Provision of Asylum Support and Accommodation Services

Tender description

The Future Asylum Contracts Transformation (FACT), formerly Asylum Support and Accommodation Programme (ASAP), is a long-term transformation programme in the delivery of asylum support and accommodation services. The objective is a transformative re-procurement of services to replace the following contracts: • Asylum Accommodation Support Contracts (AASC) • Advice Issue Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE) • Bridging Accommodation and Travel Services (BATS) • Asylum Support Payments (ASP) The Home Office will be going to market for supplier(s) who can: 1. Accommodation Provision – Identify, acquire, and maintain a diverse range of safe, suitable, and legally compliant accommodation types within agreed timescales and contracted regions to meet the varied needs of asylum seekers. Ensure accommodation aligns with statutory and regulatory standards, and is approved and allocated in collaboration with Local Authorities to support lawful use, community integration, and minimal impact on local services. 2. Accommodation Management – Maintain accommodation to defined standards throughout its lifecycle, with robust systems in place for maintenance, temporary housing, and complaint communication and resolution to ensure a safe, suitable, and responsive living environment for asylum seekers. 3. Transport – Arrange, manage, and deliver a 24/7/365 transportation service that is safe, timely, and responsive to asylum seeker needs in line with Home Office policy, whether independently or as directed by the Home Office. This includes the use of suitable, appropriately equipped, roadworthy vehicles and professional drivers, supported by an appropriate IT booking system, and ensuring the transport of asylum seekers, their dependents, and permitted belongings with appropriate assistance and within agreed timescales. 4. Sustenance – Ensure that asylum seekers receive appropriate interim support through food vouchers or cash, including issuing food vouchers as a temporary or emergency measure until a Section 4 payment card is provided or replaced, and providing cash where full board accommodation is not available. 5. Safety and Security – Ensure the safety and security of all staff and asylum seekers by implementing appropriate training, incident management, cross-provider collaboration, and vetting procedures. 6. Audit & Assurance Services – Monitor provider compliance and performance through a structured assurance framework, combining inspections, desk-based reviews, and data analysis to identify trends, risks, and areas for improvement. The assuror must also produce clear, evidence-based reports to support supplier management and meet the reporting requirements of external assurance bodies. 7. Service User Assistance – The Provider must ensure that asylum seekers receive clear, accessible, and timely information and support throughout their asylum journey - from initial application and arrival at accommodation to integration into the community. This includes maintaining a reliable single point of contact, delivering oral and written communication in a way asylum seekers can understand, assisting with access to local services, and continuously monitoring and improving the asylum seeker experience through inclusive feedback mechanisms. 8. Wellbeing and Safeguarding – Establish effective communication channels with relevant partners to ensure timely notification and coordination on safeguarding and wellbeing matters. Where safeguarding concerns are identified, specialist safeguarding staff must be deployed and follow the prescribed action plan. Proactively prevent and reduce safeguarding incidents, the Provider must offer ongoing support to asylum seekers and ensure that all staff and asylum seekers have access to resources that help them recognise, respond to, and report safeguarding concerns. Regular welfare checks must be conducted for all asylum seekers. ------- The Home Office intends to procure a proportion of the services under the Light Touch regime in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. For the avoidance of doubt following the delivery model change in relation to Service User (SU) Assistance and External Assurance. To clarify, Service User Assistance will be procured via a separate Competitive Flexible Procedure (CFP), supported by its own Market Engagement (ME) activity, and is therefore out of scope of the current procurement. In addition, External Assurance will be procured via an alternative route and does not form part of this CFP. Suppliers are requested to continue monitoring the original PMEN for any updates or further clarifications relevant to the current procurement. **The content of this Notice, including the nature of works and services including start date of contract, may be subject to change.**