Community Drug and Alcohol Services - Procurement

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract Notice.

The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.

For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award.

Cornwall Council is procuring community drug and alcohol services across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, using the Competitive Process. The procurement is structured into two Lots: Lot 1 (Adults) and Lot 2 (Young People).

The services will deliver an integrated, whole-system, community-based model of prevention, treatment and recovery support, operating across diverse urban and rural geographies, including the Isles of Scilly. The overall aim is to reduce alcohol and drug-related harm, improve health and wellbeing, support recovery, and contribute to reductions in drug and alcohol-related deaths and wider inequalities.

Lot 1 covers the provision of a comprehensive community drug and alcohol treatment system for adults (18+), including open access services, harm reduction, structured community treatment, criminal justice pathways, housing-related support, support for families and carers, specialist responses for people with complex needs, and recovery-oriented community provision.

Lot 2 covers the provision of a specialist community drug and alcohol service for young people (under 18), including targeted prevention and early intervention, open access and Tier 2 support, structured community treatment (Tier 3), transitions to and from Tier 4 services, youth justice pathways, safeguarding responses, and planned transitions to adult services.

Both Lots require county-wide delivery using flexible, accessible and peripatetic models, strong partnership working across statutory and voluntary sectors, and alignment with national and local policy and guidance, including NICE guidance, the National Drug Strategy and National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) requirements. The services will operate year-round and are expected to deliver timely access, high-quality outcomes and continuous learning and improvement.

Detailed Lot-specific requirements are set out in the relevant sections of this notice and the associated procurement documents. Participation in this procurement is conditional, as set out in the detailed Lot-specific requirements.


Lot 1 – Adults (18+)
Cornwall Council is inviting suitably qualified and experienced organisations to tender for the provision of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Community Drug and Alcohol Service
Lot 1, for Adults (18+). This procurement forms part of the wider commissioning of community alcohol and drug services and will operate alongside a separate contract for Lot 2, Young People (under 18).
The contracts are intended to work as an integrated, whole system model to reduce harm, prevent death and improve recovery outcomes.

The successful Supplier will be required to deliver a comprehensive, integrated, trauma responsive, and outcomes focused community drug and alcohol treatment system that reduces harm, improves health and wellbeing, and supports recovery for adults affected by alcohol and/or drug use.
The Service must be free, confidential, easily accessible, evidence based and compliant with national guidance, including NICE guidance, the National Drug Strategy, and National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) requirements.


Required Services

The Supplier will deliver a county wide service (including Isles of Scilly) providing the full suite of open access, harm reduction and structured community treatment interventions, including (but not limited to):

• Open access services: advice, information, screening, triage, brief interventions, assertive outreach and detached working.
• Harm reduction services: overdose prevention, naloxone provision, needle and syringe programmes (including specialist provision), BBV testing and vaccination, and alcohol brief interventions.
• Structured community treatment: integrated clinical and psychosocial interventions, pharmacological treatment, detoxification support, recovery planning, aftercare and recovery check ups.
• Criminal justice pathways, including custody engagement, Drug Rehabilitation Requirements (DRR), Alcohol Treatment Requirements (ATR), probation and continuity of care on release from prison.
• Housing related floating support, including homelessness prevention, tenancy sustainment and support for people experiencing rough sleeping.
• Support for families, carers and affected others, including information, advice and therapeutic interventions.
• Specialist responses for people with co occurring mental health needs, trauma histories, domestic abuse and sexual violence, neurodiversity, exploitation risk and multiple disadvantage.
• Recovery oriented community provision, including peer support, mutual aid, volunteering, education and employment support (including Individual Placement and Support – IPS).

The Service must operate 52 weeks per year, with delivery across multiple localities, including outreach, peripatetic provision, home visits, and community based settings. Existing delivery locations include Liskeard, Truro, Penzance, Bodmin, St Austell and other satellite sites, with regular provision to the Isles of Scilly.

Scale and Anticipated Volume
The Service is expected to support approximately 4,000 adults in effective treatment per annum, across alcohol, non opiate and opiate cohorts, with no waiting times beyond national expectations. The Supplier must demonstrate capacity to deliver high volume activity while maintaining quality, safety and personalised support.


Key Principles and Outcomes
The Service will be delivered as a learning, outcomes based contract, underpinned by:
• Trauma responsive, stigma free, person centred care
• Assertive engagement and harm reduction
• Integrated multi agency working (“My Team Around Me”)
• Continuous improvement and system learning
• Strong clinical, safeguarding and information governance

The Supplier must deliver against national and local outcomes frameworks, including treatment access, retention, progress, reduction in drug and alcohol related deaths, improved housing and employment outcomes, and reduced reoffending.

Supplier Participation Requirements
Cornwall Council welcomes tenders from NHS bodies, voluntary and community sector organisations, social enterprises and other suitably qualified providers, including consortia and partnerships. Any proposed subcontracting arrangements must be clearly detailed and approved by the Council.

Suppliers are invited to tender where they can demonstrate:
• Proven capability and experience in delivering large scale adult drug and alcohol treatment services.
• Strong clinical governance arrangements, including CQC compliance (where applicable).
• Capacity to deliver an integrated, county wide service across diverse and rural geographies.
• Evidence of effective partnership working, including co delivery with Lot 2 (Young People’s Services) where applicable.
• A skilled, sustainable workforce aligned to national capability frameworks.
• Robust data collection, reporting and performance management arrangements.
• Commitment to co production with people with lived experience, families and carers.

