Scope
Reference
AS24582
Description
Domestic abuse has significant and devastating impacts on the health and wellbeing of victims, survivors and their families. It is a widespread crime that includes violence, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse, psychological or emotional abuse. It is estimated that in the last year, more than 52,000 people over the age of 16 and 43,000 children and young people were subjected to domestic abuse in Hampshire.
Hampshire County Council commissions specialist domestic abuse services in line with its duties under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. Under the Act, the Council must ensure that specialist domestic abuse support is available to victims and survivors of domestic abuse and their children in safe accommodation. Safe accommodation is a term that is used to cover:
- refuges - single sex accommodation, generally women-only which is usually shared accommodation in a single premises;
- sanctuary schemes - enhanced security measures to enable victims and survivors of abuse to remain safely in their own homes; and
- dispersed accommodation - self-contained accommodation which is accessible to a more diverse population than refuges.
The contract start date includes a mobilisation period from the 1st August 2025 until the 31st March 2026 with an Operational Service Commencement date of the 1st April 2026.
The potential maximum value for the contract is given in section 1.1 of this ITT. The initial funding for the 3 lots for the full term including extensions is:
- Lot 1 - £12,670,000
- Lot 2 - £14,700,000
- Lot 3 - £1,365,000
The Authority may receive additional funding relating to Domestic Abuse Services, throughout the life of the contract, and will be seeking to use any additional funding with the contracted service providers.
The Authority also requires the successful provider/s to proactively seek additional funding opportunities that can also be used to enhance the service. Sources for additional funding include but are not limited to:
- Home Office
- Central Government
- Local Government (e.g. Children's Services etc.)
- Clinical Commissioning Groups
- Ministry of Justice
- Ministry of Housing
- NHS
- Office of Police & Crime Commissioner
- Hampshire Constabulary
In recognition of the opportunity for additional funding throughout the life of the contract, the advertised value of this contract is over and above the contract values stated in 1.1. This is to allow the Authority to add additional Domestic Abuse related services with the contracted provider/s resulting from these funding opportunities.
TUPE may apply to these services. Suppliers should see the additional details regarding TUPE in Annex 6 and ensure they comply with the instructions in that document to ensure that they submit a valid tender.
- Lot 1 is an accommodation based lot. Where landlords have indicated to the Council that they are willing to make properties available to the successful tenderer, tenderers can contact the Council via the correspondence function of intend and the Council will share this information.
Total value (estimated)
- £36,000,000 excluding VAT
- £36,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 August 2025 to 30 March 2029
- Possible extension to 31 March 2033
- 7 years, 8 months
Description of possible extension:
The contract has a 4 year (48 months) extension period which can be taken up in any duration/format as decided by the Council, up to a maximum of 4 years.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
Contract locations
- UKJ3 - Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Lot 1. Domestic Abuse Support in Safe Accommodation Services
Description
Summary of the Safe Accommodation Service Model
The Safe Accommodation Service will:
- Support Hampshire County Council to meet the Part 4 statutory duty, as defined in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
- Provide inclusive, quality, affordable and appropriate safe accommodation support to all victims of domestic abuse, including their children, irrespective of the needs and backgrounds.
- Build on current levels of safe accommodation across refuge and dispersed safe accommodation and provide specialist domestic abuse and other bespoke support that meets statutory guidance and enables victims/survivors to move forward with their recovery.
- Provide continuity of the sanctuary scheme to allow victims/survivors to remain safely in their home, through the provision of home security measures and specialist domestic abuse support.
- Provide bespoke and trauma-informed support for children and young people in safe accommodation services, to reduce the impact of domestic abuse.
- Improve outcomes for victims/survivors, their children and families affected by domestic abuse.
- Maintain and develop elements of the Whole Housing Approach - building on current provision of specialist domestic abuse support within district/borough housing teams and Flexible Funding.
- Work collaboratively to continuously evolve and improve the offer of safe accommodation across the lifetime of the contract to develop the type and accessibility of support and accommodation options to meet the diverse needs of victims/survivors.
- Develop and embed referral pathways to enable victims/survivors to access safe accommodation and advice, guidance and support, with a focus on the needs of Hampshire residents.
