COMMISSIONING DEBT ADVICE IN ENGLAND

Concepts

• social work
• department for work and pensions
• debt advice
• england
• largest funder of free debt advice
• debt advice services
• money advice service
• commissioned services
• commissioning exercise
• impact of debt advice

Location

Description

The Money and Pensions Service, MaPS (the "Authority") is an arm's-length body, sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which is committed to providing access to the information and guidance people across the UK need to make effective financial decisions. This we aim to deliver in the most customer centric and cost-effective way possible. MaPS is the largest funder of free debt advice in England and works alongside partners to make debt advice easier and quicker to access by the general public and to improve standards and quality across the sector. MaPS is aware of the impact of debt advice on the lives of individuals, not just getting them back into a position of having control over their finances but also the positive impact on their health and wellbeing. We therefore want to ensure that more individuals that are in need of advice receive it each year. This commissioning exercise represents the largest ever investment in debt advice services in England and will enable hundreds of thousands of additional people to access advice per year over and above our historic levels. Our contracts will run for three years, with a possible extension to five, giving greater certainty to the debt advice sector. MaPS and its predecessor body, The Money Advice Service, has commissioned debt advice for many years now, therefore this commissioning approach is informed by our world leading consumer research programme into debt problems and debt advice. This insight will help us to offer the highest quality and best value for money services to customers and ensure our funding approach is aligned to current good practice. The Authority intends to recommission agreements for national and regional debt advice provision, small business debt advice and the administration of Debt Relief Orders (DROs). The commissioned services will cover England only and will be delivered under contracts to commence on the 1 April 2022. DROs will be delivered by Competent Authorities and will provide both national remote services and regional provision. Organisations that will deliver debt advice (whether as lead supplier or as part of the Tenderer's supply chain) must hold the relevant FCA authorisation (to provide debt advice) unless they have a valid exemption provided by law. Organisations must ensure that delivery partners are FCA authorised (or legally exempt) to commence service delivery from 1 April 2022.

CPV Codes

• 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Indicators

• Contract is suitable for SMEs.
• Contract is suitable for VCOs.

Other Information

THIS PROCURMENT CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING LOTS: Lot 1 Regional Services; offers 3 Contracts (max. 1 per supplier) - Estimated Lot Value Excluding VAT: £175 million (including all extensions up to 5 years) Lot 2 National Services; offers 3 Contracts (max. 2 per supplier) - Estimated Lot Value Excluding VAT: £83.3 million (including all extensions up to 5 years) Lot 3 Business Debt offers offers;1 Contract (max 1 supplier) - Estimated Lot Value Excluding VAT: £12.5 million (including all extensions up to 5 years) Lot 4 Debt Relief Order Administration Hubs; offers 3 Contracts (max 1 per supplier) Estimated Lot Value Excluding VAT: £50 million (including all extensions up to 5 years) BID SUBMISSION DATE: The Bid submission date for Lots 1 &2 is on the 15th October 2021 at 12 noon. The Bid Submission date for Lots 3 & 4 is on the 15th September 2021 at 12 noon. HOW TO BID 1.Interested organisations must be registered as a 'Supplier' on the MaPS eSourcing portal 'Jaggaer' to participate: If you have not already done so, please use the following link: https://maps.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html 2.To register, you must have a valid DUNS number (provided by Dun and Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are registering, who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so. 3. If you do not have a DUNS number, please contact Dun & Bradstreet UK directly on telephone number 01628 492000 or online at http://www.dnb.co.uk/duns-form.asp. 4. Once registered on the portal, your organisation will be able to access the MaPS documents for this project in the 'Live Tenders' Section within the Jagger Portal. 5. Please email commercial@maps.org.uk should you require further assistance and using "21-39" in the subject title. 6. Please note all further communications including the submission of your online bid will be via the portal. Please contact Commercial@maps.org.uk if you require any assistance with this tender and by using 21-39 in the email subject header.