Provision of Accommodation Management Service

Tender description

Since November 2021, West Sussex County Council (the “Council”) has been responsible for providing support for Afghan Refugees and family groups at two bridging hotels in the county for people arriving from Afghanistan under the British government resettlement scheme. The bridging hotels were served closure notices by the Home Office, in accordance with government requirements. The hotels closed on 31 August 2023.<br/><br/>The Council has an opportunity to enter into a lease to secure a block of flats providing multiple units of accommodation for a cohort of Afghan Refugees.<br/><br/>This will alleviate the demand for the use of more expensive temporary accommodation and provide longer-term housing, for couples, small family groups and individuals, who are already living and working in the area.<br/><br/>The Council wishes to enter a five-year sub lease or alternative arrangement with a Service, so that the Service Provider manages this property on behalf of the Council (for duration of the five-year lease). It is proposed that the provider will enter a full insuring and repairing sub lease with the Council.<br/><br/>The Council will provide full access to all surveys and reports, carried out as part of the Council’s due diligence, prior to entering the main lease.<br/><br/>For full details of the services, please see Document 2: Service Specification. Lot 1: The Contracting Authority is conducting this procurement as an urgent process conducted under Regulation 27(5) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in accordance with the requirements of the Council’s Contract Standing Orders. Please note the reduced timescales as laid out in Section 11 which reflect the state of urgency necessary for this procurement.