Integrated substance misuse services for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

The purpose of this advert is to investigate the market to assess the level of interest in providing integrated substance misuse services for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council are currently assessing future delivery options for substance misuse services.

The information received from interested parties will be used to inform the options appraisal with regard to future provision of these services. The Council(s) together with the OPCC are seeking to undertake a competitive tender process to re-procure community based specialist substance misuse services for all ages.

Towards informing the process and developing appropriate and innovative service specifications, the Council(s) is undertaking this soft market testing exercise to seek independent views to support and shape the procurement activity. Currently the preferred model is to have a fully integrated substance misuse service across the 3 local authority areas.

The service will provide a full range of interventions for adults and young people using drugs and/or alcohol. This will include working with individuals involved in the criminal justice system.

The intention is for there to be delivery points across each of the 3 local authorities. Through issuing this advert, Leicestershire County Council is seeking feedback from the market to inform the options appraisal for the delivery of substance misuse services in Leicester, 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 and/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 to any future contract notice. The County Councils will not meet any costs incurred by any party in responding to this notice.

All responses will be treated as confidential. This market engagement exercise is being conducted via the East Midlands Procurement portal (www.eastmidstenders.org) further information on this exercise can be obtained from this website.