024 and will commence on 1st April 2020, running through to 31st March 2021.

This tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in digital health solutions and psychological therapy services, particularly those that can mobilise quickly to meet urgent needs. Companies that are innovative and capable of providing online support networks would be well-suited to compete, especially as the demand for accessible mental health services continues to grow in response to the pandemic. With the procurement method being a direct award through a single tender action, this tender may be particularly relevant for established providers with prior experience in delivering similar services to the NHS.

## Notice

NHS Fylde & Wyre CCG: Voluntary Ex-Ante Competition Notice (VEAT) Digital IAPT Services (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) *Please note this is not a call for competition and not a contract opportunity. * NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit (CSU) are working on behalf of Fylde & Wyre CCG in their capacity as Co-ordinating Commissioner for Digital IAPT services on behalf of the Integrated Commissioning System (ICS) for Mental Health in Lancashire and South Cumbria. The contract is awarded by NHS Fylde and Wyre CCG without prior publication on behalf of: NHS Blackpool CCG; NHS Morecombe Bay CCG; NHS West Lancs CCG; NHS Preston CCG; NHS Chorley & South Ribble CCG; NHS East Lancs CCG. In response to additional urgent demand for digital psychological therapies arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the above 7 named CCGs have collaborated in the direct award of a 6-12-month contract for Digital IAPT services (in the form of an online support network) to Big White Wall Ltd, without a call for competition. Please see below for the service specification and justification for the urgent need to directly award this contract in accordance with the regulatory conditions. Additional information: This Contract Award Notice is published under the Public Contract Regulations 2015. It is for clinical services which are Light Touch Regime services for the purpose of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as specified in Schedule 3 of the Regulations ('Regulations'). Accordingly, the contracting authority is only bound by those parts of the Regulations detailed in Chapter 3 Particular Procurement Regimes Section 7. The contracting authority is not voluntarily following any other part of the Regulations. The contract is let in accordance with Regulation 50 and the strict regulatory conditions for letting a contract without prior publication or formal competition due to extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting entity, namely the COVID-19 pandemic. The CCG considers the criteria for exceptional conditions of extreme urgency and criteria for patient best interest benefits have been met due to: 1. The urgent unforeseeable demand for online therapies resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the inability of patients to access usual face to face appointments. 2. The short term government policy of social distancing and the expected enduring restrictions on social contact in the medium term have forced commissioners to seek urgent provision of services and it is deemed in the best of interests of patients to commence the service immediately without a formal procurement process by using an existing provider previously commissioned by 4 of the 7 CCGs named in this notice. 3. Demand has increased at a pace that justifies restricting the usual competitive process by directly awarding a contract to a provider capable of mobilising across the required geographical area within 1 week, deemed to be in the best interests of patients requiring immediate access to the services during the lockdown period of the pandemic. 4. Only the minimum urgent requirements have been provided for within this contract which includes a minimum term of 6 months for the 3 CCGs newly commissioning the service from this provider and for 12 months for those 4 CCGs which held existing contracts with the provider. 5. Value for money is assured since there has been no increase to the population-based price previously charged at "pre-COVID-19" rates paid by the 4 CCGs holding existing contracts with the provider. 6. The value of the contract is below the OJEU advertising threshold. The direct award of this short term contract for only the immediate need will allow commissioners time to analyse and plan a competitive procurement process for the longer term solution to the increased demand for digital therapy.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/19a5b9d1-8032-451e-9f92-f46da65f738b |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Single tender action (below threshold) |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 11 May 2020 |
| Submission deadline | 31 Mar 2020 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 31 Mar 2020 |
| Contract period | 31 Mar 2020 - 31 Mar 2021 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £271,024 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £271,024 |
| 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 | NHS MIDLANDS AND LANCASHIRE COMMISSIONING SUPPORT UNIT |
| Locality | WESHAM |
| Post town | Preston |
| Postcode | PR4 3AL |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD4 Lancashire |
| ITL 3 | TLD45 Mid Lancashire |
| Local authority | Fylde |
| Electoral ward | Medlar-with-Wesham |
| Westminster constituency | Fylde |
| Delivery location | TLD North West (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | BIGWHITEWALL |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85140000 - Miscellaneous health services

## Release History

- 11 May 2020 at 15:25 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/19a5b9d1-8032-451e-9f92-f46da65f738b

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/19a5b9d1-8032-451e-9f92-f46da65f738b
  11th May 2020 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## 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-b5fd17-7d8fc73e-e494-4c90-ac40-d6aac4942567. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-7d8fc73e-e494-4c90-ac40-d6aac4942567.json.