A Family Group Conference Service

SOUTHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL invites tenders from suitably experienced organisations who wish to be considered for the provision of Family Group Conferences. Family Group Conferences are independently facilitated meetings which aim to support and empower families to stay together in the community and prevent children and young people becoming looked after by the Council. The services will be provided through a service agreement. It is anticipated that the contract will commence in April 2016 and will initially be for a period of two years, with a possible extension of up to two further periods of one year at the sole discretion of the Council. Further details will be included in the invitation to tender documentation. Whilst every effort has been made to consider the full scope of the requirement the Council does not guarantee the volume of services resulting from this tender or that it will accept any tender on completion of the tender exercise. Please note that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) may apply.

Additional information: Applicants will be required to apply via the "Supply Southampton" website which can be accessed via, https://supplysouthampton.esourcingportal.com/ where you can register your details and access the tender documents. Applications must be submitted by no later than the time/date indicated above. For further information on the requirements please contact Southampton City Council via the portal as detailed above. A performance bond, and/or parent company guarantee in the case of a subsidiary company, may be required. Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions regulating to them will be indicated in the tender documents. Award of tender will be the most economically advantageous tender received. The Contracting Authority may be subject to governmental codes of practice or guidance relating to a transparency agenda, including the policy of publishing contracts and all other documents relating to public procurement activity, such as for example the December 2010 document "Transparency - Publication of New Central Government Contracts". Accordingly and notwithstanding any other provision within this notice, it should be noted that the Contracting Authority will publish any documents relating to the procurement and subsequent contract award resulting from this notice (but with any information which is exempt from disclosure in accordance with the provisions of the FOIA redacted) in accordance with the aforementioned governmental transparency agenda. The Council undertakes to use reasonable endeavours to hold confidential any information provided in the proposal submitted, subject to the Council's obligations under law, including the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If the applicant 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 consider the sensitivity statement before replying to any request received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.