NIPA - The Provision of Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy

The London Borough of Wandsworth and the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames, regional authorities in the UK, have awarded contracts for the provision of Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy services under their Nursery Inclusion Project for All (NIPA) initiative. The contracts, which began on 1 October 2024 and run through 31 July 2027, with an extension option for an additional year, have been divided into two lots: Lot 1 for Speech and Language Therapy awarded to St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, valued at £440,000 over the total contract period, and Lot 2 for Occupational Therapy awarded to Therapy4Kids (Jordan and Associates Limited), valued at £280,000 for the same period. These contracts follow the open procurement procedure set out in the Public Contract Regulations 2015 and were signed on 23 September 2024.

Another contract related to litter and fly-tipping services was awarded to Waste Investigations Support & Enforcement Ltd, starting on 11 March 2025 and ending on 11 March 2028, with a value of £1,600,000, including responsibilities for issuing Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) in high footfall or hotspot areas within the boroughs. These tenders present considerable opportunities for business growth, particularly for experienced contractors in the fields of child welfare services and environmental services. Businesses skilled in providing specialised healthcare services, such as speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy, are well-suited for the awarded contracts under the NIPA initiative, offering substantial and stable revenue avenues.

Similarly, companies with expertise in environmental enforcement services can capitalize on the growing need for managing litter and fly-tipping within urban areas. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) especially stand to benefit, as indicated by the successful award to an SME for the environmental services contract, illustrating accessible procurement opportunities for smaller businesses to undertake significant roles in local authority service delivery.