Administrative social services

Tender description

Essex County Council (ECC) is inviting appropriately qualified and experienced suppliers to tender for the County wide ‘Direct Payment Support Service’. Through this service, ECC aims to support people in Essex, who use Direct Payments to retain as much independence, choice and control as possible, over the care and support that they receive. This will be achieved through supporting the following service outcomes; — Individuals have a care and support plan in place, operating effectively within the agreed budget — Individuals are making payments for solutions identified in care and support plans in a timely, efficient and person-centred way — Individuals have successfully recruited and employed personal assistants and other staff and are effectively managing them The services will support the Councils strategy for promoting and increasing numbers of people with Personal Budgets and the continued uptake of Direct Payments. This contract will be split into 3 distinct ‘Lots’, as follows; — Lot 1 — Support Planning Services. — Lot 2 — Payment Services. — Lot 3 — Employer Advice and Guidance. Tenderers are able to bid for one, two or all three lots, as appropriate. This service will support both Adults and Children and their families, being accessible to individuals of all ages and across the range of eligible social care needs, who utilise Direct Payments. It is envisaged that during the contract term, integrated Health & Social Care Personal budgets will be introduced with increasing numbers over time. As yet, timelines for introduction are unconfirmed; however, the services contract will also be open to the 5 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG's) operating within Essex. The contracts will be awarded to a maximum of 3 providers, although ECC reserves the right to award all 3 ‘Lots’ to one provider should this offer best value. It is ECC expectation that all successful providers will work with the extended market, where appropriate, to ensure that all individuals' needs are met. ECC welcomes interested parties from all market sectors, including the Third Sector and the contracts will commence during June 2017. To receive the Tender documents, please register your interest in this opportunity via ECC's electronic procurement system Ariba, via the message board email2workspace-prod+ECC+WS697595174+zg94@ansmtp.ariba.com.