MOJ Housing Possession Mediation Services Pilot

This is a for information notice of a Future Opportunity for an upcoming procurement led by The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) in conjunction with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

In March 2020, in response to the Coronavirus Outbreak, all ongoing housing possession cases were suspended, originally for 90 days. Following agreed extensions, no possession proceedings were continued or commenced between 27 March and 21 September 2020. The suspension affected existing possession cases and cases that would have been commenced in the period. A range of measures have helped manage the volume coming through the system, but this may still be 40,000 or more (perhaps considerably more) over 6 months.

Now, with the resumption of cases in the courts, MOJ are looking to procure and pilot a dedicated mediation service to engage with housing possession claims as they progress through court, and facilitate settlement without a substantive hearing where possible. This service aims to help further promote compromise to the benefit of all parties, sustain tenancies and manage capacity in the court system,

MOJ require a supplier to administer remote mediation to relevant parties involved in Possession Cases, who will have been referred to the service .

The supplier will be responsible for sourcing, training and managing a bank of suitable mediators with the skills and knowledge and experience to be stipulated in the tender documents. We require a supplier who can quickly mobilise and provide a high quality value for money national service able to cope with the anticipated demand and within specified time frames.

The supplier will be required to provide regular management information to monitor progress, and to work closely with MOJ, MCHLG and any independent party appointed to evaluate the Pilot, which is planned to be conducted alongside live running of the service.

It is anticipated the contract will be for a period of approximately 6 months, at which time the Evaluation of the Pilot will determine next steps.

Due to the urgency of this requirement MOJ plan to procure this service through use of the Accelerated Open Procedures. The planned Timetable (subject to change) - ItTender issue 23/11/20 - Bids received deadline 08/12/20 - Contract award letters issued (Standstill starts) 31/12/20 - Contract start date 11/01/21

MOJ will be procuring this service through its BRAVO/JAEGGER system, found via the attached link - https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk

If you would like to participate in this procurement, you will need to be registered on BRAVO as no hard copy documents will be issued during the planned competition and all communications with the Authority (including final submission of tenders) will be conducted via Bravo.

Should you have any queries with accessing the portal, please contact the MoJ dedicated supplier helpdesk by calling 0845 0100 132 or by emailing: [email protected]

Additional information: Background to Procurement

Work with the judiciary and other stakeholders has identified mediation (where an independent third party helps the involved parties to come to a mutual agreement), without recourse to a substantive court hearing, as a potential effective tool in possession proceedings. It has the potential to offer a way for a range of solutions, including for those in arrears to agree an affordable repayment plan whilst remaining in the property. Mediation can alleviate the burden on the courts, support tenants to remain in their homes, save fees and costs and reduce the burden of homelessness on local authorities.

The purpose of this pilot is to procure a supplier to perform this function, alongside the development of independent analysis to test whether mediation is an effective tool to achieve this to inform long term planning.

This pilot will complement and must integrate with the other measures, put in place following engagement with the judiciary, legal sector, agencies, and housing sector stakeholders for the resumption of possession cases, to enable earlier advice, increase settlement, take account of the effects of the pandemic, and maintain confidence in the fairness of outcomes. This includes the safe, fair, and efficient progress of possession cases through the courts where they need to be before the courts.

Final detailed requirements will be issued with the ItT but at a high level (and subject to change) we are looking for a supplier who:

- Can deliver a high-quality service whist providing value for money; - Can quickly mobilise and be ready to deliver a remote national service of sufficient scale and able to undertake each mediation within specified time frames, as a matter of urgency; - can source and train as applicable a team of mediators with appropriate skills (to be detailed in the Tender Requirements) relevant to the delivery of mediation in possession cases; - can manage these mediators to deliver a professional standard so that the parties involved are clear about the options open to them and any commitments they take on; - can provide a flexible workforce to enable fluctuations in volumes to be managed efficiently; and - can work effectively with stakeholders including MOJ, HMCTS, MCHLG and any Independent evaluator appointed to ensure the Pilot operates smoothly.

This notice is to advise potential suppliers of this upcoming opportunity, and to be aware of the plans to use the Accelerated Procedure and the resulting requirements that will place on potential suppliers to return bids within a limited timeframe. The Authority reserves the right: - to amend, clarify, add to or withdraw all or any part of this planned procurement either before or during it's running; - to vary any timetable or deadlines set out in this document; - not to run a procurement exercise or conclude a contract for some or all of the services stated in this notice; and - to cancel all or part of the procurement at any stage.