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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

All Age Service Substance Misuse

Medway Council · Contract award notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 21 Sept 2026, 17:16.

Opportunity overview

This is a Corrigendum to Contract Award notice issued 08/09/26, confirming the end of the standstill period and formal award. 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 the competitive process. Medway Council looking to commission an effective, accessible and equitable All-Age Drugs and Alcohol Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Service. The service will support children, young people and adults to access full range of interventions (including harm-reduction, clinical and psychosocial treatment, one to one and group support, outreach, recovery services and education). A comprehensive Health Needs assessment has highlighted gaps in the local system, including challenges in transitions between young people’s and adult services, unmet need in both children and adults, the need for trauma informed approaches to engagement and treatment and co-production and lived experience informed service delivery. Whilst improvements have been made within the existing contract term, Medway wishes to commission a fully integrated all-age model that will remove barriers between services and ensure smooth transitions for service users. Currently, young people’s and adult substance misuse services operate as separate contracts, commissioned at different times and under different arrangements. This new commissioning arrangement is a major step towards aligning contracts, pathways, governance and workforce under single lead provider model as Medway develops its full all age service. The core principles for the new contract are focused on: •Tailored, Person-Centred and Age-Appropriate Care •Prevention and Early Intervention •Recovery-Focused Support •Accessible and Flexible Services •Partnership and Integrated Working •Lived Experience and Co-Production •Safeguarding and Safety •Evidence-Based Innovation and Accountability •Staff Wellbeing and Development The Provider will also be required to deliver a successful Individual Placement Support (IPS) programme, ensuring people using the service have access to evidence-based employment support to help them gain and sustain meaningful employment as part of their recovery journey. The All-Age Treatment, Prevention and Recovery contract will run for an initial term of 36 months, with the option for two further extensions of 24 months each, subject to mutual agreement. 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 18/09/2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award a contract under the competitive process of the PSR.’ Written representation can be made to graham.thomas1@Medway.gov.uk This is an Existing service with an existing Provider. The contract award criteria are specified in the procurement documents. Award Decision Makers: Claire Hurcum, Senior Public Health Manager, claire.hurcum@medway.gov.uk Svajune Ulinskiene, Health Improvement Programme Manager, svajune.ulinskiene@medway.gov.uk Steve Chevis, Head of Public Health Programmes, steve.chevis@medway.gov.uk Aeilish Geldenhuys, Public Health Principal and Strategic Head of Public Health Programmes, aeilish.geldenhuys@medway.gov.uk No Conflicts of interest. Key criteria summary SECTION 1: Quality and Innovation (25%) The provider demonstrated a comprehensive, high-quality service model that incorporates prevention, treatment, recovery and employment support within an integrated all-age framework. The submission clearly described governance arrangements, leadership responsibilities, clinical oversight, safeguarding and auditing processes, providing confidence in the safe and effective delivery of services. The model detailed clearly described the interventions delivered across all ages and stages of recovery. This included: seven-day clinical and outreach offer, flexible support pathways, self-help and digital interventions, and tailored support for individuals across different age groups and needs. The provider evidenced a strong commitment to innovation through the use of lived experience in service design and delivery, dedicated innovation/learning approaches, and peer-led initiatives. Innovation was specific to Medway and embedded into staff performance and development. The proposal demonstrated how continuous improvement, collaboration with partner organisations, workforce development and evidence-based practice would be used to enhance outcomes and ensure services remain responsive to emerging needs. SECTION 2: Integration, collaboration and service sustainability (25%) The provider presented a clear and credible approach to integrating services across the local treatment and recovery system. The proposal demonstrated strong partnership working with statutory, voluntary and community sector organisations. Including arrangements to support children and young people, transitions between services, coordinated care planning, and co-located delivery models designed to improve access and referral pathways. The provider placed lived experience at the centre of service development and recovery support, with a strengthened peer mentoring model, recovery-focused community activities and mechanisms for ongoing service improvement informed by service users. Effective approaches to continuity of care, workforce development and succession planning were evidenced, including clear pathways for individuals with lived experience to progress into training, volunteering and employment opportunities. The overall model demonstrated a sustainable approach to service delivery, informed by data, and a person-centred "team around the person" approach. SECTION 3: Improving access, reducing health inequalities, and facilitating choice (20%) The provider outlined a flexible service offer delivered through multiple community locations, outreach provision, digital interventions, blended face-to-face and online support, and clinical model. Particular consideration and examples were given to engage underserved populations and ensuring services are taken to where people are. The provider evidenced a trauma-informed, person-centred approach that takes account of the wider determinants of health and the needs of priority groups. The service model included targeted outreach, women-only provision, collaborative working with partner organisations and mechanisms to reduce barriers to access. Living expertise was embedded throughout service design, delivery, research and evaluation, along with willingness to work with a LERO for independent reviews. The provider also demonstrated a strong commitment to using qualitative and quantitative data to monitor performance, address inequalities (with links to Marmot principles) and continuously improve outcomes for local communities. The provider also gave assurance of transparency through the use of live data systems and dashboards that provide up-to-date performance information. Social Value 5% - The provider has set out social value commitments in accordance with the Council's Social Value requirements. Price 20% - The provider confirmed delivery of the service within the financial envelope.

Awarded to

Amounts belong to published awards or contracts. Where several suppliers share one value, it is labelled as shared and is not a supplier-specific allocation.

THE FORWARD TRUST

Matched by exact name
Published award value
£25.9m
Awarded
24 Aug 2026
Award ID
1
Status
active
Identifier
GB-PPON PVQZ-9622-VCHG
Location
London, UKI45, SE11 5DP, United Kingdom

Classification

No classification was supplied.

Lots

  • Lot 1Value not stated

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
ocds-h6vhtk-067702
Status
complete
Procurement Method
open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
complete

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Name
Medway Council
Id
GB-PPON-PWYH-3898-LDQR

Identifier

Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PWYH-3898-LDQR

Address

Street Address
Gun Wharf, Dock Road
Locality
Chatham
Postal Code
ME4 4TR
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKJ41

Contact

Name
Mr Graham Thomas

Roles

buyer

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Id
publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment
Description
Public authority - sub-central government
Organisation 2
Name
THE FORWARD TRUST
Id
GB-PPON-PVQZ-9622-VCHG

Identifier

Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PVQZ-9622-VCHG

Address

Street Address
Unit 106, Edinburgh House, 170 Kennington Lane
Locality
London
Postal Code
SE11 5DP
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKI45

Contact

Roles

supplier
tenderer

Details

Scale
large
Vcse
No
Public Service Mission Organization
No
Sheltered Workshop
No

Award information

Award 1
Id
1
Status
active
Date
25 Aug 2026, 00:00
Main Procurement Category
services
Above Threshold
Yes
Has Renewal
Yes
Assessment Summaries Date Sent
8 Sept 2026, 00:00

Items

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
85100000
Description
Health services

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKJ41
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Value

Including VAT
31,049,878.84
Amount
25,874,899.03
Currency
GBP

Suppliers

Supplier 1
Id
GB-PPON-PVQZ-9622-VCHG
Name
THE FORWARD TRUST

Contract period

Starts
1 Apr 2027, 00:00
Ends
1 Apr 2030, 00:59
Max Extent Date
31 Mar 2034, 23:59

Renewal

Description
2 x 24 month extension

Related lots

1

Documents

Entry 1
Id
089201-2026
Document Type
awardNotice
Notice Type
UK6
Description
Contract award notice on Find a Tender
Published
21 Sept 2026, 14:16
Format
text/html

Milestones

Entry 1
Id
1
Type
futureSignatureDate
Due
16 Oct 2026, 23:59
Status
scheduled

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Chatham · UKJ41 · ME4 4TR · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

3 published notice versions reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

3 VERSIONS
  1. 028720-2026Tender notice on Find a Tender ·
  2. 085129-2026Contract award notice on Find a Tender ·
  3. 089201-2026Contract award notice on Find a Tender ·