Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

Tender description

Hertfordshire County Council is currently out to procurement for the Provision of a Supported Transport Service for Looked After Children and Young People. Further information in regards to this opportunity can be found in II.2.4 and VI.3 below. Organisations wishing to take part in this project are invited to ‘express interest’ which will give access to the full procurement documents in the e-tendering system. Please see VI.3 below for further information. The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 4.12.2017. To be considered as a Bidder you must complete and submit a Bid by the deadline of 12:00 on 4.12.2017. Any questions relating to this procurement must be made via the correspondence area in the e-Tendering system, in accordance with the procurement documents and can be addressed to the main contact as shown in the details above. Please allow sufficient time to make your return as late returns will not be permitted by the system. In order to meet the needs of the children and young people looked after, the Council is required on occasion to transport them safely and securely within Hertfordshire and sometimes throughout the country, including Scotland and Wales. The Council has a responsibility to ensure that children and young people that require a Secure Accommodation Placement under Section 25 of the Children Act 1989 are transported to the placements safely. There are also a number of children and young people that require accompanied transport to ensure that they arrive at their placements, or at court when required, and it is the Council's responsibility to provide this Service. All secure forms of transport for children and young people that are subject to custodial sentences are commissioned by the Youth Justice System and do not form part of this procurement exercise or Contract. An average of 35 % of Hertfordshire's Looked After population are placed outside of the county and throughout the country. A service is therefore required both county and country wide to meet the needs of all Hertfordshire Looked After Children and Young People. Transportation is required for some children and young people with a variety of needs including, but not extensively, challenging and violent behaviour, mental health needs, self-injurious behaviour, victims of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), and absconding/missing episodes. The Contractor's Staff will need to be trained appropriately to manage these behaviours and are expected to act in the capacity of a good parent The use of Lots has been considered for this procurement, but have not been used, as the Council requires continuity and consistency of provision across the service. The estimated total value of the Contract is stated in II.1.5 of this notice and is for the initial term inclusive of the approximate value for extensions. For the avoidance of doubt, the estimated annual value of the Contract will be between 50 000 GBP and 150 000 GBP. The initial term of this contract is two (2) years with a possible extension of up to a further one (1) year at the Councils discretion. Please note that the contract requirements will be subject to available financial resources, supplier performance and flexibility to meet changing demands.