Official UK procurement notice
The Smoke Free Digital Service
Authority: Suffolk County Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Smoke Free Digital Service provides a comprehensive, flexible stop smoking service that people can attend at a time that suits them, day or night, without the need for a fixed appointment. This has been shown to be beneficial for various target groups with busy lives, such as shift workers, carers, and pregnant women, who often find attending appointments a struggle. Other users, including those with mental health issues, can find the anonymity beneficial. Such users often prefer to take control of how and when they access services.
The Smoke Free app benefits from a comprehensive range of support, including unlimited 24/7 access to NCSCT (National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training) trained Tobacco Dependency Advisors (TDAs), swift delivery of stop smoking aids, a community group offering peer support, plus many other behavioural tools on the app. Smoke Free Digital support aligns with the NCSCT Standard Treatment Programme and adheres to NICE guidance for behavioural support and pharmacotherapy procedures.
Smoke Free app is the only app that offers live advisor support 24/7. The London Tobacco Alliance recently verified that the Smoke Free app is the only app in the UK and worldwide offering this level of support. There is clear evidence that combining stop smoking aids with expert support from local stop smoking services makes someone 3 times more likely to stop smoking successfully. Our research has concluded that there are no other suitable providers in this field, therefore, the Council intends to award a contract directly to Smoke Free for this service.
CPV: Software package and information systems
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1As detailed at section II.1.4) Short descriptionAwarded
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
- Goods
- 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
- 1 Nov 2024, 11:28 GMT
- Last source update
- 12 Nov 2024, 12:03 GMT
- Authority reference
M011- FTS notice number
2024/S 000-036550- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-04b335Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
- Published justification
The Council is content that PCR 2015 Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) can be complied with in awarding a contract to 23 Limited trading as Smoke Free because:
The works, supplies or services can be supplied only by a particular economic operator (competition is absent for technical reasons)
Suffolk County Council has determined that competition is absent due to the lack of suitable providers. The Smoke Free app delivers the NCSCT Standard Treatment Programme and supplies first choice stop smoking aids, both of which are given an 'A' rating for evidence. This is the only app available that offers live advisor support 24/7.
Whilst the Council is confident that its analysis of these circumstances is correct, it remains committed to meeting its public procurement obligations and, in particular, commitments to transparency and equal treatment.
If you have any queries concerning this notice, please contact us via michelle.youngs@suffolk.gov.uk in the first instance.
- Review procedure
Suffolk County Council incorporates a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period from the point at which information on the award of contract is communicated to tenderers. This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the contracting authority before the contract is entered into. If an appeal regarding the award of contract has not been successfully resolved: The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as amended provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or at risk of harm by a breach of the rules, to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) Any such action must be brought promptly.
Publisher note: Suffolk County Council reserves the right to procure repeat requirements of a similar nature without a further call for competition pursuant to Regulation 32 of the public contracts Regulations 2015.
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Limited (trading as SmokeFree)SMEVCSE | £189,960 †same award published again · counted once | — | Awarded |
| 23 Limited (trading as SmokeFree)SMEVCSE | £189,960 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
The Smoke Free Digital Service · 23 Limited (trading as SmokeFree)SMEVCSE
- Signed
- 1 Nov 2024
- Value
- £189,960
- Status
- active
The Smoke Free Digital Service · 23 Limited (trading as SmokeFree)SMEVCSE
- Signed
- 1 Nov 2024
- Value
- £189,960
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1bids | — | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- High CourtReview body
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- 23 Limited trading as Smoke FreeAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.