HCC Dec 2023 – The Provision of Advocacy Services for Adults in Hertfordshire

Concepts

• social work
• stevenage
• community advocacy services
• advocacy services
• independent advocacy services
• hertfordshire county council
• supply hertfordshire
• the current advocacy service
• hertfordshire
• advocacy

Location

STEVENAGE

Description

Hertfordshire County Council (hereinafter referred to as the Council), are out to procurement for the Provision of Advocacy Services for Adults in Hertfordshire.

Total Quantity or Scope

Hertfordshire County Council commissions independent advocacy services to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens can have their voices heard in conversations about their care and support and to promote individual choice and control in decisions that will affect their future.The current advocacy service supports approx. 4000 people per year through the provision of broad, complex and specialist advocacy in the community. The service delivers a range of community advocacy services including groups.Commissioners have concluded review and evaluation activities to inform and shape the future commissioning arrangements. Considering the feedback received, the council are proposing a different approach to the delivery of advocacy services. It is the intention to award the new Contract to a single Service Provider, responsible for the delivery of an integrated service.Full details, including the benefits of this approach and partnership working, can be found in the Specification, Schedule 1 of the Terms and Conditions document.The estimated total value of the Contract is stated in II.1.5) of this notice and is for the initial term inclusive of the approximate value for extensions. For the avoidance of doubt, the estimated annual spend is £997,171.00. The Contract will be awarded for an initial term of four years, with the option to extend the Contract up to two further years. Please note that the contract requirements will be subject to available financial resources, supplier performance and flexibility to meet changing demands.Organisations should be aware that due to the nature of the Services provided, any Contract formed as a result of this procurement process shall be executed as a deed. Organisations should seek independent legal advice on the implications of this prior to submitting their bid, where appropriate.Please Note the TUPE Employee Liability Information for this procurement has been provided along with other documentation for this procurement. TUPE related information is personal data and must be protected in accordance with the requirements of Data Protection legislation and must also be kept confidential. Therefore, by accessing this Tender via Supply Hertfordshire and then the View Details button and accessing the documentation for this procurement, Tenderers agree to undertake to treat the information as confidential and commercially sensitive at all times and take all reasonable steps to prevent any inadvertent disclosure to any third party.

Renewal Options

This Contract will be reviewed at the end of the Contract period. Option to extend the initial Contract period for further period(s) of up to two (2) years, at the Council’s sole discretion.

CPV Codes

• 85300000 - Social work and related services
• 85312000 - Social work services without accommodation

Indicators

• Bids should cover the whole contract.
• This is a recurring contract.
• Options are available.
• Renewals are available.
• Award on basis of price and quality.

Other Information

Further information regarding this opportunity can be found in II.2.4 and VI.3 below. Organisations wishing to take part in this project are invited to "express interest" which will give access to the full procurement documents in the e-tendering system. Please see VI.3) Additional information for further information. Any questions relating to this procurement must be made via the correspondence area in the e-Tendering system, in accordance with the procurement documents and can be addressed to the main contact as shown in the details above. Tenderers should be aware that due to the nature of the Supplies provided, any Contract formed as a result of this procurement process shall be executed as a deed. Tenderers should seek independent legal advice on the implications of this prior to submitting their Tender, where appropriate. Please note Hertfordshire County Council has worked closely with its districts and partners to create a joint procurement portal called supply Hertfordshire. This portal provides an e-Tendering system which is run by In-Tend.To access this procurement opportunity please visit https://in-tendhost.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire/aspx/Home and follow the on-screen guidanceThis is a one stage procurement process. Therefore, if you wish to be considered as a tenderer you must complete and submit a tender by the specified closing date and time. Tender submissions cannot be uploaded after this return deadline.If you are experiencing problems In-Tend offer a help section which includes a dedicated UK support desk which can be contacted via email: support@in-tend.co.uk or Telephone: +44 1144070065 for any website/technical questions, Monday to Friday, 8:30-17:00.The Council reserves the right at any time to cease the procurement process and not award a Contract or to award only part of the opportunity described in this notice. If the Council takes up this right, then they will not be responsible for or pay the expenses or losses, which may be incurred by any organisation or tenderer as a result.The Council undertakes to hold confidential any information provided in the proposal submitted, subject to the Council's obligations under the law including the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If the organisation considers that any of the information submitted in the proposal should not be disclosed because of its sensitivity then this should be stated with the reason for considering it sensitive. The Council will then endeavour to consult with the applicant about such sensitive information when considering any request received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 before replying to such a request.The Council reserves the right to carry out additional financial checks on all organisations bidding for this opportunity at any time during the procurement process. This is to ensure that they continue to meet the Council's requirements and remain financially viable to fulfil the requirements under the Contract.The services advertised in this notice fall under the services listed in Annex XIV to Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and the contracting authority is not obliged to follow The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in full. The procurement process that will apply to the services is specified in the procurement documents accordingly.