The Safe Accommodation Service will include:
- Refuge Accommodation
- Dispersed Safe Accommodation
- Sanctuary Scheme
- Specialist Domestic Abuse Housing Advocates embedded in local authority housing and homelessness services
- Flexible Funding
There are staggered start dates for different elements of the Safe Accommodation Service as defined below:
- Refuge Accommodation and Sanctuary Scheme will commence on 1st April 2026.
- Dispersed Safe Accommodation will commence on 9th October 2026
- The Specialist Domestic Abuse Advocates and Flexible Funding will commence on 1st April 2026, but it must be noted that there is currently bespoke grant funding in place which is staggered differently across the Tier 2 local authorities.
Lot value (estimated)
- £15,800,000 excluding VAT
- £15,800,000 including VAT
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. Domestic Abuse Support in Community and Health Settings
Description
This Lot includes the following three key areas of service delivery:
1) Delivery of a single point of contact to victims/survivor's support services, provision of advice and support (including for professionals, family and friends), triage, and management of referrals.
2) Provision of specialist domestic abuse support in community settings to meet the needs of medium and high-risk victims/survivors including children and young people and those with diverse needs and disadvantages; supportive one-to-one and group work; counselling services for child and adult victims/survivors; a transformation element to develop integrated pathways between mental health services and community domestic abuse services.
3) Increase domestic abuse specialist capacity and capability across Acute Hospital, Acute Mental Health Trusts, Community Mental Health settings, and primary care (GP and Community Pharmacy) through workforce development and direct support of victims/survivors who are patients and who are members of the NHS workforce.
Lot value (estimated)
- £18,400,000 excluding VAT
- £18,400,000 including VAT
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 3. Workforce Development and Innovation
Description
This Lot will focus on workforce development, awareness raising, and digital innovation. Comprehensive domestic abuse training will be delivered to multiagency partners and delivery of age-appropriate face to face domestic abuse education to children and young people.
This Lot will also include the delivery of a transformation element to develop 'by and for' specialist services that are led, designed, and delivered by and for the users and communities they aim to serve (for example victims/survivors from ethnic minority backgrounds, deaf and disabled victims/survivors, male victims, and LGBT victims/survivors).
Lot value (estimated)
- £1,800,000 excluding VAT
- £1,800,000 including VAT
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Submission
Enquiry deadline
5 June 2025, 5:00pm
Tender submission deadline
12 June 2025, 2:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
25 July 2025
Award criteria
Lot 1. Domestic Abuse Support in Safe Accommodation Services
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality criterion 5 | Staffing and Recruitment |
Quality | 12.00% |
| Quality criterion 6 | Service Delivery - Properties |
Quality | 12.00% |
| Quality criterion 7 | Service Delivery - Support Within Refuge and Dispersed Accommodation |
Quality | 12.00% |
| Quality criterion 8 | Service Delivery - Domestic Abuse and Housing Advocacy and Flexible Funding |
Quality | 12.00% |
| Quality criterion 9 | Service Delivery - Sanctuary Scheme |
Quality | 12.00% |
| Quality criterion 10 | Service Delivery - Case Study |
Quality | 10.00% |
| Quality criterion 1 | Overarching Question - Safeguarding |
Quality | 7.50% |
| Quality criterion 2 | Overarching Question - Trauma Informed Approach |
Quality | 7.50% |
| Quality criterion 3 | Overarching Question - Authentic Voice |
Quality | 7.50% |
| Quality criterion 4 | Overarching Question - Domestic Abuse Related Deaths and Serious Incidents |
Quality | 7.50% |
Lot 2. Domestic Abuse Support in Community and Health Settings
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality criterion 5 | Staff Structure and Training |
Quality | 10.00% |
| Quality criterion 6 | Single Point of Access and Referral Pathways |
Quality | 10.00% |
| Quality criterion 7 | Service Delivery - Community Services |
Quality | 10.00% |
| Quality criterion 8 | Service Delivery - Health Settings |
Quality | 10.00% |
| Quality criterion 9 | Service Delivery - Counselling |
Quality | 10.00% |
| Quality criterion 10 | Service Delivery - CAPVA (child and adolescent against parent violence and abuse) and Young People in Abusive Relationships |
Quality | 10.00% |
| Quality criterion 11 | Service Delivery - Case Study |
Quality | 10.00% |
| Quality criterion 1 | Overarching Question - Safeguarding |
Quality | 7.50% |
| Quality criterion 2 | Overarching Question - Trauma Informed Approach |
