Civic betterment and community facility support services

Tender description

Croydon Council is seeking voluntary and community sector organisations to deliver services to carers so they are able to: — have a statutory carers assessment, — have access to information, advice and guidance, — have access to integrated and personalised services, — have a life of their own, — have support to stay mentally and physically well. This procurement falls within the ‘light touch regime’ applicable to the procurement of contracts for social and other specific services, as set out in Regulations 74 to 76 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ('Regulations'). The Council is orientating this procurement towards the open procedure as described in Regulations but using a ‘light touch’ approach. Notwithstanding the description in IV.1.1) as being the 'open procedure', the Council does not hold itself bound by the regulations except to the extent that they apply to the light touch regime as set out in Regulations 74 to 76 of the Regulations. Carers are a key part of our health and social care landscape. In 2014, the Care Act and Children and Families Act provided carers with a greater means for support from their local authority. Carers have a right to request an assessment, have their eligible needs met and receive support from the council that should prevent, reduce and delay future needs for support. In Croydon we have around 35 000 carers, approximately 10 % working population of Croydon. Supporting carers is the best way to prevent a care breakdown which would otherwise result in an emergency admission for either the carer and/or the cared for person. This service aims to meet the eligible needs of carers providing a universal offer in order to support them to continue caring if they would like to do so. This service forms part of Croydon Council’s Community Fund. The funding for this service is ring-fenced for carers and we take an outcomes based approach to commissioning and service delivery. Carers helped develop the Carers Strategy 2018-2022 which formed the basis of the service. They helped in the design and reviewing of this service specification and will be involved through the bidding process and the evaluating panel. Carer feedback is crucial to the continuous delivery and evolution of this service.