Suppliers responding to this tender are required to fully understand and confirm their ability to deliver all elements of the specification and to actively participate in mobilisation, contract review meetings and ongoing system development.

Ref the UKK42 Torbay place of performance, it should be noted that, in relation to Torbay, the expectation is limited to the Individual Placement Support (IPS) function only, delivered by a dedicated IPS worker embedded within the overall, Cornwall-led and managed team, for management, support and development, but operating specifically in Torbay.

Supplier should therefore ensure their proposals clearly reflect that only the IPS component is required for Torbay, rather than a full replication of the wider service offer.

As a condition of participation, Suppliers must, at the date of tender submission, be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for the provision of regulated drug and alcohol treatment services.

Suppliers must provide evidence of registration with their tender submission. Failure to do so will render the bid non compliant and it will not be evaluated further.

Estimated value over the maximum contract term = £80,100,000 excluding VAT


Lot 2 – Young People (Under 18)
Cornwall Council is inviting suitably qualified and experienced organisations to tender for the provision of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Community Drug and Alcohol Service Lot 2, for Young People (under 18). This procurement forms part of the wider commissioning of community alcohol and drug services and will operate alongside a separate contract for Lot 1, Adults (18+).

The contracts are intended to work as an integrated, whole system model to reduce harm, prevent death and improve recovery outcomes.

Nature of the Services
The Service is a specialist, community based alcohol and drug service for children and young people, primarily under the age of 18, who are resident in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, including those in transition to adult services.

The Service must deliver evidence based, trauma responsive, developmentally informed prevention, treatment and recovery support, whilst also enabling universal and targeted services across the system to respond effectively to alcohol and drug related harm.

The Service must provide a full continuum of interventions, including:
• Targeted prevention and early intervention, including education programmes and support to schools, colleges and alternative provision.
• Open access and Tier 2 interventions, including advice, brief interventions, harm reduction and support for “affected others” (young people impacted by parental or household substance use).
• Structured community treatment (Tier 3), including specialist assessment, care planning, psychosocial interventions, harm reduction and community based pharmacological treatment in line with national guidance.
• Support for transition to Tier 4 services (inpatient detoxification and residential rehabilitation), including care coordination, preparation, discharge planning and aftercare (placements funded separately).
• Specialist pathways, including Youth Justice Service support, diversion offers, safeguarding, affected others interventions, transition to adult services, and integrated working with mental health and other partners.


Quantity and Anticipated Demand

The Service is expected to support approximately:
• 148 young people per annum in structured (Tier 3) treatment;
• Additional young people through Tier 2 and open access interventions, including affected others;
• Ongoing system wide prevention activity across all secondary schools, colleges and alternative provision settings in Cornwall.

The Service must not operate waiting lists or raise thresholds if Tier 3 demand exceeds expectations. Capacity management, workforce solutions and service redesign must be agreed with the Commissioner to ensure timely access and continuity of care.


Key Service Requirements

The Provider must:
• Deliver services county wide using a flexible, peripatetic model, including schools, community settings, homes and digital platforms.
• Provide timely access, including referral acknowledgement within 1 working day, assessment within 5 working days and commencement of structured treatment within 21 days where indicated.
• Operate a single point of access, accepting referrals from professionals, families and self referral, with multiple referral routes.
• Embed trauma responsive, anti stigma, equality focused and co produced practice throughout governance, workforce development and service delivery.
• Work in close partnership with Lot 1 providers, statutory services, VCSE organisations and community partners, recognising that outcomes are delivered at a system level.
• Use the Council commissioned Electronic Case Management System (ECMS) and submit all required data to the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) to required quality standards.
• Meet robust safeguarding, quality, clinical governance, workforce competency, digital capability and health and safety requirements.
• Participate fully in contract learning and review meetings, performance management, audits, learning reviews and system forums.


Supplier Participation and Tender Expectations

Cornwall Council welcomes tenders from NHS bodies, voluntary and community sector organisations, social enterprises and other suitably qualified providers, including consortia and partnerships. Any proposed subcontracting arrangements must be clearly detailed and approved by the Council.
Bidders must demonstrate:
• Proven experience in delivering specialist substance use services for children and young people;
• Strong partnership working and system leadership capability;
• A skilled, trauma informed workforce aligned with national competency frameworks;
• Capacity to deliver at scale across a large, mixed rural and urban geography;
• A commitment to continuous learning, co production and service innovation.

Suppliers are invited to submit a tender setting out how they will meet or exceed the requirements of the Specification, deliver high quality outcomes for young people and families, and contribute to reducing alcohol and drug related harm and inequalities across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.


As a condition of participation, Suppliers must, at the date of tender submission, be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for the provision of regulated drug and alcohol treatment services;

Suppliers must provide evidence of both registrations with their tender submission. Failure to do so will render the bid non compliant and it will not be evaluated further.

Estimated value over the maximum contract term = £ 6,966,000 excluding VAT


Term:
An initial contract term of six (6) years, commencing on 1 April 2027 and ending on 31 March 2033.

The Authority has the right, but not the obligation, to extend the contract for one further period of up to three (3) years subject to performance and agreement, giving a maximum contract term of nine (9) years in total, subject to the terms of the Contract.

Additional information:
The estimated total values stated in this notice are based on current assumptions and is net of any future adjustment. The actual value of the contract may vary over its term to reflect contractual adjustment and lawful service changes in line with commissioning requirements. Accordingly, the final award value may exceed the estimate stated in this notice.

The authority will consider multi-lot discount offers as part of evaluations, please refer to the Invitation to Tender for further details and the Financial Assessment when bidding on more than one Lot.