Home First Bridging Service

Southampton City Council invites potential suppliers to submit tenders for the provision of Home First Bridging Care Services. Service provision will be in the form of 2 single lot contracts, operating across the city of Southampton enabling service users to be rapidly discharged from acute hospital setting, (University Hospital Southampton (UHS)) and other sources. Each contract will have an initial term of 6 months, with scope for extension by up to 2 periods each of 3 months at the Council's discretion. The provider will offer both planned and urgent home care visits. The Council's preference is that this Invitation to Tender will source two providers of each provider delivering one of the single lot contracts on offer. This is to maximise the sustainability of service provision and the delivery of the anticipated volumes of care hours needed each week. The Council does, however, reserve the right to award both contracts to a single provider in given circumstances outlined in the procurement documentation. The financial envelope for this procurement is up to £939,500 across the 2 lots as follows: Lot 1: Up to £469, 750 (for the period covered by the 6 months initial term + 3 months extension + 3 months extension) to deliver a minimum of 250 hours per week, citywide, up to a maximum requirement of 375 hours per week. Lot 2: Up to £469, 750 (for the period covered by the 6 months initial term + 3 months extension + 3 months extension) to deliver a minimum of 250 hours per week, citywide, up to a maximum requirement of 375 hours per week. In the event of additional funding becoming available the Council may exercise the option to modify either or both of the lot contracts to proportionately increase their value to enable the maximum delivery of weekly hours under each contract to increase to up to 450. The Service Provider(s) will work in partnership with UHS, Southampton City Council, Urgent Response Service, the Community Independence Service, Care Technology, and the UHS Single Point of Access Team. This will ensure the safe and rapid discharge of the service user back into the community for a limited time while onward permanent packages of care are sourced. Service users will be adults aged over 18 who meet the Care Act eligibility criteria for funded support, including people with physical/sensory disabilities; learning disabilities; mental health needs; acquired brain injury; substance misuse needs; dementia; people with neuro developmental disorders (e.g. autism / Asperger's/epilepsy). Please see the Procurement Documentation for more details relating to the service specification. Due to the urgency for the service provision, this procurement will follow an accelerated Open type procedure and will be conducted in compliance with The Public Contracts Regulations 74-77, 2015, under the Light Touch Regime. It is essential that the service provider is able to commence service delivery from the contract start date of 1st July 2022.