Health and social work services

Tender description

Standard Template for ProContract Buyer: Kent County Council Title: SS15 92 Carers Short Breaks Service Summary: The Council is re-procuring the carers' short break service for carers of vulnerable adults. Carers are defined as an adult who provides or intends to provide care for another adult (an adult needing care). The carers short breaks service will promote and maintain carers' health and well-being through the delivery of replacement care. The service will enable carers to access a flexible crisis response to help avoid unnecessary admissions into hospital and care homes. It will enable carers to attend their own GP, hospital appointments and provide regular planned breaks to enable carers' to achieve their own outcomes. Kent County Council co-commissions carers' services with the 7 Clinical Commissioning Groups, aiming to increase carer resilience and promote well-being through direct and indirect support. This service forms part of a menu of services available to support carers in their caring role and the service must be able to demonstrate understanding of carer specific needs and link the carer into the wider provision available as appropriate. The contract is anticipated to commence upon 1.5.2016 and will continue for a period of 11 months with an option to extend for a further period of 12 months unless terminated in accordance with the Conditions of Contract on the Kent Business Portal. The contract value per annum is 1 246 520 GBP with and additional ring fenced fund of 113 400 GBP for additional dementia crisis services in South Kent Coast and Thanet CCG. Background Kent County Council (the council) is the largest county council in England covering an area of 3 500 square kilometres. It has an annual expenditure of over 900 000 000 GBP on goods and services and a population of 1 300 000 GBP. The Council provides a wide range of personal and strategic services on behalf of its residents, operating in partnership with 12 district councils and 289 parish/town councils. There is widely accepted evidence that carers contribute 119 000 000 000 GBP to the UK economy each year by supporting vulnerable people to remain outside of formal services for longer. A report by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services concluded: There is significant evidence that suggests that investment in carers' services to support them in their caring role is financially beneficial for social care and sees a significant return on any investment made. However we also know that carers are more likely to be in poor health themselves and to be economically deprived. The Kent Health and Wellbeing Strategy recognises the importance of maintaining carers to continue their caring roles and particularly highlights the need to support carers of people with dementia by increasing the numbers of them accessing short breaks. Government has recognised this invaluable contribution and new duties for prevention and promotion of well-being for carers is enshrined within the Care Act 2014. Further background and technical information can be found within the tender documentation. Expression of Interest and Tender Process Expressions of interest will only be accepted via the Kent Business Portal. In order to submit your interest in this opportunity please select the ‘Login and Express an Interest’ button located at the bottom of this page. Note that in order to successfully submit your interest you will first need to register for an account. After registration is complete and you've received your login details you should return to the advert for the opportunity and express your interest. You will then be given access to the Invitation to Tender (ITT). Further guidance regarding how to use this portal can be found attached to the bottom of this advert. Indicative Procurement Timetable Event Anticipated Date Expression of Interest and Invitation to Tender 15.1.2016 — 15.2.2016 Evaluation Process 15.2.2016 — 19.2.2016 Contract Award 4.3.2016 — 14.3.2016 Mobilisation 14.3.2016 — 1.5.2016 Contract Start 1.5.2016 Questions and Communication. Please direct all questions and communication through the Kent Business Portal via the discussions facility. Further guidance can be can be found within the guide located at the bottom of this page.