ASD Post-Diagnostic Psychoeducational Resource for Parents/Carers and Young People in Greater Essex

Description

The Contracting Authority(s) (hereinafter referred to as "the Authority") for this Due Diligence are NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB and NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB. The Authority has awarded a contract to KIDS for the design, development, digitisation and pilot implementation of two psychoeducational resources, across Essex, Southend, and Thurrock. These will be evidence-based therapeutic interventions, that provide information and support to better understand and cope with autism for CYP and for parents and carers of CYP, following diagnosis. The project aims to deliver the national and local ambition to design and implement a psychoeducational resource which: - Provides information about autism as a diagnosis. - Helps people come to terms with their diagnosis. - Identifies additional coping strategies for everyday challenges (such as managing difficult sensory environments or stigma). -Provides opportunities to engage with other autistic people who may have had similar experiences. -Helps the parent/carer or young person feel empowered in living with their diagnosis. Is available to parents/carers and young people on an ongoing basis, to be accessible as and when required. The content will be evidence based, co-produced with families and professionals, and include a range of topics including financial advice, relational peer support, relationship management, emotional adjustment, long term stress management, resilience, stigma protection etc. Successful delivery will require a combination of expertise, skills and experience in terms of the digital sphere, alongside experience of working with children, young people and families with SEND. The contract commences 23rd January 2023 for a period of c. 39 months, expiring 31st March 2026, at an aggregate value of £398,000. The contract is awarded as a result of a due diligence process undertaken as a negotiation without prior publication, under Regulation 32 (1) (a) of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 ("PCR 2015") (as amended The Public Procurement (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020), following an unsuccessful open tender procedure published 16 September 2022 and conducted in compliance with the same Regulations (2022/S 000-026063). The due diligence process and intention to award was supported by a Voluntary Ex Ante Standstill Notice published in Find a Tender Service on 30th November 2022 (2022-043964), the standstill for which expired midnight on 5th January 2023. A Lotting Strategy was deemed inappropriate as it risked creation of unnecessary fragmentation and complexity. Accordingly, the service was procured as a single contract awarded to a single Preferred Bidder. The requirement to which this procurement related, fall within the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (as amended The Public Procurement (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020) (the "Regulations"). Additional information: As previously indicated in the Contract Notice, and the Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice, the Authority may wish to expand the Services during the lifetime of the contract ("Contract modification(s)"). To this end, interested parties should be aware that after the award of contract, there is a possibility that the successful Bidder may be offered a variation(s) to the contract in accordance with Regulation 72 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended The Public Procurement (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020), in the potential circumstances and or situations as previously communicated in the FTS Contract Notice and ITT Process Overview: 1. Appropriate alignment of the Service / Contract because of changes stipulated either nationally by NHSE or required locally by the Authority or its partners in the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (MSE ICS), either to expand the service provision to include complementary Services, or to align the service to changes in need from the eligible service user population. 2. As a result of unanticipated changes in demand for the Service, to support the successful Bidder to evolve the service slowly and sustainability to ensure successful implementation, and to ensure service safety and positive service user experience is maintained. 3. To enable the Authority to extend the contract for an additional duration, to accommodate any necessary and ongoing Subscription or License Fees that may be required as a result of any digital solution developed by the Preferred Bidder, in relation to this procurement and contract award. 4. Where additional funding becomes available to the Authority for delivery of service requirements that are similar and or complementary to the Service already included in the Specification, at any given time, and do not modify the overall nature of the contract and or for delivery of the Service over a longer duration in order to support sustainability of the Service and thorough evaluation of its effectiveness across the Southend, Essex and Thurrock Transforming Care Partnership (SET TCP), where the business case provides objective evidence that contract variation is the most appropriate course of action, taking account of one or more of the following considerations; service safety, financial and economic impact, innovation, patient and public acceptability, impact on health inequalities, strategic alignment with National/Regional/Local strategic priorities, ability to improve multiple pathways, positive contribution to improved supply / improving service responsiveness, patient experience and health economy impact. 5. Where any forthcoming changes in public procurement law for health care and non-healthcare services allows for such