ASC0267 - Direct Payments Support Service

Leicester City Council ('the 'Authority') invites Tenders for the provision of Direct Payments Support Service. Leicester City Council (LCC) is leading the procurement on behalf of Leicester City Council and the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Groups (LLR CCGs).

The Direct Payment Support Service (DPSS) will support and enable people who choose to take all or part of their Personal Budget/Personal Health Budget as a Direct Payment (DP), to use and manage their DP as easily as possible and, where they wish, independently.

The requirement is that for each organisation that is awarded the Framework Agreement it must then provide all the following key functions/Services in respect of the Direct Payments Support Service:

• Initial support and set up of a DP, including advice and guidance • Recruitment and selection support for Personal Assistants • Payroll services and employment advice • Managed accounts (Third Party)

The DPSS service will be available to people and families assessed by Leicester City Council as being eligible for both Adult and Children's Social Care Services living in Leicester, as well as people assessed by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Groups (LLRCCG) as being eligible for a personal health budget across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

The Authority wishes to establish Framework Agreements (FAs), with up to three providers for the provision of Direct Payments Support Service. The Authority provides no guarantee of any work to any successful provider/s. The FAs will be open FAs and the Authority may open the Framework at its own discretion as a service need arises as detailed in the ITT.

The Authority is conducting this procurement under the Light Touch Regime for Social and Other Specific Services, as set out in the Public Contract Regulations 2015, at Section 7 (Regulations 74 to 77) and Schedule 3.

It is the Authority's preliminary view that TUPE may apply in respect of these Contracts.

The initial term of the Framework Agreements is approximately 5 years from the Service Commencement Date 7th November 2022 to 7th November 2027 with the option to extend, subject to satisfactory performance outcomes and agreement by the Authority, for 2 further periods of up to no more than 24 months in total, to up to 4th November 2029, i.e. potentially up to 7 years from and including Service Commencement Date.

The Invitation to Tender document and its appendices and all other documentation issued to Tenderers sets out the details of the Authority's requirements and how to submit your Tender. The link to the documentation is as follows: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert/Index?advertId=fd976b29-0f6a-ec11-8110-005056b64545

The Authority will hold an online Tender Information Session conducted via Microsoft Teams on 20 January 2022 between 10:30 am to 12.30 pm. Further information on how to register for this session is contained within the ITT documentation.