Direct Payments Support Service

The Metropolitan Borough Council of Sandwell wishes to appoint TWO organisations to provide a Direct Payments Support Service to adults living within the Borough of Sandwell.

The service will be provided to individuals who are in receipt of a personal budget and wish to use a direct payment to retain choice and control over the services they receive. The service will comprise of the following elements:

• Payroll Service: provided to ensure individuals are effectively supported regarding the payments to their staff, and to manage the complexities of being an employer;
• Employer Support Service: to provide advice, information, support and training enabling all eligible individuals to manage their Personal Budget through a Direct Payment;
• Managed Account Service: to be provided to individuals who are in receipt of a personal budget and wish to use a direct payment to retain choice and control over the services they receive, either by employing a Personal Assistant or by entering into a contract with an Agency. The Managed Accounts service will provide support to people who are taking their personal budget as a direct payment and require assistance to ensure their financial responsibilities are met.

Please note the successful providers will be expected to provide ALL 3 of the above elements under this contract.

It is anticipated that the contract will commence on 6th April 2016 and run for a period of 3 years (until 5th April 2019) with an option to extend subject to the Council’s needs for the Service(s) for a further 1 year.

Suitably qualified and experienced organisations are invited to respond to the Invitation to Tender Documents. These must be submitted no later than 15:00pm on Monday 9th November 2015 via InTend. The deadline for the submission of any clarification questions is 17:00pm on Monday 2nd November 2015 via InTend.

The Council intends to use an evaluation model based on quality and price. The criteria, on which the tender will be evaluated, inclusive of weighting attached to each, will be included in the Invitation To Tender (ITT) documentation.

NB. The contract reflects services currently being provided by existing organisations, and therefore the EC Acquired Rights Directive 77/187 as amended and/or the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 may apply to this contract.

Closing Date:

9th November 2015

Location:

Sandwell

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Additional information: Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : No https://in-tendhost.co.uk/sandwellmbc/aspx/