Description

Leicester City Council (‘the ‘Authority’) invites Tenders for the provision of Direct Payments Support Service. Leicester City Council (LCC) is leading the procurement on behalf of Leicester City Council and the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Groups (LLR CCGs).

The Direct Payment Support Service (DPSS) will support and enable people who choose to take all or part of their Personal Budget/Personal Health Budget as a Direct Payment (DP), to use and manage their DP as easily as possible and, where they wish, independently.

The requirement is that for each organisation that is awarded the Framework Agreement it must then provide all the following key functions/Services in respect of the Direct Payments Support Service:

• Initial support and set up of a DP, including advice and guidance
• Recruitment and selection support for Personal Assistants
• Payroll services and employment advice
• Managed accounts (Third Party)

The DPSS service will be available to people and families assessed by Leicester City Council as being eligible for both Adult and Children’s Social Care Services living in Leicester, as well as people assessed by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Groups (LLRCCG) as being eligible for a personal health budget across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

The Authority wishes to establish Framework Agreements, with up to three providers for the provision of Direct Payments Support Service. The Authority provides no guarantee of any work to any successful provider/s.

The Authority is conducting this procurement under the Light Touch Regime for Social and Other Specific Services, as set out in the Public Contract Regulations 2015, at Section 7 (Regulations 74 to 77) and Schedule 3. The procurement process will not be conducted under the Public Contract Regulations 2015; however, it will be similar to that of an Open procedure. The Process will, unlike an Open Procedure, include the flexibility, as allowed under the Light Touch Regime with various evaluation stages as detailed in this Invitation to Tender documentation.

It is the Authority’s preliminary view that TUPE may apply in respect of these Contracts.

The initial term of the Framework Agreements is approximately 5 years from the Service Commencement Date 7th November 2022 to 7th November 2027 with the option to extend, subject to satisfactory performance outcomes and agreement by the Authority, for 2 further periods of up to no more than 24 months in total, to up to 4th November 2029, i.e. potentially up to 7 years from and including Service Commencement Date.

The Invitation to Tender document and its appendices and all other documentation issued to Tenderers sets out the details of the Authority’s requirements and how to submit your Tender.

The Framework Agreements (FAs) will be Open FAs.

Throughout the duration of the Framework, the Authority may review the Framework and may open the Framework at its own discretion when a service need arises. A service need includes (but is not limited to):

• a lack of capacity from current Providers and therefore there is a need to supplement the Framework List of Providers beyond the numbers operating on the Framework Agreement at that time;
• an increase in the volume of Service Users requiring Services under the Framework; and
• to replace (if required) Providers who have been removed, suspended from the Framework Agreement or did not agree to provide Services within any Extension Period.

The Authority will hold an online Tender Information Session conducted via Microsoft Teams on 20 January 2022 between 10:30 am to 12.30 pm. Further information on how to register for this session is contained within the ITT documentation.

In order to access the full tender documentation, please click on "Apply online" (right hand side) and you will be transferred to Due North e-tendering portal.

If not already registered, you will need to register with the EastMids Tenders e-tendering portal to be able to access the tender documentation.

For technical queries regarding the portal please contact: The Due North Technical Support Team by email: ProContractSuppliers@proactis.com; telephone: 0330 005 0352 (lines open from 8.30 am - 5.00 pm Monday to Friday, excluding English public holidays).

The closing date for the tender submissions via the EastMidsTenders portal is 14:00 hours on 17 February 2022.

Tenderers must have fully uploaded and submitted by the deadline of 14:00 hours on 17 February 2022. Only on-time submissions via the e-tendering portal will be accepted.

 

Additional information

Contract Type	Recurring
CPV codes	85000000, 98000000,