Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Wolverhampton City Council
Civic Centre, St. Peters Square
WOLVERHAMPTON
WV11RL
Contact
Adebimpe Winjobi
adebimpe.winjobi@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKG39 - Wolverhampton
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
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
CWC23060 Provision of Community and Voluntary Service
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The community and voluntary service provision will take the lead in working collaboratively with communities and groups across the protected characteristics and equalities to ensure all are supported and represented. The Strategic Lead will proactively engage with organisations and local people in venues across the City and digitally, to identify current and emerging priorities and develop an action plan for key outcomes to be met.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £3,500,000
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Infrastructure Support Service
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKG39 - Wolverhampton
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Infrastructure in the Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise Sector (VCSE) - Sustainability, Growth, Partnership & Volunteering.
The provider will establish a clear and robust Governance structure for the sector that is representative and accountable for all. As a representative for communities, organisations and the system the primary role will be to act on behalf, in partnership and collaboratively with community organisations. The strategic lead will co-design and co-produce a range of initiatives that put local people at the heart of the provision, whilst bringing stakeholders and the wider sector on board to respond to needs in our communities. They will also provide organisational support, capacity building and training initiatives that equip local people and primarily small grassroots VCSE organisations with the tools they need to respond to needs in our communities so that they may thrive and grow.
The provider will also be the strategic lead on a Citywide Structured and Supported Volunteering Programme which raises the profile of volunteering in the City, and embeds a City offer that enables local people wishing to volunteer to gain access to face to face and digital resources to easily navigate their way to a suitable role and support organisations to create, develop and grow their own volunteer programmes.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Service Quality and Social Value / Weighting: 100
Price - Weighting: 0
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
option of up to 2 years contract extension on an annual basis at the sole discretion of the council
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Welfare Debt and Financial Support Service
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKG39 - Wolverhampton
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Welfare, Debt, Housing and Benefits Advice
The benefits system is complex and can be difficult to understand. Residents need different levels of support to understand what they are entitled to, or to complete forms with full and accurate information. The emphasis for this provider is a proactive and immediate response where required to people in crisis, support to maximise income and resilience, prevention of adverse repercussions, stabilisation and management of life's challenges, progression towards better life chances.
The Provider will take the lead in delivering a suite of community-based services offering advice, information, practical help and support (including initiatives encouraging self-help and resilience building) to some of the City's most vulnerable people in the areas of welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment and welfare advice.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Service Quality and Social Value / Weighting: 100
Price - Weighting: 0
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
Option to extend for up to 2 years on an annual basis at the sole discretion of the council
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
The Council has entered into two contracts for the provision of community and voluntary services each for a period of five years with options exercisable by the Council to extend the contracts by up to a further two years.
The Council published a notice calling for competition on the Contracts Finder website on 12 June 2023 (titled: CWC23060 Provision of Community and Voluntary Service, currently available at the following url: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/0ec788f1-47d9-4627-a536-feb4f432e0d3?origin=SearchResults&p=1) and received tenders from 4 providers.
The Council completed the procurement process and awarded contracts to the economic operators identified in this contract award notice. However, the Council subsequently identified that in error the Council had failed to select the correct settings within the procurement portal to have a contract notice published on the Find a Tender Service website.
The Council considered whether to conclude the procurement processes notwithstanding that accidental omission and concluded that it was rational to do so on the following basis:
1) The Council provided transparency to the supplier market by publishing a notice on the Contracts Finder website. The Council considers that it is likely that suppliers wishing to deliver services in England registered to Find a Tender Service would also register to Contracts Finder and would have identified the existence of the opportunity as a result.
2) The Council received tenders from 4 suppliers and concludes that therefore the Contracts Finder notice was effective in making the opportunity known in the market.
3) The procurement was for services similar to those advertised to the market by contract notice reference: 2022/S 000-019852 published in July 2022 which advertised a procurement for community and voluntary services which was subsequently abandoned prior to tender submission (in October 2022). Whilst that procurement was abandoned it did have the effect of engaging the supplier market wishing to compete to deliver community and voluntary services in Wolverhampton. Six suppliers expressed an intention to submit tenders in the abandoned procurement whereas eleven suppliers expressed an intention to submit tenders in the current procurement (though in the event only four submitted completed tenders). All of the suppliers that expressed an intention to submit tenders in the previous, abandoned, procurement, did likewise in the current procurement indicating that the Contracts Finder notice was effective at providing transparency to the pool of suppliers most likely to wish to compete for the opportunities.
Taking all of the above factors into account the Council concluded that it has tested the market and advertised the opportunity to participate in the procurement sufficiently that it was rational for the Council to conclude the contracts and that it would have been disproportionate to abandon the procurement.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
CWC23060
Lot No
1
Title
Infrastructure Support Service
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
1 January 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Wolverhampton Voluntary and Community Action
16 Temple Street
Wolverhampton
WV2 4AN
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKG39 - Wolverhampton
Companies House
2288239
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £1,400,000
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,400,000
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
CWC23060
Lot No
2
Title
Welfare, Debt, Housing and Benefits Advice
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
1 January 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Citizens Advice Dudley and Wolverhampton
Dudley House, 9-11 Stone Street
Dudley
DY1 1NP
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKG36 - Dudley
Charity Commission (England and Wales)
516877
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £2,100,000
Total value of the contract/lot: £2,100,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
City of Wolverhampton Council
Civic Centre, St Peters Square,
Wolverhampton
WV1 1SH
adebimpe.winjobi@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom