Substance Use Service – Core Drug and alcohol service and inpatient detoxification

Brighton & Hove City Council is seeking a provider to deliver an integrated Substance Use Service – Core Drug and alcohol service and inpatient detoxification for adults across the city.

The procurement will establish a fully integrated drug and alcohol treatment system aligned with the UK Drug Strategy (2021), Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) guidance, the Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF) and National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) requirements.

The successful provider will deliver a comprehensive range of clinical, psychosocial, inpatient and recovery support interventions, including managing access to inpatient detoxification. The inpatient service will provide medically supervised prescribing, intensive assessment, care and treatment, alongside brief intervention therapy for individuals requiring stabilisation, reduction or detoxification from harmful substances.

The Council intends to build on its existing adult drug and alcohol treatment system by delivering a recovery-focused service centred within local communities. Providers will be expected to work alongside primary care, secondary and tertiary healthcare services, and criminal justice partners to reduce the harms associated with substance dependence and improve recovery outcomes.

The procurement follows preliminary market engagement undertaken in March 2026, which informed the development of the service specification and tender documentation.

Contract Information

Buyer – Brighton & Hove City Council

Deadline – 14 August 2026 – 12:00pm

Contract Value – Estimated total value: £51,450,000 excluding VAT

Delivery Length – Five-year initial contract with the option to extend by a further two years (maximum contract term of seven years).

Tender Link – Click here

Evaluation Criteria

The procurement will be evaluated using:

• Key Criteria 1 (Quality) – 35%
• Key Criteria 3 (Quality) – 20%
• Key Criteria 4 (Quality) – 15%
• Key Criteria 5 (Quality) – 10%
• Key Criteria 2 (Cost) – 20%

Contract Requirements

The Council has confirmed:

• The acceptable annual contract value is between £7,100,000 and £7,350,000.
• The acceptable contract value for the initial five-year term is between £35,500,000 and £36,750,000.
• Pricing schedules will be reviewed for compliance with these declared contract ranges.

The successful provider will deliver an integrated treatment model that includes clinical care, psychosocial interventions, recovery support and management of inpatient detoxification pathways.

Participation Requirements

Tenderers must complete the Basic Selection Criteria Questionnaire and Schedule 6 – Basic Selection Criteria Part 3: Service Specific Criteria, which includes questions relating to mobilisation planning and service premises. Economic, financial and technical requirements are detailed within the tender documentation.

The procurement is being undertaken under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.

This procurement represents a significant long-term opportunity to deliver Brighton & Hove’s integrated adult drug and alcohol treatment system, combining community-based recovery services with specialist inpatient detoxification to support improved health, recovery and wellbeing for people affected by substance dependence.

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