Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Bath and North East Somerset Council
Guildhall, High Street
Bath
BA1 5AW
Contact
Mr Damien Peake
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's 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
Welfare Advice Service
Reference number
DN631495
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Welfare advice services for residents of Bath and North East Somerset.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £1,500,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Welfare Advice Service will cover four main areas of work.
1. Financial Support
As a Unitary Authority the council has responsibility for Local Welfare Provision (LWP) for its residents and this contract will form part of that offer, alongside a LWP service which provides an additional £190K per year in financial support to residents. The LWP service is run by the council’s Welfare Support Team and the £190K budget is controlled by that team. Residents may apply direct for financial support, or through third party support organisations such as Developing Health and Independence/Reach, to access this funding. The provider will provide a key role in mediating with applications to this fund, as well as other funding streams available locally and nationally.
2. Welfare Advice
Residents of Bath and North East Somerset require an advice and information service which is highly accurate, responsive and covers the following areas:
- Energy costs
- Debt
- Welfare benefits and tax credits
- Immigration
- Relationship advice
- Social Care Financial Assessments
- Discrimination advice
3. Specialist Support
Some of our residents require more support than others, particularly where they have complicated problems or lack the skills and abilities to effectively manage their affairs. The provider will need to provide a comprehensive case management service to help with complex cases. This will include the following:
- Welfare benefit, tax credit and Child Maintenance appeals and representation
- Liaising and mediating with the council where there are disputes
- Providing access to legal advice
- Applying for Disability benefits
- Support for completion of Social Care Financial Assessments
- Basic legal advice on rent and tenancy matters.
4. Wellbeing Support
This service is intended to support the statutory services for provision of advice on Housing and Care and Support, and to provide access to welfare funding for residents. The thread linking these elements together is supporting the wellbeing of council residents. This will support the council’s key objective of Improving People’s Lives, and the Focus On Prevention. The provider will undertake action to provide wellbeing advice to residents who have low level mental health problems, with the aim that these cases will not escalate to the extent that they require intervention from specialist council or NHS services. This support will cover the following areas.
- Mental health
- Access to services for disabled people
- Advice on healthy eating
- Access to affordable healthy food
- Access to community inclusion
- Access to education
- Access to employment
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £1,500,000
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.2) Administrative information
four.2.9) Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice
The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 3
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Bath and District Citizens Advice Bureau
Bath
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKK12 - Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,500,000