Dynamic Purchasing System for the Provision of Work Focused Activities

Tender description

This is a Prior Information Notice (PIN) for social and specific services in accordance with Directive 2014/24/EU Article 24. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) intends to establish a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) to procure Work Focused Activities in the Jobcentre Plus Districts in England, Scotland and Wales. The DPS is for the procurement of social and other services referred to in Regulation 74 of the Public Contracts Regulations (2015) and as such, the intention is to use a light touch regime, rather than the full regime described in Regulation 34 (Dynamic Purchasing System). This national DPS is intended to replace the current DPS for Work Focused Activities in DWP Central England Group, also known as the Proof of Concept (PoC). Operating a DPS offers a number of commercial and operational advantages for both the buyer and for the potential Suppliers, compared to traditional contracting methods. The DPS will be a more effective and responsive tool, with the potential to create administrative savings and allow the buyer to respond to individual requirements more swiftly. It will simplify and reduce the time and cost involved for those Suppliers on the DPS in bringing their services to market, for example by reducing the duplication of effort created by participation in multiple, separate procurement competitions. Consequently it is anticipated that the DPS will, over time, be extended to procure other categories of service spend. This National DPS is for the sole use of the DWP. The anticipated period of the DPS will run from the date of signing of the earliest DPS Agreement (likely to be 25 July 2016), for four years. Estimated funding for Work Focused Activities for 2016-2017, excluding VAT, will be up to £35m. Thereafter funding for DPS procurement will be annually agreed (amounts to be confirmed), and may include monies from other funding streams.