Official UK procurement notice
DoJ - Providing and Managing a 24 Hour Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline
Authority: Department of Justice (Central government)·On behalf of: CPD
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Department of Justice, Department of Health and Department for Communities are committed to supporting individuals impacted by domestic and sexual abuse across Northern Ireland. As part of this commitment, the departments are initiating a re-procurement process for a 24-hour Domestic and Sexual Abuse (DSA) Helpline, recognising its critical role in providing immediate, confidential, and trauma-informed assistance to those in need. The Buyers are seeking to appoint a Supplier to provide and manage a 24-Hour Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline in Northern Ireland, 365 days a year. The service will primarily be a telephone service (using a free phone number). However, it is a requirement that other communication channels, including email and webchat, must be incorporated and that an equal level of service will be offered to those choosing to access the Helpline through these mediums. The contract is for an initial period of 3 years, followed by two optional extension periods of 2 years each. Suppliers should refer to the specification for full detail of the requirements.
- The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 29 Oct 2032, 23:59 BST.
CPV: Call centre · Computer-related professional services · Guidance and counselling services · Guidance services · Health and social work services · Other community, social and personal services · Services furnished by business organisations · Services furnished by business, professional and specialist organisations · Services furnished by professional organisations · Telephone-answering services · Teleworking services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedWhat it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
- AC1 - Service Delivery Model: Weighting: 20.8
- AC2 - Implementation Plan: Weighting: 10.4
- AC3 - Helpline Promotion: Weighting: 5.2
- AC4 - Contract Management: Weighting: 13
- AC5 - Data Handling and Maintenance: Weighting: 5.2
- AC6 - Social Value: Weighting: 10.4
- AC7 - Price: Weighting: 35
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Light touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Yes · next expected 29 Oct 2032
- First published
- 7 Nov 2025, 11:16 GMT
- Last source update
- 7 Nov 2025, 11:16 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 5 Jan 2026
- Authority reference
ID 6132221- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-071940- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05dc8cFind a Tender- Contract terms summary
For further details on invoicing procedures please see : www.finance-ni.gov.uk/ar ↗ ticles/account-ni-good-invoicing-practice
Contract Value
The estimated value figure indicated in the Scope Section represents an overall estimated contract value. This value reflects the potential scale of the contract and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services as detailed in the tender documents. This figure does not however take into account the application of indexation or increases to charges due to increases in the Real Living Wage. Neither CPD nor the contracting Authority can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract. The Contracting Authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender. Suppliers remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third party acting under instructions from the Supplier in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise (and a Supplier shall have no legitimate expectation that a contract will be entered into) until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed by the Contracting Authority.
- Risks
Exclusions
If at any time during the procurement, or post award, it comes to the attention of the Contracting Authority (CA) or CPD, by whatever means, that a Supplier has become ‘excluded’ or ‘excludable’ as per Sec 57 of the PA 2023, the CA, after compliance with its obligations under the PA 23, reserves the right to exclude said Supplier from the procurement procedure or terminate any contract they have been awarded.
Insert appropriate reservations of rights and disclaimers of liability here consider - e.g.
The Contracting Authority expressly reserves the rights:
(I). not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice;
(II). to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the tendering Competition;
(III). to award (a) contract(s) in respect of any part(s) of the [services] covered by this notice; and
(IV). to award contract(s) in stages.
and in no circumstances will the Authority be liable for any costs incurred by candidates.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 3 Dec 2025, 15:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 24 Nov 2025, 17:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Tenders must be submitted electronically via the relevant Call for Tender (CfT) opportunity on eTendersNI, website details immediately below.
Paper submissions will not be accepted or considered and will be rejected by the Contracting Authority / Buyer.
The tender documents are available with unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: URL etendersni.gov.uk/epps ↗
Timeline
7 Nov 2025 → 1 Apr 2026 · 5 dates- Tender notice published349 days ago7 Nov 2025, 11:16 GMT
- Clarification questions by332 days ago24 Nov 2025, 17:00 GMT
- Submission deadline323 days ago3 Dec 2025, 15:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by290 days ago5 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts205 days ago1 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Tender notice published7 Nov 2025, 11:16 GMTUK4
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
5 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- CPDBeneficiary authority
- CPD - Supplies & Services DivisionProcess contact pointProcuring entityConstruction and Procurement Delivery – Supplies and Services Division, is a Centre of Procurement Expertise and provides a central procurement function for central government in Northern Ireland
- The Department for CommunitiesContracting authorityPublic authority - central governmentNorthern Irish devolved regulations apply
- The Department of HealthContracting authorityPublic authority - central governmentNorthern Irish devolved regulations apply
Official documents & specifications (1)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender