Accounting services

Tender description

The London Borough of Hounslow is seeking to appoint a contractor for the provision of Corporate Services. The services to be provided under the Contract include: Revenues and Benefits Services, Customer Services, Human Resources Transactional Services, Post and Printing Services including incoming and outgoing post, Revenue collection services including processing and collection, Assessment, financial administration and payment services including payroll and the provision of IT services necessary to deliver the services. The Contract term will be for a period of 7 years with the option to extend at the Council's discretion on one or more occasions for one or more periods of up to an additional 3 years in total (giving a total maximum contract term of up to 10 years). It is anticipated that the Contract will commence in October 2017. The procurement will be conducted by the London Borough of Hounslow. The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF) has been named on the OJEU Contract Notice for this Corporate Services Contract. LBHF is a forward looking and innovative council with a significant appetite for providers in the market place who can demonstrate similar qualities. During the period of the Contract LBHF will be in a position to work with the successful bidder to explore a range of commercial options, at LBHF's discretion. The London Borough of Hounslow wishes to appoint a single service provider to provide the following corporate services: — Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support — The service provider will be required to provide a full housing benefit administration service including the administration of the local Council Tax Support Scheme and the provision and administration of the Council's housing benefits IT systems. — Council Tax — The service provider will be required to provide the full Council Tax administrative service including valuation list maintenance, annual and one off billing and the issuing of statutory reminders, final notices and summonses. The requirement includes the provision and administration of the Council's Council Tax IT systems. — Non Domestic Rates — The service provider will be required to provide a full non domestic rates administrative service including rating list maintenance, annual and one off billing, the issuing of statutory reminders, final notices and summonses and the provision and administration of the Council's business rates IT systems. — Customer Services — The service provider will be required to provide the Council's face to face (reception) services; respond to customer enquiries via telephone for a range of services including environmental services, housing and revenue and benefits as well as responding to general enquiries, provide a call centre telephony system that links into the Council's telephony system; respond to enquiries from customers via web based contact channels and respond to all customer contacts for the services directly delivered by the provider under this contract. The requirement also includes taking payment from customers and other customer service related administrative tasks. — Post and Print Services — The service provider will work with the Council to design and implement a post and print solution that handles all of the Council's incoming and outgoing mail and enables the printing of documents in paper or electronic form. — Human Resources Transactional Services — The service provider shall provide a comprehensive transactional HR service including maintaining an up to date record of the establishment, providing a responsive recruitment service, appropriate application of HR policies, training administration, administrative support to the application of HR policies and the administration and development of the HR IT systems. — Assessment, Financial Administration and Payment Services — Including the administration of discretionary housing payments; school uniform grants; free school meals; local welfare payments; supplier payments (accounts payable), payroll, financial assessments and administration, management of finances and property for vulnerable adults under Appointeeship and Deputyship. — Revenue collection — including collection of Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing Benefit overpayments, rents, sundry debts and rent and cash accounting including reconciliations.