Call centre

Tender description

This contract is for the provision of a temporary call centre to provide information, advice and signposting for residents of Hampshire in relation to COVID-19. In particular the service will focus on those individuals advised to self-isolate for an extended period of time and their families. The Council does not have the capacity to provide this service itself and is therefore purchasing call centre capacity from a supplier has existing infrastructure and workforce who can deliver this service. This service is being directly awarded to Impact Call Centre in accordance with Regulation 32(2)(c). This procurement meets the requirements for this provision as follows: There is a genuine reason for extreme urgency The rapid spread and significant impact of COVID-19 is unprecedented on a global scale and the impact on Hampshire residents is immediate. New information and guidance are being issued by Central Government on a daily basis. It is imperative that the Council is able to provide advice and information to support the public health agenda and national response strategies as soon as possible, as well as to be able to maintain the wellbeing of individuals being asked to self-isolate for extended periods. Events leading to the need for extreme urgency are unforeseeable The unprecedented nature of this crisis is such that it is impossible to foresee what will happen even on a day to day basis. Furthermore, it is not possible to make realistic predictions based on the experiences of other European countries as these are also evolving and changing on a daily basis. It is impossible to comply with the usual timescales or procurement routes As stated above, Central Government’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak is changing on a day to day basis and the disease itself is progressing too quickly to permit a normal tender process to be undertaken. If the Council were to attempt to do so it would not be able to provide an appropriate and timely response to Hampshire residents and would therefore be seen as derelict in its duty of care. The situation is not attributable to the Council COVID-19 emerged and spread from China. The Council has not done anything which may be said to have contributed to its spread. Additionally the Council is seeking to act at the earliest opportunity following the announcement of potential mass self-isolation by Central Government.