Domestic furniture

Tender description

Emergency Assistance is a scheme introduced by Cheshire East Council following the changes to the social fund by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from April 2013. The scheme is intended: — to support vulnerable people facing immediate hardship, following a crisis or disaster, — to prevent homelessness, in conjunction with support from the housing options team, — to keep families together and safeguard vulnerable people, — alternatively support may be required to assist vulnerable people to return to or remain in the community or to ease exceptional pressure on families. The Council is seeking 2 or 3 providers to operate the scheme to supply and deliver as instructed within the Cheshire East region, primarily re-cycled or re-conditioned white goods or furniture to local residents who meet the required criteria. The scheme is non-cash based with support to be provided by the provision of goods, (primarily re-cycled or reconditioned white goods and furniture) or services (including general welfare advice and signposting) and is available to those in receipt of state benefits (or low paid work in exceptional cases). The Council requires the service to provide the following service outcomes: — to provide, deliver and install furniture and or white goods at a low cost, — offer, where possible, employment whether paid or voluntary to vulnerable local residents, — collect unwanted furniture and white goods/appliances from the clients of the scheme, free of charge, — collect unwanted furniture and white goods/appliances from the local community, — re-cycle and redistribute these back into the local community. — offer general welfare advice and signposting to more specialist support services for those referred to the provider(s) for assistance. The Contracting Authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are Small or Medium enterprises (SME’s). For the avoidance of doubt, the Contracting Authority points out that no weight will be attached to whether or not an economic operator is an SME in selecting economic operators to submit tenders or in assessing the most economically advantageous tender. Note – the participation and process for this tender will be via the electronic tendering portal located at www.the-chest.org.uk. Please ensure you also refer to the relevant Annex of this notice. The service for Lot 1 will be based in Crewe, Nantwich and the surrounding area within the Cheshire East Council region. The scheme is non-cash based with support to be provided by the provision of goods, (primarily re-cycled or reconditioned white goods and furniture) or services (including general welfare advice and signposting) and is available to those in receipt of state benefits (or low paid work in exceptional cases). The Council requires the service to provide the following service outcomes: — to provide, deliver and install furniture and or white goods at a low cost, — offer, where possible, employment whether paid or voluntary to vulnerable local residents, — collect unwanted furniture and white goods/appliances from the clients of the scheme, free of charge, — collect unwanted furniture and white goods/appliances from the local community, — re-cycle and redistribute these back into the local community, — offer general welfare advice and signposting to more specialist support services for those referred to the provider(s) for assistance. The Contracting Authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are Small or Medium Enterprises (SME’s). For the avoidance of doubt, the Contracting Authority points out that no weight will be attached to whether or not an economic operator is an SME in selecting economic operators to submit tenders or in assessing the most economically advantageous tender. Note: the participation and process for this tender will be via the electronic tendering portal located at www.the-chest.org.uk. Please ensure you also refer to the relevant Annex of this notice. The service for Lot 2 will be based in Sandbach, Congleton and the surrounding area within the Cheshire East Council region. The scheme is non-cash based with support to be provided by the provision of goods, (primarily re-cycled or reconditioned white goods and furniture) or services (including general welfare advice and signposting) and is available to those in receipt of state benefits (or low paid work in exceptional cases). The Council requires the service to provide the following service outcomes: — to provide, deliver and install furniture and or white goods at a low cost, — offer, where possible, employment whether paid or voluntary to vulnerable local residents, — collect unwanted furniture and white goods/appliances from the clients of the scheme, free of charge, — collect unwanted furniture and white goods/appliances from the local community, — re-cycle and redistribute these back into the local community. — offer general welfare advice and signposting to more specialist support services for those referred to the provider(s) for assistance. The Contracting Authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are Small or Medium Enterprises (SME’s). For the avoidance of doubt, the Contracting Authority points out that no weight will be attached to whether or not an economic operator is an SME in selecting economic operators to submit tenders or in assessing the most economically advantageous tender. Note – the participation and process for this tender will be via the electronic tendering portal located at www.the-chest.org.uk. Please ensure you also refer to the relevant Annex of this notice. The service for Lot 2 will be based in Macclesfield and the northern area within the Cheshire East Council region.