Provision of Employment Advisors in IAPT for NHS Derby and Derbyshire CCG

NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) (formerly Clinical Commissioning Group) invited suitably qualified and experienced providers to express interest in delivering an Employment Advisors in IAPT service, by responding to the opportunity as required and described in the published tender documentation. NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands CSU (AGCSU) acted as an agent for and on behalf of the Commissioner and is supporting the procurement process.

The process was a one stage open process.

Employment Advisors (EA) in IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) is a project jointly run by the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) and DoHSC (Department of Health and Social Care). It has been set up in recognition that there are poorer employment outcomes for people with coexisting mental and physical health problems. It aims to increase the availability of employment support within IAPT services to ensure that there is sufficient employment support capacity to provide a fully integrated therapy and employment support for people who are employed, those off sick from work and those who are unemployed and looking to find work.

The awarded contract is for 6 months from 1st April 2022 to 30th September 2022, with the Commissioner having the option to extend the Contract for up to a further 6 months until 31st March 2023 (subject to further confirmation of external funding beyond initial term).

There was a financial threshold associated with this procurement. Any bids exceeding £1,008,000.00 per annum were to be excluded from evaluation and disqualified from the process. No bids over £1,008,000.00 would be accepted.