Working towards Independence accommodation

Reading Borough Council requires a provider to deliver accommodation to those without dependent children, including single homeless people and couples, who require a moderate level of tenancy support prior to moving on into independent living.

The service will deliver:

• A minimum of 85 short term support bed spaces, for between six and 12 months, for clients who have moderate levels of support need.

• Support primarily during daytime and normal working hours.

• Wrap around support with clients in times of need.

• Bed spaces using licences, with minimal provision of assured short-hold tenancies where this is service model appropriate, where at least 90% of bed spaces are operated using licences.

• Support that works towards preparing clients for moving on into independent living including the private rented sector; accommodation obtained via Reading Home choice or returning home where it is safe and suitable to do so.

• Up to eight weeks resettlement support for clients moving on from the service, ensuring that resettlement support can be extended where required and clients are given the option to re-access support if required in the future to ensure tenancy sustainment.

Accommodation Options for Working Towards Independence Accommodation Service Tenderers will be expected to provide detail of all the properties they intend to utilise in enabling the delivery of the support contract and Service Specification; including whether they intend to utilise any/all of the properties listed in the table.

If tenderers enter into agreements with the landlords detailed in the tables below, this will enable the occupation of 31 bed spaces, requiring the further acquisition of at least 54 bed spaces from which to deliver the Working towards Independence support contract.

Tenderers can choose to submit their tender based on the utilisation of different accommodation and premises to those listed below. Where the tenderer intends to use other and/or alternative properties to accommodate clients and deliver the service, details should be given of the conditions under which the properties will be utilised where, if successful, this would be subject to final agreement by the landlord and subject to conditions of utilisation to be agreed between the successful support provider and the accommodation provider (landlord).

The tenderer should provide detail of any alternative or additional properties that are included within the tender submission as follows:

• Property name and address.

• Landlord and name and contact telephone number/email address.

• Provision at the property - number of units and office space available.

• Indication of conditions of utilisation (to be agreed with the landlord).

Additional information: Organisations interested in expressing an interest in this procurement should download the procurement documents which are available on the Council'[input]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. Contractors wishing to be considered for this tendering opportunity must complete the tender documents and return them electronically via the Council's e-tendering portal.

Please note: you must register your interest via the Council's e-tendering portal if you intend to submit a tender. 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.