Agreement for the Provision of Community Welfare Advice Services in Northumberland

Concepts

• northumberland
• provision of community welfare advice services
• health and social work
• morpeth
• citizens advice northumberland
• county of northumberland
• citizen advice northumberland
• advice services
• free advice
• communities

Location

Northumberland

Description

The Council intends to enter into a contract with Citizens Advice Northumberland to provide free advice to people across the County of Northumberland on a wide range of topics, including (but not limited to) debt, employment, consumer rights and housing. The service will contribute to preventing and reducing the problems faced by people living or working in Northumberland, including people who are homeless, that can be influenced by advice services. The Service will be delivered from Citizen Advice Northumberland’s existing county wide office / outreach provision, in areas and venues where it can have the widest reach and most impact, with particular attention to communities experiencing higher levels of deprivation

Total Quantity or Scope

The award of this contract is being made under Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii). The Council intends to award a contract, subject to a 10-day standstill period, without prior publication of a contract notice. In compliance with the Public Contract Regulations 2015, all awards of contracts that are subject to UK Procurement Directives are subject to a mandatory “standstill” period of at least 10 days. A Contract cannot be entered into with the preferred provider until at least the eleventh calendar day following notification. The standstill period is expected to end at midnight at the end of 15th August 2022. If steps are taken during this period to suggest that there may be a formal legal challenge to this award, or the Council determines an issue/concern with the process or preferred submission, then the contract award may be suspended until the matter is resolved (or not concluded if the matter cannot be resolved). Subject to no legal challenge being received, the Council intends to execute the Contract at the conclusion of the standstill period on Tuesday 9th August 2022. A contract will be entered into with Citizens Advice, Northumberland for a period of three years starting 1st October 2022 and ending on 30th September 2024. There will be an optional extension available for a further 18 months. A copy of the contract is available at the following link: https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/ap/w-59584e83/?url=https%3A%2F%2F...

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 85000000 - Health and social work services

Legal Justification

The Council seeks to secure a single service provider able to deliver throughout the County free to access, confidential advice and information on a range of topics that include but are not limited to debt, employment, consumer rights, benefits and housing. Market research has identified only one Provider able to meet the need and deliver across the whole of the County to ensure a consistent and joined up approach. Northumbrian Citizens Advice Bureau are known locally as Citizens Advice Northumberland and deliver their service throughout the County on a universal basis via 8 main offices and supported by additional outreach venues. The contract requires the existing provision to be maintained or improved and for consultation regarding relocation of any office. The service operates under a national framework operated by the Citizens Advice Bureau to confirm fidelity to its model and offering oversight for the standard of the advice provided. Whilst other organisations may be able to offer advice the scope is limited to specific topic(s) and/or aimed at a specific group or locality. There is no other organisation able to provide the breadth of knowledge, reach in terms of population, and delivery infrastructure across the whole of the County, which is underpinned by a quality assurance framework, to be able to deliver the service sought..

Other Information

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