Official UK procurement notice
Independent public voice, challenge and assurance function in support of NHS Essex ICB's Population Health Improvement Programme (PHIP)
Authority: NHS Essex Integrated Care Board (NHS & healthcare)·On behalf of: Attain Health Management Services Limited
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThis Corrigendum Notice is published to amend the contract end date that used within the Contract details notice that was published on the 2 September 2026, 2:23pm at within the following areas:
Contract(0001)
Contract end date(UK7_94): 01/09/2030
should now read 01/09/2028
Extension end date(UK7_96)If all extensions are used. 01/09/2032
should now read 01/09/2030
CPV: Social research services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedProcedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Direct award
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award (no call for competition)
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 20 Aug 2026, 09:57 BST
- Last source update
- 12 Oct 2026, 13:59 BST
- Authority reference
ACE-0034-2026-ESX- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-096110- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e839Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
- Published justification
The Authority requires an independent public voice, challenge and assurance function to support delivery of the Population Health Improvement Programme (PHIP) during a period of significant health and care transformation across Essex. This requirement extends beyond engagement or consultation activity and includes the provision of independent scrutiny, challenge and reporting throughout implementation of the programme.
The Authority has considered whether the requirement could reasonably be delivered by an alternative provider. Whilst other organisations may be capable of delivering individual aspects of engagement, participation, research or advisory services, the Authority has concluded that successful delivery of this requirement depends on a combination of recognised independence, established public trust, countywide reach, local infrastructure, community relationships, independent reporting capability and immediate operational readiness.
Healthwatch Essex has an established role within Essex as an independent public voice organisation with existing countywide infrastructure, established community relationships and the ability to mobilise immediately. The Authority has concluded that there is no reasonable alternative provider capable of delivering an equivalent independent public voice, challenge and assurance function within Essex with the same combination of public recognition, community trust, local infrastructure and immediate mobilisation capability. The Authority therefore considers Healthwatch Essex to be the only provider capable of delivering the requirement in the manner necessary to achieve the objectives of the contract.
- Risks
Risks to satisfactory delivery of the contract include significant changes to the health and care system within Essex, including local government reform, changes to commissioning arrangements, organisational restructures, shifts in programme priorities, or changes to national policy affecting public engagement, participation or public voice functions. Additional risks include increases in the scale or complexity of engagement activity arising from service transformation programmes, changes to community needs or demographics, or the need to undertake additional assurance, insight or engagement activity in response to emerging health inequalities, service reconfiguration or other system-wide changes. Such circumstances may affect the volume, scope or delivery requirements of the service during the contract term.
Notice history
5 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 20 Aug 2026- Transparency notice published20 Aug 2026, 09:57 BSTUK5
- Contract award notice published20 Aug 2026, 15:29 BSTUK6
- Contract details notice published2 Sept 2026, 14:23 BSTUK7
- Contract signature expected2 Sept 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Buyer details updated12 Oct 2026, 13:59 BST
Published amendments (1 · 0 deadline changes)
| When | What | Before | After | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Text(UK7_204) · Contract(0001) | Extension end date(UK7_96)If all extensions are used. 01/09/2032 | Extension end date(UK7_96)If all extensions are used. 01/09/2030 |
1 amendment published without a description.
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2026-08: 1 release · 20 Aug 2026
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthwatch EssexSMEVCSEIndependent public voice, challenge and assurance function in support of NHS Essex Integrated Care Board's Population Health Improvement Programme (PHIP)2 Sept 2026 – 1 Sept 2028 · up to 1 Sept 2030Extensions: The Authority may extend the contract for a further period of up to 24 months. The extension option may be exercised at the Authority's discretion. · Options: The Authority may extend the contract for a further period of up to 24 months. The extension option may be exercised at the Authority's discretion. The Authority may extend the contract for up to a further two years where it considers this necessary to maintain continuity of the independent public voice, challenge and assurance function supporting delivery of the Population Health Improvement Programme and wider system transformation across Essex. Any decision to exercise the extension will take account of service performance, ongoing programme requirements and the continued need for an established independent public voice function. | £16,000 inc. VAT | 13 Jul 2026 | Awarded |
Contracts
Independent Public Voice, challenge and assurance function in support of the Population Health Improvement Programme · Healthwatch EssexSMEVCSE
- Signed
- 2 Sept 2026
- Value
- £1,600,000 inc. VAT
- Period
- 3 Sept 2026 – 1 Sept 2030 · up to 1 Sept 2032 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- The Authority may extend the contract for a further period of up to 24 months. The extension option may be exercised at the Authority's discretion.
No agreed KPIs: Under relevant threshold, so publication of the KPIs is not required.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
2 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- Attain Health Management Services LimitedProcess contact pointProcuring entitybuyer
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Healthwatch EssexAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender