Request for Information - Integrated Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Service

North of England Commissioning Support (NECS) for and on behalf of NHS North Durham, NHS Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield, NHS Darlington, NHS Hartlepool and Stockton-On-Tees and NHS South Tees Clinical Commissioning Groups wish to undertake a Request for Information (RFI) exercise to gain feedback in respect of the technical response questions to be used for the Integrated Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Service procurement.

Please note that it has come to our attention that a draft version of the technical questions for the forthcoming IAPT procurement has been shared outwith our standard process with a limited number of provider organisations within the last few weeks.

The draft set of questions were shared in isolation without details of the associated scoring criteria or a copy of the final version of the service specification, so would have offered minimal advantage to any organisation having sight of them.

We believe that the new delivery model offers an improved service for our respective patient populations and consider that delaying the procurement is not in their best interests.

It was not our intention for the information to be shared, but as a result we are taking actions to ensure a level playing field ahead of the start of the procurement process.

Firstly, the source of disclosure of the technical questions has been removed from the process and from all access to information relating to the process.

In addition, the procurement process will be amended to include an assessment of provider responses to a set of unseen clinical scenarios, carrying a considerable weighting and offering a robust testing of provider delivery models.

Further, we are openly publishing an updated set of the questions and weightings as part of a Request for Information process to gain feedback from any interested parties on the scope of questions ahead of the procurement process.

We trust that these actions address any concerns that provider organisations may have and can confirm that the process will be conducted fully in line with the Public Contract Regulations 2015.

To register an interest in responding to this RFI exercise and obtain a copy of the Request for Information documentation please go to the PROACTIS portal: https://www.proactisplaza.com/SupplierPortal/?CID=NECS Please note that all communications and RFI submissions will be conducted via the PROACTIS portal only.

It is free to register on the portal, which can be accessed at any time of day.

Should you have any queries, or are having problems registering on the portal, you should contact the eTendering provider by Email: Suppliersupport@proactis.com or Website: http://proactis.kayako.com/suppliernetwork/Core/Default/Index (Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5.00pm).

Please note that the RFI documents can be accessed via the PROACTIS portal from 09 August 2018 Please note the response deadline for RFI submissions is 5pm on the 20 August 2018