Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) Service in North and West Bristol

NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board has commissioned an early intervention wellbeing service for Children and Young People (CYP), experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, Emotionally Based School Avoidance. This encompasses:

•hosting a specialist CYP link worker

• offering 1:1 support to CYP and their families
• delivering wellbeing group programmes, responsive to need in schools, based around themes of physical activity, nature, art and emotional resilience.

•leading, managing and overseeing the project.

A Prior Information Notice was published on the 16th of December 2024, ref 2024/S 000-040488. Which resulted in 13 responses. A Request for Quote (RFQ) process was carried out inviting the 13 bidders to participate in accordance with the requirements of a Below Threshold contract (Light Touch Regime) pursuant to section 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 ('the Act'), since the contract is a Health and Social Care service and below the threshold of a Light touch contract.

Following the RFQ process, the contract was awarded to Southmead Development Trust. The total value of the contract is £238,630 over the initial 3 year term, and there is an optional 2 year extension, thereby bringing the maximum contract value to £397,750 if the extension period is utilised.