Mental Health Services review- preliminary market engagement

Swindon Borough Council invites you to contribute to preliminary market engagement in relation to Mental Health Review Project and would welcome the views of suppliers on the questions set out in the questionnaire. The intention is to invite supplier feedback to help shape the final specification and commercial model to ensure the tender delivers the optimum outcomes for the Council.

Insert project background/description

Swindon Borough Council is undertaking a comprehensive review of commissioned mental health support across the locality. The aim is to better understand current provision, identify gaps, and explore opportunities to reshape services to improve outcomes for residents, families, and communities.

The Council is seeking supplier insight to inform the development of a future delivery model that is sustainable, person centred, strengths based, and aligned with emerging needs and local priorities.

As part of the Council’s Adult Services transformation activity, we are reviewing the range of mental health support currently commissioned in Swindon. This includes preventative and community based support, recovery focused services, and interventions designed to promote independence, wellbeing, and social inclusion.
We wish to engage with the market to:
• build an understanding of current capacity, capability, and innovations;
• test early thinking on potential delivery models; and
• identify opportunities for co design and collaborative approaches to improve resident outcomes.

The Council is exploring whether the future mental health support offer should be commissioned as a single contract or divided into Lots (for example: community based prevention, specialist recovery support, or crisis avoidance support).
We welcome supplier views on the feasibility and benefits of a Lot based approach as part of this preliminary engagement.

The Council has not yet determined the preferred contract duration for the future mental health support delivery model. Feedback received through this Preliminary Market Engagement will inform the development of an appropriate contract term and potential extension options. Therefore, all timeframes and values provided at this stage are indicative only

Contract start, end, and extension dates will be confirmed following market feedback and finalisation of the commissioning strategy. Indicative timeframes will be shared in future procurement notices.

The estimated contract value is expected to fall within a broad range appropriate for the scale of mental health support provision in the locality. Final values will be informed by market feedback and confirmed in future procurement documentation.

Engagement Process Description
To participate in the Preliminary Market Engagement Suppliers will need to Register as a Supplier with ProContract, www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk, then Register an Interest before obtaining access to the Preliminary Market Engagement documents.
Responses to the Preliminary Market Engagement Questionnaire are required to be submitted no later than 13 March 2026, 15:00 hrs UK Local time via ProContract tender portal - https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk

The contract is intended to commence with a premobilisation period on 1 January 2027