Direct Payment Support Services Soft Market Test

In preparation for a proposed forthcoming procurement opportunity to provide support to people to manage a direct payment, Essex County Council is inviting prospective providers to engage in a soft market test to secure market feedback on the current commissioning intentions for the proposed new Direct Payment Support Services offer.

The precise structure of the forthcoming procurement remains subject to confirmation pending a review of the feedback from the market engagement. However, the Council is currently considering incorporating the following support for a direct payment support service (DPSS):

1. Payroll and Account Management
2. A single, dedicated Personal Assistant (PA) hub, incorporating support to develop a PA register alongside assistance with the recruitment, training, management and incentives to retain Personal Assistants.
3. A dedicated Direct Payment Information and Advice service & an Employment, Advice and Guidance Service
4. A pre-paid card option to manage direct payments
5. A digital solution to manage direct payments

The Council may seek to engage more than one provider to provide all or parts of these services in order to create choice for people who will access the services.

The Council may structure the corresponding procurement opportunity so that a number of providers will deliver all the core aspects of the service. However, the Council reserves the right to refine the scope of this procurement following the market engagement events for this project. The final scope of the procurement including the use of lots, contractual value and duration and confirmed procurement timetable will be published in the corresponding Contract Notice prior to the formal launch of this procurement opportunity.

Further details of these components and a suite of soft market test questions can be located via the Council's e-sourcing portal, ProContract: https://procontract.due-north.com/Login

Please note that you will need to undertake the registration process to secure a user account to access the soft market test questionnaire on ProContract. However, please be advised that the registration process is free of charge and provides access to all the current and forthcoming procurement opportunities for Essex County Council alongside several other public sector organisations.

Please note that the deadline for the soft market test responses will be Friday 4th February 2022 at 17:00 and all responses must be submitted via the messaging facility in ProContract.