Find a TenderAwarded without competition
Published 16 Jun 2026, 15:41 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Sub-contract for Cheshire and Merseyside adult secure services (male low secure mental illness and male step-down)

Official notice

Authority: MERSEY CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (NHS & healthcare)

ServicesAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Awarded value£7,000,000published contract · exc. VAT
Awarded 31 Mar 2026no call for competition
Awarded to Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The contract is for the provision of adult secure mental health services for patients from Cheshire and Merseyside, delivered by Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) in line with nationally agreed NHS contracts and service specifications.

The services are commissioned under a block contract arrangement, providing a defined level of clinical activity and capacity to meet anticipated system demand and support delivery of the secure care pathway across the Lead Provider Collaborative.

CPV: Hospital services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1The contract is for the provision of adult secure mental health services for patients…Awarded

The contract is for the provision of adult secure mental health services for patients from Cheshire and Merseyside, delivered by Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) in line with nationally agreed NHS contracts and service specifications.

The service includes the delivery of secure inpatient care and associated clinical support, providing assessment, treatment and recovery-focused interventions to support patients within the secure care pathway. Services are commissioned under a block contract arrangement, providing a defined level of capacity and activity to meet anticipated system demand, support patient flow, and ensure continuity of care across the Lead Provider Collaborative.

The Authority intends to award a contract to the existing provider, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, following Direct Award Process C under the Provider Selection Regime (PSR).

The contract will run from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.

The approximate total lifetime value of the contract is £7,000,000 (excluding VAT).

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record · publisher note attached
Procedure method
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
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
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
16 Jun 2026, 15:41 BST
Last source update
2 Jul 2026, 14:41 BST
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-062329
Classification (CPV)
Hospital services
Delivery area
North East (UKC)North West (UKD)Yorkshire & Humber (UKE)East Midlands (UKF)West Midlands (UKG)East of England (UKH)London (UKI)South East (UKJ)
+1 moreSouth West (UKK)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b630 Find a Tender
Why no open competition
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
Published justification

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to the relevant authority by Monday 29 June 2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR'.

Publisher note: This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. The standstill period begins on the day after the publication of this notice. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by Monday 29 June 2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR. Representations should be submitted in writing to: [email protected]. Decision-makers The decision to award this contract was made by PROSPECT Lead Provider Collaborative Senior Management Team in line with agreed governance arrangements and delegated authority for commissioning within the Lead Provider Collaborative. Conflicts of interest Conflicts of interest identified among decision-making group: none. Where conflicts or potential conflicts were identified, these were declared and managed in accordance with organisational policies. The non-conflicted members assessed the nature and risk of each conflict and agreed appropriate mitigation measures, which included delegation to non-conflicted members, to ensure a fair and transparent process. Key criteria and rationale In reaching its decision, the relevant authority considered the key criteria set out in the Provider Selection Regime, including: Quality and safety of services Ability to meet patient needs and deliver outcomes Value for money and financial sustainability Integration, collaboration and continuity of care Access and reducing health inequalities The relative importance of these criteria reflected the need to ensure safe, high-quality and continuous provision of secure services within an NHS provider setting, while maintaining system stability and supporting delivery of the Cheshire and Merseyside secure care pathway. The decision to award the contract to Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust reflects that the provider: Is currently delivering the services to the required quality and safety standards Provides established in-area NHS capacity, supporting system resilience and pathway continuity Supports integrated working across the Lead Provider Collaborative and wider system partners Enables predictable capacity and activity through a block contract model, supporting financial stability and planning Contributes to timely access to care, reduced reliance on out-of-area placements, and improved patient flow On this basis, the authority is satisfied that the provider is capable of continuing to deliver the services in line with the key criteria and system requirements, and that Direct Award Process C is appropriate as the service is not subject to considerable change.

Notice history

2 releases on Find a Tender
Published amendments (1)

'This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) confirmation of contract award notice. This contract has been awarded under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. This contract has now been formally awarded using direct award process C.' You must confirm the f…

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £7,000,0001 contract exc. VAT
Bids received 1
Contracts signed 1latest 31 Mar 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust2026/27_CV_MCNHSFT_CWPNHSFT_PP AS PC£7,000,000 †—Awarded

Contracts

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
1bids———

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

MERSEY CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

Contracting authorityNHS & healthcareBody governed by public lawHealth GB-NHS: RW4 V7 Building, Kings Business Park, Prescot, Liverpool, North West, L341PJContact name, email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.