II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
To enable UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and UK Shared Business Services (UK SBS) to fulfil their obligations to employees, and to assist with each party's Employee Benefit and Wellbeing Programmes UKRI and UK SBS are seeking an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Service for all staff across multiple locations.
It is UKRI and UK SBS' policy to provide and look after the emotional wellbeing of their employees and family members and to employ best practice to ensure the health, safety and welfare its employees.
In addition, the supplier will be required to work with HR Teams in UKRI and UK SBS to help promote and raise awareness of the range of support mechanisms effectively to ensure value for money in this contract.
It should be noted that UK SBS and UKRI are to be noted separately in this arrangement.
The Contracting Authorities also requires coverage including access to counselling services for overseas employees working for UKRI.
Core and on demand services include:
Direct staff access to on-line, telephonic and face-to-face counselling - undertaken by fully trained and appropriately qualified professionals holding accreditations as noted below - and a range of advisory services via a free phone national telephone helpline manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The Supplier shall be accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
In addition to BACP accreditation, Supplier organisations and Supplier Personnel shall hold accreditation from one or more of the following recognised bodies:
• British Psychological Society;
• British Confederation of Psychotherapists;
• British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies (BABCP);
• UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP);
• Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC);
• Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC);
• General Medical Council (GMC); and
• COSCA (Counselling & Psychotherapy in Scotland)
The service must be fully accessible for all UKRI and UK SBS employees (and family members following HMRC guidance) and provide accessible alternatives in provision of services, including alternative delivery formats and languages. This service must be accessible from UK landlines, mobile telephones and overseas, via a UK dialling code and be able to accept calls from outside the UK.
The initial point of contact shall be able to triage the incoming call to the best professional support offered for the nature of the caller's query, including at risk 'red flag' cases and those presenting with neuro-diverse conditions.
Provide and maintain a web based accredited secure portal to be available to all employees 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The design and content of the website will be agreed with the Contracting Authorities in advance and be branded appropriately. The website must conform to the Contract Authorities' Accessibility Standards and Password Policies, and be compliant to the Cloud Security Principles and the Equality Act 2010.
The website and links to related sites, e.g. HSE management standards, NHS, will as a minimum, provide an online resource for employees offering comprehensive materials on the services available and how to access them.
It is anticipated that as a minimum, the website will contain self-help guides, fact sheets and leaflets, as well as details on national and international health and wellbeing awareness events and campaigns, in a fully downloadable format.
The service should provide tailored support for specific issues from a diverse range of backgrounds to cater to different groups of employees, such as BAME LGBTQ+, etc.
The supplier shall ensure that counsellors taking calls at the Initial Contact Point have access to data bases of credible recognised agencies, e.g. Citizens Advice Bureaux, Samaritans, NHS, Gov.UK etc.
The supplier will provide counselling support to employees or managers experiencing bullying and harassment in the workplace including those involved in formal action. If an employee requires counselling as a consequence of bullying and harassment in the workplace but has already received the maximum number of counselling sessions for an unrelated reason, then the Contracting Authority may approve a second counselling referral and approve a further 6 sessions in that contract year. The supplier will not give advice on the individual Contracting Authorities' policies and procedures but will be expected to signpost employees and managers to their whereabouts. The supplier will not act as an advocate in grievance cases connected with harassment and bullying.
Provision of up to 6 counselling sessions per individual following initial contact.
Once the case has been closed down, if a user has cause to require support for a different reason, subsequent contact is permissible and again 6 sessions are available. In exceptional circumstances permission may be sought from the Contracting Authority to authorise additional sessions on a case-by-case basis, and permission should be sought by a key contact/s which will be provided by the contracting authority. The Supplier shall:
• Ensure the employee understands all methods of counselling / coaching available to them; the expectations and limitations of each, and work together to choose the most clinically effective method;
• Provide short-term focussed face to face counselling in all circumstances where this will provide the best outcome for the employee or where the employee states this as their preference;
• All counselling sessions are arranged within 48 hours of first referral;
• Ensure the first session of counselling takes place within 5 days of first referral;
• Counselling sessions should normally last 1 hour;
• Ensure that all face to face counselling sessions take place within 30 minutes by car or and no more than an hour by public transport, of the employees' home or place of work or via zoom or similar due to any restrictions related to the Pandemic;
• Those presenting at risk i.e. 'red flag' should be forwarded immediately to appropriate help, for example, emergency NHS Primary Care/A&E, followed by access to a counsellor within 24 hours, as appropriate;
• The Supplier shall provide accessible alternatives in provision of services, including alternative delivery formats and languages;
• The supplier shall provide continuity of counsellor during the period of a referral unless exceptional circumstances dictate otherwise.
