Greater Manchester All-Age Aftercare Service for Victims and Survivors of Rape or Sexual Assault

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) seeks to appoint an Independent Provider to deliver aftercare services for victims and survivors of rape and sexual assault.

The aim of the service will be to support victims and survivors (and in some cases families too), to cope and recover after their ordeal, which may have been a recent attack or historic abuse.

This will be an all age service to support to both male and female victims and survivors, irrespective of whether they wish to pursue a criminal justice outcome. The service will need to link with both the existing provider of forensic and crisis provision, which is based at the St Mary's Centre at Manchester Royal Infirmary, and also establish excellent links with local provision including early help hubs, the new victim assessment and referral service within GMP and also local support agencies such as mental health, housing or social care provision.

It is intended that the new service will shape itself to allow for best fit with the way in which the new victim and assessment referral service is being delivered locally, the new local policing model and local multi-agency safeguarding arrangements. This is an opportunity for applicants to submit innovative and creative proposals, and the successful bid will be expected to demonstrate both this ambition and identify ways in which integration with these local arrangements will be secured.

The Ministry of Justice outlines 8 categories of need, against which the service outcomes will be measured and providers will be expected to demonstrate how they measure their service against these outcomes.

GMCA acknowledges that an individual organisation may not have the necessary skills and experience to deliver all services required under this contract, and that a number of interested parties may wish to consider working in partnership to submit a single bid. Proposals for partnership working are encouraged and each case will be considered on its specific risks and merits during the evaluation process.

Full details of the Service Specification are available along with the Invitation to Tender on the Bluelight e-tendering portal (www.bluelight.gov.uk).

The contract value stated is the current best estimate for value over a 5 year contract.

This service falls under the "light touch regime" as set out in regulations 74-76 (inclusive) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Pursuant to regulation 76(7), the Authority will conduct a competitive procedure akin to the Open Procedure, but this is not taken as acceptance by the Authority that any part of the PCR 2015 apply, other than those parts which apply to the light touch regime.