Decision details

The Cabinet Member approved the award 112 individual contracts listed in Appendix 1 to this report. The contract period to deliver day opportunity services is to run from 6 September 2015 to 6 September 2016.

The reason for the recommendation is to ensure that both existing and potential new market entrants are able to successfully participate in a competitive tendering exercise to establish a day opportunity procurement framework.  

The original intention was to subject the independent sector provision to competitive tender when the current contracting arrangements end on 5 September 2015. However, the outcome of the market engagement with current and potential new service providers on the proposed financial and pricing model was that the local market was not sufficiently developed to sustain a tendering exercise at this time.

The 12 month contract will allow the Council to further develop the financial and pricing model in consultation with current and potential new service providers in order to ensure they are able to successfully participate in a competitive tendering exercise in compliance with the Council’s contract rules.   

The option of undertaking a competitive tendering exercise at the point the current contracting arrangements ended was considered and rejected as the outcome of the market engagement with current and potential new service providers on the proposed financial pricing model, which would underpin the tendering exercise, was that the market was insufficiently developed for the procurement exercise to be a success.  The award of individual one year contracts will allow the Council to further engage with the market to ensure it is able to successfully engage in a future tendering exercise.

The option of the Council not directly commissioning the provision of day opportunities, thereby requiring eligible service users to purchase these themselves through means of utilising their personal budget as a direct payment, was considered and rejected. The rationale for rejecting this option was that both the market as a whole, and the majority of service users, are not in a position to make this a viable option. 

If the recommendation of awarding 1 year individual contracts is rejected, and a competitive tender is undertaken, it is anticipated the current service provider base will reduce which will lead to considerable disruption to services. The Council will also be in breach of its duty under the Care Act and Social Value Act to ensure the sustainability of service providers, prevent service provider failure and provide equal opportunity for SME’s to participate in tendering exercises.

None.

PCC Cabinet Paper on Day Opportunity Transformation.