Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
MERSEY CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
RW4
V7 Building, Kings Business Park, Prescot
Liverpool
L341PJ
UK
Contact person: Rebecca Mottershaw-King
E-mail: rebecca.mottershaw-king@merseycare.nhs.uk
NUTS: UKD71
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.merseycare.nhs.uk
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Health
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Sub-contract for Cheshire and Merseyside adult secure services (male low secure mental illness and male step-down)
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85111000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The contract is for the provision of adult secure mental health services for patients from Cheshire and Merseyside, delivered by Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) in line with nationally agreed NHS contracts and service specifications.
The services are commissioned under a block contract arrangement, providing a defined level of clinical activity and capacity to meet anticipated system demand and support delivery of the secure care pathway across the Lead Provider Collaborative.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
7 000 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKC
UKD
UKE
UKF
UKG
UKH
UKI
UKJ
UKK
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The contract is for the provision of adult secure mental health services for patients from Cheshire and Merseyside, delivered by Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) in line with nationally agreed NHS contracts and service specifications.
The service includes the delivery of secure inpatient care and associated clinical support, providing assessment, treatment and recovery-focused interventions to support patients within the secure care pathway. Services are commissioned under a block contract arrangement, providing a defined level of capacity and activity to meet anticipated system demand, support patient flow, and ensure continuity of care across the Lead Provider Collaborative.
The Authority intends to award a contract to the existing provider, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, following Direct Award Process C under the Provider Selection Regime (PSR).
The contract will run from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.
The approximate total lifetime value of the contract is £7,000,000 (excluding VAT).
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: The existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard
/ Weighting: 100
Price
/ Weighting:
0
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
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Directive
Explanation
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award 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. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by Monday 29 June 2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR'.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section V: Award of contract
Title: 2026/27_CV_MCNHSFT_CWPNHSFT_PP AS PC
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
31/03/2026
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
RXA
Redesmere Building, Countess of Chester Health Park
Chester
UK
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 7 000 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award 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. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by Monday 29 June 2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR.
Representations should be submitted in writing to: rebecca.mottershaw-king@merseycare.nhs.uk.
Decision-makers
The decision to award this contract was made by PROSPECT Lead Provider Collaborative Senior Management Team in line with agreed governance arrangements and delegated authority for commissioning within the Lead Provider Collaborative.
Conflicts of interest
Conflicts of interest identified among decision-making group: none.
Where conflicts or potential conflicts were identified, these were declared and managed in accordance with organisational policies. The non-conflicted members assessed the nature and risk of each conflict and agreed appropriate mitigation measures, which included delegation to non-conflicted members, to ensure a fair and transparent process.
Key criteria and rationale
In reaching its decision, the relevant authority considered the key criteria set out in the Provider Selection Regime, including:
Quality and safety of services
Ability to meet patient needs and deliver outcomes
Value for money and financial sustainability
Integration, collaboration and continuity of care
Access and reducing health inequalities
The relative importance of these criteria reflected the need to ensure safe, high-quality and continuous provision of secure services within an NHS provider setting, while maintaining system stability and supporting delivery of the Cheshire and Merseyside secure care pathway.
The decision to award the contract to Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust reflects that the provider:
Is currently delivering the services to the required quality and safety standards
Provides established in-area NHS capacity, supporting system resilience and pathway continuity
Supports integrated working across the Lead Provider Collaborative and wider system partners
Enables predictable capacity and activity through a block contract model, supporting financial stability and planning
Contributes to timely access to care, reduced reliance on out-of-area placements, and improved patient flow
On this basis, the authority is satisfied that the provider is capable of continuing to deliver the services in line with the key criteria and system requirements, and that Direct Award Process C is appropriate as the service is not subject to considerable change.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
Prescot
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
16/06/2026