Cumbria Substance Use: Treatment Service

This tender for Cumbria Substance Use: Treatment Service demonstrates good clarity in its description and requirements, and strong inherent social sustainability. However, critical deficiencies in specifying evaluation criteria and the absence of electronic submission significantly impact its overall quality and fairness.

The tender clearly defines the procedure type and CPV codes, explicitly stating compliance with the UK's Provider Selection Regime (PSR) 2023. The 35-day submission period is generally acceptable for an open procedure, though the absence of a reveal date prevents confirmation of the 7+ days from initial publication. The lack of explicit detail on mandatory exclusion grounds in the AI-extracted requirements is a minor concern.

The tender description is clear and provides a good overview of the service and its context, with well-articulated AI-extracted requirements. However, the critical absence of specified evaluation criteria is a significant clarity issue, making it difficult for bidders to understand how their proposals will be assessed. Detailed performance conditions are also not explicitly visible.

Essential basic information, including title, reference, organization, deadlines, value, duration, and location details, is provided. Requirements are clearly outlined by the AI extraction. However, the critical missing element is the explicit definition of evaluation criteria. Furthermore, while documents are attached, their summaries suggest they are primarily administrative or OCDS data, implying that full, detailed tender specifications might not be readily available.

The tender discloses the value and the requirements appear generic, not tailored to a specific company. However, fairness is severely impacted by the explicit absence of evaluation criteria, which undermines transparency and objectivity. The lack of e-submission also creates barriers to equal access and efficiency. While the 35-day submission period is technically acceptable, it could be more generous for a contract of this complexity and value.

The tender clearly specifies the contract start date, financing information, and duration, which are practical aspects. However, the significant drawback is the lack of electronic submission, which is a major practical impediment for bidders and the contracting authority in modern procurement. The absence of an explicit document URL is a minor point, assuming the documents are accessible via the platform.

Most key fields are populated, and there are no reported disputes or suspensions. Dates for submission, contract start, and duration are logical and consistent with the detailed description. There is a minor discrepancy between the stated EUR estimated value and the GBP equivalent mentioned in the description (£56m vs 67.2m EUR), but the EUR value is higher, so it is not misleadingly low.

While the tender does not explicitly mention 'green procurement' or 'innovation focus,' the core nature of the service—substance use treatment, improving public health, addressing health inequalities, and supporting vulnerable communities—is inherently and strongly aligned with social sustainability objectives. The service aims to deliver person-centred, stigma-free care and ensure accessibility for rural and seldom-heard communities, which are key social aspects.