Preliminary Market Engagement - Provision of an Adolescent Support Service within the Northern Health and Social Care Trust

****Preliminary Market Engagement Exercise**** The Business Services Organisation (BSO), Procurement and Logistic Service (PaLS), on behalf of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT), is conducting this Preliminary Market Engagement exercise to engage with suppliers who are interested in delivering this Service. The NHSCT plans to conduct a covered procurement for an Adolescent Support Service, which will offer direct support to adolescents, aged 10 - 17, and their families who require responsive intervention at times when it is needed the most. This Service, aims to prevent family breakdown and the necessity of alternative care.

The Service will help to prevent the escalation of need and the reduction of risk-taking behaviour therefore reducing the requirement for higher level statutory intervention. The purpose of this preliminary market engagement is to develop the NHSCT's requirements and approach to the procurement; to prepare the tender notice and associated tender documents; to identify suppliers that may be able to supply the service required; and to build capacity among suppliers in relation to the contract that may be awarded. The intended outcome of this preliminary market engagement is to raise awareness in the market of this upcoming covered procurement, gauge the level of market interest in the provision of such services; engage and receive feedback from the market by outlining the NHSCT's proposals for the delivery of this service, its procurement plans and requirements, in advance of any formal tender process.

In addition, the NHSCT wishes to gain a better understanding within the market of the feasibility of the service requirements, the risks and potential issues relating to the service, the applicable social value initiatives; current market practices in respect of Sustainability and Net Zero; and cybersecurity. The information gathered as part of this engagement will be used by the NHSCT to clarify and develop its requirements, assess the market's capacity and develop its procurement strategy. Interested parties shall bear their own costs of participation in this market engagement and PaLS/NHSCT shall not be liable for any costs, expenses or losses howsoever arising from this engagement exercise.

Note - Any interest shown in the preliminary market engagement does not constitute a commitment to participate in a procurement exercise. Non-participation in this preliminary market engagement process does not preclude any supplier from participating in the covered procurement tendering process. This covered procurement is governed by the Procurement Act 2023.

The service being tendered is classified as a Light Touch Service. There is no guarantee that a procurement exercise will be initiated in respect of this service.