• The supplier shall provide the option for the Contracting Authority (this could be HR or Line Managers) to refer individuals on their behalf (with consent) for EAP support;
• The supplier shall provide access to employees to contact EAP for support for face to face or telephone counselling in writing (or via Secure App) in addition to verbal requests through their free phone number;
• The supplier shall provide support to employees on a range of health and wellbeing issues
• Provide the service across all the Contracting Authorities locations throughout the UK and work with each of the Contracting Authorities to establish suitable service provision for employees in foreign countries while undertaking work;
• Maintain accurate and confidential records in line with all relevant regulations and in line with agreed standards as set out by the contracting body.
The supplier is required to provide:
• A Management Support Service
• Trauma and Critical Incident Support
Publicity and Promotion
The Supplier will be expected by the Contracting Authorities to provide on-going organisation wide publicity and promotion of the Employee Assistance Programme.
The Employee Assistance Programme is firmly embedded within UKRI and UK SBS Policies and workplace culture. The supplier should support the Contracting Authorities to help employees feel supported in their emotional needs thorough the EAP benefit offering. Promotion should focus on employee wellbeing and resilience and encourage all employees to use the service for support and advice, not just during periods of ill-health or crisis.
The Supplier should work with the Contracting Authorities to support Health Promotions and Initiatives undertaken by the Contracting Authorities. e.g. World Suicide Prevention Day, Back Care Awareness and National Fitness Day
The supplier will be expected to provide the Contracting Authorities with a suite of Webinar material , the availability of a secure mobile app, a dedicated client portal and a named Contract Account Manager
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
280 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 24
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
The contract duration shall be for the initial contract term of 2 years with the optional extension on an annual basis 1 + 1 years period from the commencement of the contract
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
How To Apply
UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) will be using the Delta eSourcing Portal for this procurement.
To register on the Delta eSourcing portal please use the link https://www.delta-esourcing.com/ and follow the instructions to register.
If you are already registered on the Delta eSourcing Portal and wish to participate in this procurement, please use the link: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/ and the follow the instructions to 'Log in'
Once you are logged into the system you will be able to link yourself into this procurement using the Access Code: 78ZF495UA3
DO NOT APPLY DIRECTLY TO BUYER
All submissions will be assessed in accordance with the Public Procurement Regulations that apply to this opportunity.
Responses must be received by the date and time in the tender documentation; responses received outside of the deadline or not sent via the Delta eSourcing portal will not be accepted or considered by the Contracting Authorities further for this opportunity. Interested organisations should ensure that they allow a sufficiency of time, prior to the deadline to allow all sections to be completed in full and any attachments to be uploaded.
As a user of the Delta eSourcing Portal you will have access to the Delta messaging service which facilitates all messages sent to you and from you, as well as other messages and updates in relation to any specific tender event. Please note that any and all information secured outside of the messaging service, shall have no merit or worth and should not be relied upon by any organisation submitting a tender response.
Please note it is your organisations responsibility to access these messages on a regular basis to ensure you have sight of all relevant information applicable to this opportunity.
The Contracting Authorities expressly reserves the right:
i. not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice; and
ii. to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the procurement; and under no circumstances as part of your organisations participation in this opportunity, will the Contracting Authorities be liable for any costs incurred by any organisation as a result. If the Contracting Authorities decides to enter into a contract with any successful organisation(s), this does not mean that there is any guarantee of subsequent contracts being awarded. Any expenditure, work or effort undertaken prior to contract award is accordingly a matter solely for the commercial judgement of your organisation in doing so.
About UK Shared Business Services
UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) brings a commercial attitude to the public sector; helping our contracting authorities to improve efficiency, generate savings and modernise.
Where UK SBS is not named as the Contracting Authority within the documentation, UK SBS will be acting as an agent on behalf of the Contracting Authority.
Our broad range of expert services is shared by our customers. This allows our customers the freedom to focus resources on core activities; innovating and transforming their own organisations.
For full details of our partner base please review the following link: http://www.uksbs.co.uk/services/procure/contracts/Pages/default.aspx