This is a Soft Market Test and Request for Information, for the development & delivery of a 0-19 Healthy Child Programme across Leicestershire and Rutland.

The purpose of this advert is to investigate the market to assess the level of interest in providing specialist Public Health Services For 0-19 Year Olds, for Leicestershire and Rutland.

Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council are currently assessing future delivery options for a 0-19 Healthy Child Programme.

The information received from interested parties will be used to inform the options appraisal with regard to future provision of these services.

The Councils are planning to undertake a competitive tender process later this year to procure the service.

Towards informing this process and developing appropriate and innovative service specifications, the Councils are undertaking this soft market testing exercise to seek independent views to support and shape the procurement activity.

The vision for the 0-19 Healthy Children Programme is still being developed and it is hoped that this soft market testing exercise will feed into the service specification following our internal review.

However, we are seeking to develop and encourage innovative approaches to working with children, families & communities to improve outcomes for children in Leicestershire and Rutland.

The 0-19 Healthy Children Programme will have the child and their family at its centre with a strong public health focus, underpinned by a robust evidence base.

All mandated requirements will be met; there will be safe clinical governance, and strong information governance.

Safeguarding will be at the core of all work.

There will be robust monitoring systems that evidence the scale of reach across Leicestershire & Rutland and the impact 0-19 Healthy Child Programme is having on the lives of children and their families.

Through issuing this advert, Leicestershire County Council is seeking feedback from the market to inform the options appraisal for the delivery of 0-19 Healthy Child Programme across Leicestershire and Rutland.

Any organisation interested in participating in this market testing exercise should download the questionnaire from the e-tendering website.

Interested parties should note that the County Council may seek further clarification &/or hold discussions with organisations who respond.

Please note, the Councils intend to use the information gathered to inform the options appraisal with regard to future provision of the service.

Participating in this exercise will not affect any party positively or negatively during any eventual procurement process and the Councils reserve the right not to proceed with any procurement process.

Interested parties are further advised that any information submitted during the market sounding exercise will not form part of any eventual procurement process and that a failure to respond to this notice will not preclude them from responding in the future.