Other community, social and personal services

Tender description

The Council wishes to procure a service which will provide housing-related support for a minimum of 10 people aged 18+ who are at risk of homelessness and who require accommodation linked to that support which aims to stabilise their housing situation and to prepare them for move-on to more settled and independent accommodation. The service will also ensure that service users have access to appropriate educational, training and employment opportunities. The budget available is fixed at 102 000 GBP per annum for the duration of the contract. The successful tenderer must be able to demonstrate that it is able to maximise property-related income to complement housing-related support funding. The duration of the contract will be for an initial term of 3 years with an option to extend the contact by up to a further 2 years subject to contract performance and budget availability. Contract payments will be made monthly in arrears. Housing Support services will support people whose needs are such that their ability to maintain a tenancy or remain independent in their home would be compromised without that support. The focus of housing-related support with accommodation will be on ensuring that people are supported to stabilise their accommodation status and prepare for move-on to appropriate and settled accommodation according to their circumstances and to have the support networks in place to help them sustain that accommodation. Housing-related support will have 2 principal areas of focus: — helping people to prevent, delay or reduce the need for long-term formal care and support, including healthcare services, — helping to prevent homelessness and/or to support people who have been homeless into settled accommodation, — housing-related support with accommodation will therefore help the council to meet its statutory prevention duties under the Homelessness Reduction Act and the Care Act, — housing-related support complements other activity through, for example, making resources available to other agencies to run activities or providing drop-ins and “surgeries” at other agencies’ premises. The Council currently commissions a supported accommodation service located in a single building at Parish Rooms, Bridgnorth for 12 people aged 18 and above and who are at risk of homelessness. The current provider has given notice that it wishes to withdraw from providing accommodation with support in Shropshire and that it aims to sell the Parish Rooms property. The Council wishes to procure a replacement service which will provide housing-related support for a minimum of 10 people aged 18+ who are at risk of homelessness and who require accommodation linked to that support which aims to stabilise their housing situation and to prepare them for move-on to more settled and independent accommodation. The service will also ensure that service users have access to appropriate educational, training and employment opportunities. Referrals and allocations will be determined by the Council’s Housing Services in conjunction with the provider and priority will be given to people aged under 35 and who have a history of mental health issues, substance misuse and/or offending behaviour. The successful tenderer will bring forward a minimum 10 units of accommodation appropriate to the needs of, and risks presented by, this vulnerable group, although he Council would welcome proposals of between 10-15 units. Sale and property details of the Parish Rooms can be made available to tenderers but the Council will consider proposals from tenderers wishing to utilise alternative accommodation. Ideally accommodation will be located in the South-East Shropshire area although the Council will consider proposals for accommodation located across the whole Shropshire Council area. Please note the Council will not be a party to any negotiations or agreements between the current property owner and any tenderer. Tenders which bring forward fewer than 10 properties will not be considered The budget available is fixed at 102 000 GBP per annum for the duration of the contract. The successful tenderer must be able to demonstrate that it is able to maximise property-related income to complement housing-related support funding. The duration of the contract will be for an initial term of 3 years with an option to extend the contact by up to a further 2 years subject to contract performance and budget availability. Contract payments will be made monthly in arrears. The service is staffed by staff employed by the current provider and applicants should note that it is considered that the employee “Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006” (“TUPE”) will apply to this contract. Applicants are advised to seek their own legal advice about the practicality of these regulations.