Quality | 7.50% |
| Quality criterion 3 | Overarching Question - Authentic Voice |
Quality | 7.50% |
| Quality criterion 4 | Overarching Question - Domestic Abuse Related Deaths and Serious Incidents |
Quality | 7.50% |
Lot 3. Workforce Development and Innovation
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality criterion 5 | Service Delivery - Workforce Development and Training |
Quality | 17.50% |
| Quality criterion 6 | Service Delivery - Development of the capacity and capability of community and 'by and for' services to support victims/survivors of domestic abuse |
Quality | 17.50% |
| Quality criterion 7 | Service Delivery - Prevention and early interventions with 11-25-year-old students in education settings |
Quality | 17.50% |
| Quality criterion 8 | Service Delivery - Domestic Abuse Champions in commercial, statutory, voluntary and faith sector organisations |
Quality | 17.50% |
| Quality criterion 1 | Overarching Question - Safeguarding |
Quality | 7.50% |
| Quality criterion 2 | Overarching Question - Trauma Informed Approach |
Quality | 7.50% |
| Quality criterion 3 | Overarching Question - Authentic Voice |
Quality | 7.50% |
| Quality criterion 4 | Overarching Question - Domestic Abuse Related Deaths and Serious Incidents |
Quality | 7.50% |
Other information
Payment terms
The following payment terms apply to the contract:
- The Provider shall invoice the Council for payment of the Agreement Price at the time the charges are expressed to be payable in accordance with Schedule 3 (Payment and Invoicing).
- The Council shall make payment of the Agreement Price within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of a valid invoice submitted in accordance with Schedule 3 (Payment and Invoicing).
- Invoices which do not meet the requirements of Schedule 3 (Payment and Invoicing) will not be settled until receipt of an accurate invoice. The Council reserves the right to return an invoice that does meet the requirements of Schedule 3 (Payment and Invoicing).
Description of risks to contract performance
Devolution/LGR
The government wants all remaining two-tier areas in England to be eventually restructured into single-tier unitary authorities and is termed Local Government Reform (LGR). This reorganisation is part of a broader devolution strategy to simplify local government structures, save public funds, and improve local accountability. LGR will impact the County of Hampshire as it currently operates a two-tier Local Government structure.
It is anticipated, that during the life of these contracts, the LGR process will commence and/or progress potentially impacting these contracts. Impacts may include, but are not limited to, modifications such as a novation of the legal entity you currently contract with, significant increases and/or decreases in the volume of services required due to the change in size of the Contracting Authority.
The scale and exact timing of the changes are unknown at this point, but it is known that LGR will impact the County of Hampshire. All suppliers who work with the Authority need to be aware and where possible, adapt to any changes/modifications as required to ensure smooth transition and continuity of services.
Uncertainty relating to the OPCC's contribution to Lot 2 & 3 services.
Uncertainty around the Ministry of Justice grant which the OPCC would receive which would Impact on their financial contribution to the services within Lots 2 & 3.
Budget
The budget envelope for this contract is subject to the Public Health grant which may increase or decrease in future years. Additionally, new streams of funding for work directly related to Domestic Abuse could vary the scope of work in this contract and the corresponding budget.
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Justification for not publishing a preliminary market engagement notice
In the summer of 2024, a preliminary desktop market research exercise was conducted to aid in the development of the options analysis for the procurement lotting strategy. This strategy was further refined with extensive feedback throughout the project.
Additionally, before the Procurement Act 23 in the fourth quarter of 2024/25, further market engagement was carried out. This included publishing a PIN and a supplementary soft market test questionnaire in February 2025, followed by a virtual market engagement event with providers on March 3, 2025.
A notice was published on FTS and can be accessed using the following link:
Contracting authorities
Hampshire County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PBHM-7586-PWLP
High St, The Castle
Winchester
SO23 8UJ
United Kingdom
Email: strategic.procurement@hants.gov.uk
Website: https://www.hants.gov.uk
Region: UKJ36 - Central Hampshire
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PLXB-4443-CDBL
The long Barn
Eastleigh
PO17 5BN
United Kingdom
Region: UKJ35 - South Hampshire
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government