A breakdown of mental health tenders in the UK

If you’re applying for mental health tenders in the UK, it can be slightly overwhelming to know where to start. The process can seem confusing, but this blog will help clear a few things up.

One in four people will experience a mental health problem of some kind in England. The cost of mental health problems reached almost £120 million in England.

How are mental health services purchased?

The typical process for mental health tenders in the UK is that a buyer will first release a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ). A buyer could be looking to procure good or services in the public or private sector. The majority of mental health tenders in the UK are procured by public sector organisations such as councils and the NHS.

Potential suppliers will then complete the PQQ which asks for general information on your business such as insurance and policies. It’s basically a box-ticking exercise ensuring that you meet the minimum criteria needed to fulfil the project.

If successful, you will then be sent an invitation to tender (ITT). The ITT will include the specification which you should pay great attention to. It will detail and specify how the response should be formed including word counts. It will provide a breakdown of:

• Submission deadline – date and time
• Procurement timetable
• Scoring breakdown
• Deadline for clarification questions

5 things that are required for mental health tenders in the UK

If you’re new to the tendering process it can be hard to know where to begin. Below are five things that are required for mental health tenders in the UK. It’s worth noting, however, that each tender may require additional information. This is a general guide covering the basics.

1. Proposed methodology

Within the ITT, you will typically be asked for the proposed methodology for the project. You must clearly demonstrate how the aims will be met. Clearly explaining your business’s proposed approach to delivering the brief will help you score highly. You could do this by outlining the sustainability and robustness of your method.

It’s also worth noting the limitations of your proposed methods. Buyers want you to demonstrate your business’s ability to work flexibly as there can often be bumps in the road. Showing how you can adapt and overcome these challenges will help you stand out from your competitors. The proposed methodology should also demonstrate that you are able to meet the timelines that are outlined in the specification. This further demonstrates that you have paid attention to what is needed and can fulfil this.

2. Staffing and capacity

Mental health tenders in the UK will often require you to include staff CVs. This is because buyers want to know that you and your staff are qualified to carry out the project. This is particularly due to the sensitive nature of the job. You will be asked to provide relevant qualifications, competency and specialist skills that you and your staff hold. You should show that you have the capacity to perform the job at hand. This will be in the specification, and it’s worth double-checking that you have the resources before starting your response.

3. Timetable and delivery

Mental health tenders may ask you to provide a timetable for the delivery of each of the key tasks. These will be outlined in the specification and you should formulate a realistic timetable. You may be required to highlight project milestones as well as the allocation of staff for each task.

You should pay particular attention to the timetable as the buyer may want it to form part of the contract. This will often be specified if this is the case, but it’s’ something to consider. You shouldn’t be adding an unrealistic timetable that you won’t be able to use when the time comes.

4. Risk assessment

A risk assessment is a crucial part of mental health tenders in the UK. Buyers will want you to identify any risks associated with the project and you must explain how you’ll mitigate them. Mental health is a complex sector with built-in unpredictability, so you want to demonstrate a balance between control and care. Risk assessments can help keep patients, staff and all others involved safe.

• IOSH (Institute for Occupational Health and Safety)
• ISO 22301; 31000

A risk assessment should typically:

• Identify potential hazards.
• Determine who might be harmed and how.
• Evaluate the risks and implement precautions.
• Record your significant findings.
• Review your assessment and update if necessary. 

5. MEAT 

In the public sector, the tender will be awarded to the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT). This means that the buyer is looking at more than just the price. The weightings of mental health tenders in the UK range from 70 – 80% quality and a smaller percentage on price. Often the buyer will rank tenders on a range of factors such as:

• Value for money and ability to meet timelines.
• Approach to identifying and managing risk.
• Your approach to the project, including the proposed methodology.
• Fit to requirements of the brief, including proposed outcomes.
• Your approach to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Your unique value to deliver the project.

Where can I find mental health tenders in the UK?

Tendering for work can help secure a pipeline of contracts for your business. You may be wondering where you can find mental health tenders in the UK. There are thousands of sites across the UK that post live opportunities for your business. It can take hours out of your day scrolling to find the right one for your company.

Usually, tenders are uploaded and tagged with CPV codes. These are often inaccurate, and you can end up missing out on the perfect opportunity for your business. If only there was one, easy-to-navigate industry-specific portal that you could use.

Enter – Healthcare Tenders

Our Opportunity Trackers manually search thousands of sites for the latest public and private healthcare opportunities. This includes single-provider contracts, NHS frameworks, DPS and spot provider frameworks. They then upload them to our Healthcare Tenders portal where you can filter the results by keyword, location and more. This can save you even more time, helping you find a tender that suits your business.

Here are some recent mental health tenders in the UK that were sourced on our Healthcare Tenders portal:

Advocacy Services – Lot 2 – Independent Mental Health Act Advocacy

Cumbria County Council- North West- Budget: Undisclosed

31-01-2021

Colne Valley Mental Health Intervention Service

Kirklees Council- Yorkshire and Humber- Budget: Undisclosed

01-02-2021

Community Mental Health Support Services

Midlothian Council- Scotland- Budget: Undisclosed

11-02-2021

Provision of a Mental Health Service in Brent (Peer support, Befriending, Outreach workers and General & Wellbeing Recovery Offer)

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust- London- Budget: Undisclosed

05-02-2021

Support and Accommodation Framework for people with a Learning Disability, Mental Health Problem, Autism or a Physical and/or Sensory Impairment

Cumbria County Council- North West- Budget: Undisclosed

29-01-2021

We source healthcare tenders for the following sub-sectors:

Domiciliary Care Tenders

Medical PPE

Social Care Contracts

Medical Supplies & Consumables

Mental Health Tenders

Supported living Tenders

Medical Equipment Tenders

Book a free live demo today.

If you’re struggling with writing your response for mental health tenders our sister company, Hudson Succeed, can help. Our Bid Writers have over 50 years of bidding experience and an 87% success rate. We offer four bid writing packages to suit every tender need.

• Tender Mentor support.
• Tender Writing services.
• The Tender Improvement Package.
• A Tender Ready programme.

Get in touch today to find out how we can help your business grow.