Contract

KMCAS-144 Independent Domestic Abuse Advocates

  • Kirklees Council

F20: Modification notice

Notice identifier: 2022/S 000-005679

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-031cc8

Published 2 March 2022, 11:04am



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Kirklees Council

High Street

HUDDERSFIELD

HD1 2EY

Contact

Chani Mortimer

Email

chani.mortimer@kirklees.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 1484221000

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKE44 - Calderdale and Kirklees

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.kirklees.gov.uk

Buyer's address

https://yortender.eu-supply.com


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

KMCAS-144 Independent Domestic Abuse Advocates

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 85000000 - Health and social work services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKE44 - Calderdale and Kirklees
Main site or place of performance

The Borough of Kirklees.

two.2.4) Description of the procurement at the time of conclusion of the contract:

The service is to enable victims of domestic abuse to be able to access community based services through the provision of Independent Domestic Abuse Advocates (IDAA). The IDAA service will coordinate services to address the safety of those considered to be most at risk and work within a multi-agency framework to improve the safety and wellbeing of victims of domestic abuse and their children. Serving as a victim's primary point of contact, the IDAAs will work with their clients from the point of crisis to assess the level of risk; liaise with key partners to develop a range of suitable options; coordinate and implement plans to address immediate safety; and put clients on the path to long term safety and improved wellbeing. Although the service will not work directly with children under the age of 16, it will make referrals to safeguard children at risk of harm.

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

Duration in months

36

In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 4 years

Initial contract period 12 months with the provision to extend for up to two further periods of 12 months.


Section four. Procedure

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.1) Contract award notice concerning this contract

Notice number: 2020/S 194-470592


Section five. Award of contract/concession

Contract No

KMCAS-144

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract/concession award decision:

10 February 2020

five.2.2) Information about tenders

The contract/concession has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership

Unit S11/12 Brooks Mill, Armitage Bridge

Huddersfield

HD4 7NR

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKE44 - Calderdale and Kirklees
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

Yes

five.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (at the time of conclusion of the contract;excluding VAT)

Total value of the procurement: £540,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

High Court of England and Wales

N/A

Country

United Kingdom


Section seven: Modifications to the contract/concession

seven.1) Description of the procurement after the modifications

seven.1.1) Main CPV code

  • 85000000 - Health and social work services

seven.1.3) Place of performance

NUTS code
  • UKE44 - Calderdale and Kirklees

seven.1.4) Description of the procurement:

The service is to enable victims of domestic abuse to be able to access community based services through the provision of Independent Domestic Abuse Advocates (IDAA). The IDAA service will co-ordinate services to address the safety of those considered to be most at risk and work within a multi-agency framework to improve the safety and wellbeing of victims of domestic abuse and their children. Serving as a victim's primary point of contact, the IDAAs will work with their clients from the point of crisis to assess the level of risk; liaise with key partners to develop a range of suitable options; coordinate and implement plans to address immediate safety; and put clients on the path to long term safety and improved wellbeing. Although the service will not work directly with children under the age of 16, it will make referrals to safeguard children at risk of harm.

seven.1.5) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession

Duration in months

36

seven.1.6) Information on value of the contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot/concession:

£778,424

seven.1.7) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

Pennine Domestic Abuse Partnership

Huddersfield

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKE44 - Calderdale and Kirklees
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

Yes

seven.2) Information about modifications

seven.2.1) Description of the modifications

Nature and extent of the modifications (with indication of possible earlier changes to the contract):

To recruit an additional IDAA to be linked to the mental health service. This post is required to respond to the increase in the proportion of domestic abuse victims with significant mental health issues, which may be linked to a broader deterioration in mental health due to Covid-19.

The contract will be varied to allow for a specialist to be recruited to link in mental health services, to respond to the increase of domestic abuse referrals with significant mental health problems. This increase is likely to the result of to the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns, which have increased mental health difficulties for significant proportion of the population, and have exacerbated risk for victims of domestic abuse.

A recent needs assessment, undertaken by the Domestic Abuse Strategic Partnership to consider support provided to victims of domestic abuse, and their children, in safe accommodation, identified gaps in provision relating mental health, and increasing numbers of referrals highlighting mental health as a need that the majority of victims in safe accommodation required support with. This is consistent with national research, as highlighted in research coordinated by Safelives: over 70% of victims reported clinical levels of psychological distress, with their mean score almost four times that of the general population. More more than three quarters (77%) of victims had been suffering post-traumatic stress disorder in addition to high levels of depression and anxiety - of which the severity was positively correlated to the severity of abuse experienced. This highlights a strong bi-directional relationship between abuse and mental health issues and a need for interventions to address both abusive relationships and mental health issues together, suggesting a need for interventions that target the trauma of domestic abuse, available in health services, and for health care professionals to identify mental health difficulties or PTSD symptoms as potential indicators of domestic abuse.

It has been agreed that the provider will therefore recruit 1 x additional IDAA with a specialism around mental health. The Council will fund this additional post for a 12 month period to correlate with the broader IDAA contract, which will need to be recommissioned in 2023.

Previously the contract was varied for:

Variation no. 1 - for the Domestic Abuse IDAA Car Project at a cost of £24k per annum which covered the overtime hours of an Independent Domestic Abuse Advisor (IDAA) or Domestic Abuse Support Worker (DASW) to work alongside Police Officers to offer a dedicated response to victims of domestic abuse during peak times i.e. Friday and Saturday evenings 1600 to 1200 hours.

Variation no. 2 - for additional staffing x 2 IDAAs; one with a specialism around sexual violence and the other with a specialism around working with BAME victims, following a substantial and continual increase in referrals of high risk victims, in particular, the number of cases where sexual violence is part of the domestic abuse and the number of BAME victims seeking help.

Expected outcomes for the car project, staffing and specialist role: Reduction in the repeat incidents of domestic abuse and repeat victimisation rate, reduced attrition and improved victim engagement with specialist services'.

All variations will now form part of the original contract.

seven.2.2) Reasons for modification

Need for modification brought about by circumstances which a diligent contracting authority/entity could not foresee.

Description of the circumstances which rendered the modification necessary and explanation of the unforeseen nature of these circumstances:

This modification has been brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact this has had on all businesses and the economy as a whole. The modification allows for additional staff to be recruited in order to respond to a significant increase in domestic abuse referrals which have occurred due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the unique circumstances and heightened risk created by lockdown for victims of domestic abuse. It also includes a previous variation for the Domestic Abuse IDAA Car which covered the overtime hours of an Independent Domestic Abuse Advisor (IDAA) or Domestic Abuse Support Worker (DASW) to work alongside Police Officers to offer a dedicated response to victims of domestic abuse during peak times to reduce repeat incidents. The modification does not exceed 50 % of the value of the original contract. The modification is considered by the contracting authority to not be substantial and therefore to be within the exception set out in Regulation 72(1)(e).

seven.2.3) Increase in price

Updated total contract value before the modifications (taking into account possible earlier contract modifications, price adaptions and average inflation)

Value excluding VAT: £540,000

Total contract value after the modifications

Value excluding VAT: £778,424