Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Sandwell Childrens Trust
The Wellman Building, Dudley Road
Oldbury
B69 3DL
Contact
Neil Whitehouse
neil_whitehouse@sandwell.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKG37 - Sandwell
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
Recruitment and Management of Children’s Agency Social Workers
Reference number
SMBC 23010
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79600000 - Recruitment services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
A key priority of the Trust’s workforce strategy is to stabilise the workforce and build sustainable capacity for the future. A critical part of this is the Trust’s ability to utilise Children’s Agency Social Workers in an efficient and effective manner to meet any shortfalls in permanent staffing, and to deal with specific peaks in caseloads. The recruitment of children social workers is constantly challenging, with a shortage of sufficiently experienced candidates, a limited pipeline into the sector and it operates in a crowded geographical area. Within this it is acknowledged that agency workers play a critical part of the social care workforce to enable it to ‘flex’ to meet changing priorities and to fill resourcing gaps. In December 2019, the Trust applied the two-year extension option within the Agreement. Following a procurement process in 2021, an 18-month contract was awarded which expires at 31 May 2023.
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: £21,250,000
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79600000 - Recruitment services
- 85310000 - Social work services
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKG37 - Sandwell
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Please refer to ITT Documents
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 60
Price - Weighting: 40
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
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2023/S 000-002953
Section five. Award of contract
Title
Recruitment and Management of Children’s Agency Social Workers
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
15 May 2023
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 6
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 6
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: 6
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
HCL Workforce Solutions Ltd
33 Soho Square
London
W1D 3QU
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKI32 - Westminster
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £12,000,000
Total value of the contract/lot: £12,000,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The High Court of England
Royal Court of Justice the Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom