Provision of Targeted Family Support Services to young children through Childrens' Centres

Concepts

• welfare services
• provision of targeted family support services
• gloucester
• childrens' centres
• family support services
• targeted family support services through children centres across gloucestershire children centre services
• young children
• children centres
• children and young people
• core purpose of children centre services

Location

Gloucestershire: Cheltenham and Tewkesbury

Description

Targeted Family Support Services through Children Centres across Gloucestershire Children Centre Services are identified as key delivery partners within the Early Help strategy and Families First programme (national Troubled Families Programme) and are critical to the delivery of Early Help to children and families from pre-birth through to 5 years of age. The core purpose of Children Centre Services is to improve outcomes for young children and their families and reduce inequalities between families in greatest need and their peers (Statutory Guidance and section 2 Childcare Act 2006)

Lot Division

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people
• 85310000 - Social work services

Legal Justification

Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the Official Journal of the European Union in the cases listed below • The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive Explanation: In 2021 following the direct impact of COVID-19 and lockdowns on the service the Targeted Families Support services through Childrens’ Centres was continued through contract variations awarded to two providers, Barnados, and Gardners Lane and Oakwood Federation, for 12 months until 31.3.22 with a value of £3,625,482 per annum GBP to cover Gloucester City, Forest of Dean, Stroud, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury localities. Due to the continuing impact of COVID-19, and the legislation changes by the Government there is a requirement to extend these two contracts with Barnados, and the one contract with Gardiner Lane & Oakwood Federation, by a further 12 months until 31.03.23 This extension is seen as a modification under the provisions outlined in Regulation 72 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, which provides that contracts may be modified without a new procurement procedure in any of a number of cases, including: (1) (b) for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor that have become necessary and were not included in the original procurement, where a change of contractor: (i) cannot be made for economic or technical reasons such as requirements of interchangeability or interoperability with existing equipment, services or installations procured under the initial procurement; and (ii) would cause significant inconvenience or substantial duplication of costs for the contracting authority; (iii) provided that any increase in price does not exceed 50 % of the value of the original contract. In this case, GCC will seek to rely on the modification provisions of 72(1)(b) in the context of the Council’s proposed contract variation. It would not be possible to engage any providers other than Barnados, and Gardners Lane and Oakwood Federation to provide Childrens’ Centres services during the 12 month period required by the Council. The reasoning for this is that the size of the Childrens’ Centres Service and the breadth of required services means it would not be possible, before April 2022, to mobilise replacement suppliers who would be able and ready to discharge the Council’s statutory duties. There have been changes from Central Government around Family Hubs, to improve cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes in disadvantaged and vulnerable children (conception to age five) across a number of areas to help children to achieve their potential and improve their chances of success in later life. These include labour market participation, earnings, health and wellbeing. Moreover, in view of the need to carry out extensive market testing and market development to reshape the service into Family Hubs to incorporate the latest government changes, during a period in which this services market remains in recovery, the comprehensive procurement process that will be needed to appoint a service provider(s) to provide a service of the complexity described above, would not be possible before April 2022 without substantial duplication of costs. Moreover, a short-term contract award to anyone other than the incumbent provider would cause significant inconvenience, service disruption for the community, and a substantial duplication of costs to the Council, on the basis that the Council would incur foreseeable costs with regards to the TUPE transfer of staff and other pensions, salary and HR costs associated with moving such a sizeable service infrastructure to another supplier for a interim period while the full procurement takes place. A modification up to £3.6M GBP does not exceed 50 % of the value of the original contract £21,752,892 GBP

Other Information

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