The Provision of a Mental Health Crisis Text Support Service on behalf of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board is seeking a provider to deliver an all-age mental health crisis text support service across Cheshire and Merseyside, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the year.

The service will provide immediate, accessible and inclusive text-based support for people experiencing a mental health crisis. It is intended to integrate with NHS 111’s Mental Health Option and local crisis response pathways, helping people access urgent support and onward referrals when needed.

The opportunity is designed to improve access for people who may face barriers to traditional services, including those affected by stigma, communication difficulties, disability, sensory needs or geographical isolation.

Service Requirements

The service will provide round-the-clock text-based mental health crisis support for people of all ages across Cheshire and Merseyside.

Key requirements include:

• 24/7 Crisis Support: Providing immediate text-based support, 365 days a year, for people experiencing a mental health crisis.
• Accessible and Inclusive Provision: Supporting people who may find traditional telephone or face-to-face services difficult to access, including those with communication difficulties, disabilities or sensory needs.
• NHS 111 Integration: Working alongside NHS 111’s Mental Health Option to provide a connected route into urgent mental health support.
• Local Crisis Pathways: Integrating with local crisis response services and ensuring onward referrals where required.
• Regional Coverage: Providing accessible support across the diverse urban and rural communities of Cheshire and Merseyside.

The service is intended to align with NHS England guidance on urgent and emergency mental health care, the NHS Long Term Plan, the Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Plan and national suicide prevention priorities.

The procurement falls under the Provider Selection Regime (PSR), in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.

Contract Information

• Buyer: NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board
• Contract Value: Up to £1,400,000 excluding VAT
• Initial Contract Duration: 2 years
• Extension Options: Two further periods of up to 12 months each
• Maximum Contract Duration: 4 years
• Tender Submission Deadline: 4 December 2026, 12:00pm
• Enquiry Deadline: Not disclosed
• Tender Opening Date: 5 December 2026, 9:00am
• Tender Validity: Bids must remain valid until 2 June 2027
• Contract Start Date: Not disclosed
• Contract End Date: Not disclosed
• Procurement Framework: Provider Selection Regime (PSR)
• Procurement Procedure: Open procedure (as stated in the notice)
• Contract Type: Services
• Number of Lots: One (not divided into lots)
• Tender Reference: Not disclosed
• Notice Reference: 2026/S 000-106021

Tender Portal and Documents: SAP Ariba – Procurement Opportunity

Tender Notice: Find a Tender

Supplier Requirements

The notice states that technical and professional ability requirements will be set out in the procurement documents.

Providers will need to demonstrate the capability to deliver an accessible, all-age crisis support service operating continuously throughout the year, with the ability to integrate with NHS 111 and local crisis response pathways.

The service requires appropriate arrangements for supporting people in crisis, managing onward referrals and ensuring continuity of access across the region.

Further details of the selection criteria and provider requirements are available through the SAP Ariba tender documentation.

Evaluation Criteria

The notice confirms that price will not be the only award criterion. However, the individual evaluation criteria and their weightings are not disclosed in the published notice.

Full evaluation details: Available in the procurement documentation.

Commercial Relevance

This is a specialist opportunity for organisations with experience in mental health support, crisis intervention, digital health services or the delivery of urgent community-based support.

The requirement for a fully integrated, all-age service operating 24/7 means providers will need the operational capacity, clinical expertise and systems to support people experiencing mental health crises at any time.

With a maximum potential contract value of £1.4 million excluding VAT over four years, the opportunity may be of interest to established mental health organisations, specialist digital support providers and partnerships able to deliver regional services.

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