Opportunity

Contract for hosting and managing the Peer Associate Workers (Part of Kent and Medway Designated Keyworker Programme)

  • Kent County Council

F02: Contract notice

Notice reference: 2023/S 000-002147

Published 24 January 2023, 1:00pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Kent County Council

County Hall

Maidstone

ME14 1XQ

Contact

Miss Natasha Mahay

Email

Natasha.Mahay@kent.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 3000417126

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKJ4 - Kent

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.kent.gov.uk

Buyer's address

http://www.kent.gov.uk

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Contract for hosting and managing the Peer Associate Workers (Part of Kent and Medway Designated Keyworker Programme)

Reference number

DN651089

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 85323000 - Community health services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Kent County Council is looking to appoint a supplier, to host and manage the Peer Associate Workers who are part of the Kent and Medway Integrated Care System Designated Keyworker Programme. This procurement is for social and other services referred to in Regulations 74 of the Public Contracts Regulations (2015) and as such, the intention is to use the light touch regime, rather than the full regime described in Regulations 28 (Restricted Procedure).

The Kent and Medway Designated Keyworker Programme is an NHS England-funded programme that is being implemented by Kent County Council (hereafter referred to as ‘the Council’) on behalf of Kent and Medway Integrated Care System.

The 'Keyworking’ function was developed in response to the NHS England and NHS Improvement Long Term Plan (LTP) commitment that, by 2023/24, children and young people with a learning disability, autism or both, with the most complex of needs will have a designated Keyworker, as recommended in the Lenehan Report (2017). It was designed to:

• ensure that autistic and learning-disabled children and young people, aged 0-25, (hereafter referred to as ‘CYP’) and their families get the right support at the right time and that local services are responsive in meeting their needs in a holistic and joined up way.

• prevent avoidable admission to any form of acute mental health hospital or institutional care.

• where a CYP is admitted to an acute mental health hospital, ensure discharge plans are developed and in place, and that their length of stay is as brief as possible.

The ethos of Keyworking is to ensure a preventative and personalised approach for each CYP and their family. The Peer Associate role is one of several keyworking functions that collaborate to help the CYP and their family to effectively navigate the system through facilitating shared and clear person/family-led formulations or stories which enable effective and enhanced interventions by addressing physical/psychological/social/other issues contributing to risks of admission or placement breakdown.

There are currently six Peer Associates representing [6 staff equivalent to 5.4 WTE] who provide lived experience support and advocacy to CYP and their families who are receiving complex care support from health, education, and social care. The Peer Associates are pivotal to assuring that the voices of children/young people and their families are heard within their community and wider care and support systems.

This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to advise prospective providers of the Commissioners intention. It is our intention to hold a Virtual Market Engagement event via MS Team, with providers, in order to finalise the development of the service specification on Wednesday 8 February 2023 at 9:30am - 11:00am.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £800,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKJ4 - Kent

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Kent County Council is looking to appoint a supplier, to host and manage the Peer Associate Workers who are part of the Kent and Medway Integrated Care System Designated Keyworker Programme. This procurement is for social and other services referred to in Regulations 74 of the Public Contracts Regulations (2015) and as such, the intention is to use the light touch regime, rather than the full regime described in Regulations 28 (Restricted Procedure).

The Kent and Medway Designated Keyworker Programme is an NHS England-funded programme that is being implemented by Kent County Council (hereafter referred to as ‘the Council’) on behalf of Kent and Medway Integrated Care System.

The 'Keyworking’ function was developed in response to the NHS England and NHS Improvement Long Term Plan (LTP) commitment that, by 2023/24, children and young people with a learning disability, autism or both, with the most complex of needs will have a designated Keyworker, as recommended in the Lenehan Report (2017). It was designed to:

• ensure that autistic and learning-disabled children and young people, aged 0-25, (hereafter referred to as ‘CYP’) and their families get the right support at the right time and that local services are responsive in meeting their needs in a holistic and joined up way.

• prevent avoidable admission to any form of acute mental health hospital or institutional care.

• where a CYP is admitted to an acute mental health hospital, ensure discharge plans are developed and in place, and that their length of stay is as brief as possible.

The ethos of Keyworking is to ensure a preventative and personalised approach for each CYP and their family. The Peer Associate role is one of several keyworking functions that collaborate to help the CYP and their family to effectively navigate the system through facilitating shared and clear person/family-led formulations or stories which enable effective and enhanced interventions by addressing physical/psychological/social/other issues contributing to risks of admission or placement breakdown.

There are currently six Peer Associates representing [6 staff equivalent to 5.4 WTE] who provide lived experience support and advocacy to CYP and their families who are receiving complex care support from health, education, and social care. The Peer Associates are pivotal to assuring that the voices of children/young people and their families are heard within their community and wider care and support systems.

This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to advise prospective providers of the Commissioners intention. It is our intention to hold a Virtual Market Engagement event via MS Team, with providers, in order to finalise the development of the service specification on Wednesday 8 February 2023 at 9:30am - 11:00am.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Start date

1 July 2023

End date

30 June 2027

This contract is subject to renewal

No

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Restricted procedure

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

6 February 2023

Local time

12:00pm

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Kent County Council

County Hall

Maidstone

ME14 1XQ

Email

natasha.mahay@kent.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 3000417126

Country

United Kingdom