Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Oxfordshire County Council
3rd Floor, County Hall
Oxford
OX1 1ND
Contact
Mr Thomas Ashby
thomas.ashby@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 7827822641
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert/Index?advertId=4bcecbc5-3fa6-ed11-811f-005056b64545
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert/Index?advertId=4bcecbc5-3fa6-ed11-811f-005056b64545
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
Emergency Welfare Scheme: Oxfordshire Crisis Fund
Reference number
DN654399
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72250000 - System and support services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
It is well understood that the availability of emergency welfare funds, designed to support low-income households with urgent and unforeseen needs, can help prevent immediate crisis turning into long-term deprivation.
Unlike the majority of upper tier authorities, Oxfordshire County Council (“the Council”) currently has no business-as-usual crisis fund.
While specific funding is available in some local areas (for example from Town and Parish Councils) and for specific groups, there is no equivalent fund open to all eligible residents across the County. This leaves a gap for ‘last-resort’ support in the Oxfordshire system.
The Government has increasingly adopted an expectation that local delivery capacity for emergency scheme exists and that this can address gaps in national welfare provision. Further, the Government assumes that this infrastructure is in place and can be used to spend new funding streams at short notice.
Following the administration of a series of short-term interventions through the COVID-19 and subsequent cost-of-living crisis, the Council has now identified a business case for implanting a new scheme and a revenue budget has been agreed for 2023/24-2025/26 inclusive.
The Council wishes to procure the capacity to deliver and provide for a new Oxfordshire Crisis Fund that will:
Receive applications and / or referrals for crisis funding; determine eligibility against criteria set by the Council; issue support where an application is successful in a form agreed by the Council; communicate with unsuccessful applications; and, in all cases, offer signposting and additional support information.
Issue support to individuals specifically pre-identified by the Council as in need of support, without the need for an eligibility check.
Implement an appropriate level-1 complaints procedure.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
It is well understood that the availability of emergency welfare funds, designed to support low-income households with urgent and unforeseen needs, can help prevent immediate crisis turning into long-term deprivation.
Unlike the majority of upper tier authorities, Oxfordshire County Council (“the Council”) currently has no business-as-usual crisis fund.
While specific funding is available in some local areas (for example from Town and Parish Councils) and for specific groups, there is no equivalent fund open to all eligible residents across the County. This leaves a gap for ‘last-resort’ support in the Oxfordshire system.
The Government has increasingly adopted an expectation that local delivery capacity for emergency scheme exists and that this can address gaps in national welfare provision. Further, the Government assumes that this infrastructure is in place and can be used to spend new funding streams at short notice.
Following the administration of a series of short-term interventions through the COVID-19 and subsequent cost-of-living crisis, the Council has now identified a business case for implanting a new scheme and a revenue budget has been agreed for 2023/24-2025/26 inclusive.
The Council wishes to procure the capacity to deliver and provide for a new Oxfordshire Crisis Fund that will:
Receive applications and / or referrals for crisis funding; determine eligibility against criteria set by the Council; issue support where an application is successful in a form agreed by the Council; communicate with unsuccessful applications; and, in all cases, offer signposting and additional support information.
Issue support to individuals specifically pre-identified by the Council as in need of support, without the need for an eligibility check.
Implement an appropriate level-1 complaints procedure.
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 April 2023
End date
31 March 2025
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Potential of 2 years on aggregate.
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
Accelerated procedure
Justification:
Restricted as this relates to social and health related services.
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
20 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
Oxfordshire County Council
Oxford
Country
United Kingdom