Adult Social Care Digitalisation - Soft Market Testing

Reading Borough Council is looking to procure a number of digital solutions across Adult Social Care to save time and improve services for our residents. For instance, we are working to ensure that our back end processes are leaner, more efficient and modernised, in order to free up valuable time for staff to spend where it matters most.

We are also looking to enhance the service we provide to residents by enabling independence and self-sufficiency through 'self-directed support'.

We are looking in particular at:

o Mobile working solutions - Enabling staff to work in the community through creating and accessing digital case files and forms on portable devices. o Reading Services Guide - A service directory of adult social care services o An E-Marketplace - by extension of the Reading Services guide, a system which matches an individual's care preferences with service providers and allows them to arrange and purchase care to suit their needs. o Client Portal - by extension of the e-marketplace, a portal for clients to purchase equipment and adaptive technology, view their care records and manage their care, for instance by submitting self-assessments and self-reviews. o Electronic Care Monitoring - A scheduling and finance tool for the homecare market to make electronic payments and track care provided against planned care.

The Council would like to understand from key providers how these requirements might best be met and is therefore carrying out a soft market testing exercise to engage in early informal dialogue prior to any formal procurement taking place.

Additional information: This is an early engagement exercise as part of the development of a planned procurement. Organisations interested in responding to the consultation should download the documents which are available on the Council`s e-tendering system at: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/readingbc/aspx/Home and complete as instructed.

The Portal is free of charge - to register please follow the supplier registration guidance which is available on the Portal.

Please note: you must register your interest via the Council`s e-tendering portal if you intend to submit a response. Interested parties must log onto the Council`s e-tendering portal at: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/readingbc, to express an interest and download the procurement documents. All communications regarding this procurement exercise will be conducted through the Council`s e-tendering portal including requests for clarifications or general enquiries. The procurement documents will be available for download up until the closing time and date for tender submissions, it is the organisation`s responsibility to ensure that they download the documents in ample time to ensure that they can be completed and returned electronically, along with supporting documents, prior to the closing time and date stipulated. Before completing the tender, potential providers/suppliers should ensure that the e-mail address that has been used to register their organisation will be checked regularly as the Council`s e-tendering system will generate automatic notifications to this e-mail address when there are updates, changes or messages sent relating to the project. Potential bidders should also check that their organisation`s details are correct and kept up to date.

Technical questions and assistance regarding the use and operation of the Portal should be addressed to the In-Tend Help Desk - e-mail: [email protected], telephone number +44 8442728810.

Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : No