Health and social work services

Tender description

The Council is planning to go out to tender to appoint suitably experienced and skilled contractor for the delivery of homelessness support through a ‘Housing First’ services. Housing First model aims to provide chronically homeless person with housing first, as the foundation on which the other needs can be addressed, and the process of recovery can begin. This model is now a popular housing and treatment model that has proven successful with very complex clients who have faced multiple exclusions from traditional hostel and treatment setting. The model is supported by the MH CLG nationally and the GLA across the capital. Housing First takes into account two elements: • service users are provided with permanent accommodation straight from the streets without the requirement to be housing ready; • service users are provided with comprehensive multi-disciplinary support services which are brought to the service user. Examples of support given to service users: signing up to a GP, mental health services, adult learning, addiction treatment or help with getting benefits support is usually at a higher level than a typical floating support scheme e.g. may be available 24 hours a day and include street-based client work. In a traditional floating support models a worker with usually have a caseload of 20-40 service users, under Housing First their caseload is between 5-7 clients. London Borough of Tower Hamlets’ Housing Options service and its drug and alcohol action team piloted a housing first scheme in Tower Hamlets that began in October 2018 funded by the MHCLG Rough Sleeping Initiative. After 18 months, all formerly long term entrenched rough sleepers are still in their accommodation and one additional client has been added to the caseload. The Council is applying for a grant in order to secure further funding to continue with the services, and it intends to go out to tender late January, beginning of February 2020 in order to have the contract in place by end of March. This procurement exercise would only go ahead if we have received confirmation the council has been successful and will be granted funding to cover the entire cost of the scheme. The Council will only exercise their discretion to extend the scheme is further funding is received and Council Cabinet agreed to the extension. The Council will vary the contract and increase available funds to the awarded contractor if they are successful in securing further grant for the same services during the life of the contract. As described in part II.1.4). Portal Contract Reference: DN508950 Internal Contract Reference: P5691 Contract Title: Housing First Expressions of interest start date: 16 November 2020 you can express your interest in this project and receive notification when the contract is published. Return of tenders/bids end date: TBC in the future tender advert. Estimated to be published w/c 25 January 2021 Initial Contract Duration: 3 years Extensions: 2 (1 +1) years Estimated contract value (including extensions): GBP 950 000-GBP 1 500 000 Annual value: GBP 300 000 approximately