Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
London Borough of Enfield
Civic Centre
Enfield
EN1 3ES
Contact
Procurement Services
procurement.support@enfield.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 2045342695
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
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
Young Persons Supported Living / Accommodation Pathway Service
Reference number
DN708441
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
***Note, this is a Contract Award Notice further to the publication of a previous voluntary ex ante transparency notice (VEAT), notice reference: 2024/S 000-040833 (as referred to below in this award notice)***
Contract award for the provision of an accommodation-based support service exclusively for vulnerable Enfield Young People of 18-24 years old. The service provides various levels of support depending on the Young Person’s needs. Supporting them into Education, Employment or Training and providing life skills for them to enable the Young Person to move on into an independent lifestyle.
In the current pathway, all of the remaining properties are owned by the existing provider (Christian Action (Enfield) Housing Association Ltd) apart from one other location. Furthermore, the provider does not want to dispose of or sublet their properties to another supported living provider. Some of the units have covenants upon them which means they can only be occupied by individuals requiring on-site support.
The pathway utilises the best units currently available to the provider. By having schemes of 14+ units, it maximises support resources available. The proposed pathway under the proposed and awarded contract will yield savings against the current contract.
To ensure that the contracting authority continue to benefit from the accommodation, a direct award for a newly remodelled contract has been put in place as there is no reasonable alternative or substitute that exists to deliver the volume, quality and suitability of schemes within Enfield, in the current accommodation marketplace; even after reducing the number of units in the pathway.
The awarded contract is for an initial term of three (3) years with an option to extend for a further period of two (2 years), thus giving a total contract length of up to five (5) years.
As previously noted (in the VEAT Notice), the service advertised in this notice falls under the services listed in Chapter 3 and Schedule 3 (Social and other specific services) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
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: £3,455,949
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI54 - Enfield
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
London Borough of Enfield
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The awarded contract is for an initial term of three (3) years with an option to extend for a further period of two (2 years), thus giving a total contract length of up to five (5) years.
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
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
- protection of exclusive rights, including intellectual property rights
Explanation:
As set out in the contracting authority's voluntary ex ante transparency (VEAT) notice, notice reference: 2024/S 000-040833 on 18 December 2024, the key reasoning and justification are:
Firstly, the existing provider’s exclusive ownership and possession of properties used for the service provision and the need to avoid disruption for the residents. This decision to directly award the proposed contract would ensure the continuation of 94 units of purpose-built accommodation for vulnerable Young People (that we may lose if going out to tender). The housing market is very limited in Enfield and the loss of these units would put further pressure on the market and risk significant disruption for the vulnerable Young People currently accessing the service.
Secondly, the absence of competition for technical reasons as there are no other providers that could secure the amount and quality of supported accommodation within a reasonable timeframe. Without the concentration of units currently achieved through the arrangements with Christian Action (Enfield) Housing Association Ltd (which owns the units) the service to vulnerable young people would be fragmented and would lead to either a reduction in support hours per person or an increase in costs, to accommodate staff travel time between sites.
And thirdly, there is the prevention of vulnerable Young People potentially becoming homeless as the contracting authority would be securing a pathway for the future.
Note, the contracting authority observed a 10-day standstill period, commencing the day after the publication of the VEAT Notice and this standstill period ended 30 December 2024.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2024/S 000-040833
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
DN708441
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
1 May 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Christian Action (Enfield) Housing Association Ltd
Benedict House, 61 Island Centre Way
Enfield
EN3 6GS
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £3,455,949
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court of England and Wales
The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The contracting authority incorporated a minimum 10 calendar days (when using electronic means) standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract was communicated to the tenderer and published a voluntary ex ante transparency (VEAT) notice, notice reference: 2024/S 000-040833. This period allowed economic operators to challenge the decision to award the contract before a contract is executed/signed (as appropriate).
The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (‘Regulations’) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Any such action must be brought promptly and within the time limits as defined in the above regulations. Where a contract has not been entered into the court may order the setting aside of the award decision or order the contracting authority to amend any document and may award damages. If the contract has been entered into the court has the options to award damages and/or to shorten or order the contract ineffective.