Mental Health Social Work Fast Track Graduate Programme

Provision of a full-time Mental Health Social Work Fast Track Graduate Programme. The programme will recruit and train 3 cohorts, with each cohort undertaking a 2 year programme from September 2020. Given the lead times for recruiting the first cohort onto the programme, we expect the course will run over 6 financial years from 2019-20 with the third cohort intake in 2022-23. A total of either 100 or 160 candidates (subject to funding) per cohort are expected to take the course over the full contract term. The aim is to attract and train high calibre and ambitious graduates into adult mental health social work. The programme is fully funded with high demand and tough competition for placements. The recruitment process should select participants with leadership potential. The programme should develop a pipeline of future leaders in mental health social work.

We wish to engage with suppliers prior to a formal tendering process. Key objectives for suppliers to:

1. Get a clear understanding of what business outcomes DHSC requires and ask questions regarding the proposed scope of work;

2. Meet representatives from the DHSC;

3. Provide views on how to structure the requirement so that it maximises market interest, innovation and value for money. The contract is expected to commence early October 2019 for a duration of 6 years.

We are inviting interested parties to come to the Department to learn more about the scope of the contract, and to discuss their ideas on an informal basis. We are keen to support innovative ideas around how this programme can be successfully delivered.

Pre-market engagement day:

To provide prospective suppliers with the opportunity to gain more information on the project, DHSC are holding a pre-market engagement day in Room 53, 39 Victoria Street, SW1H 0EU on Wednesday 29.5.2019 from 9:30 - 14:00.

The agenda is as below:

• arrival 9:30 - 10:00,

• presentation 10:00 - 10:45,

• Q&A 10:45 - 12:00,

• one-to-one discussions 12:00 - 14:00,

• end 14:00.

Please confirm attendance by 17:00 Monday 27.5.2019.

This notice is for information only and the Department reserves the right to not proceed to tender, additionally, the Department reserves the right to discontinue the proposed tendering process and not to award the contract.

Please copy Anette.Furulund@dhsc.gov.uk in all communications.