Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Essex County Council
County Hall, Market Road
Chelmsford
CM1 1QH
Contact
Ms Rachel Horne
Telephone
+44 3330322307
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH3 - Essex
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
Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Support
Reference number
DN729186
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Essex County Council ("the Council") conducted a procurement to commission a new Voluntary and Community Support service as part of a wider offer to strengthen and champion a thriving and influential voluntary and community sector within the administrative boundaries of Essex (excluding the unitary authorities areas of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea). In addition, this service will also be open to the following classification of users: NHS Healthcare (Integrated Care Systems) both within the administrative boundaries of Essex and cross-boundary organisations.
This procurement encompassed the following lots:
Lot One: Universal Standard Support Offer
Lot Two: Community Participation
The commencement date for both lots is 1st December 2024 until 31st March 2031 with a break clause at 31st March 2028. Please note that the maximum duration amounts to 75 months and 30 days. However, due to the constraints with the fields in this notice, this position has been rounded up to the nearest month. The stated budget for this service is based on £75,000 for the initial four (4) months per lot and £75,000 p.a. for each subsequent year of the contracts per lot. In addition, the Council understands that there may be scope for additional funding of up to 15% although this remains subject to confirmation during the post-tender phase of the project. In addition, please note that the total value of the procurement in section II.1.7 of this notice reflects the cumulative value of the contract award for both lots excluding any additional funding.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £1,041,352
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Universal Standard Support Offer (USSO)
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 98133100 - Civic betterment and community facility support services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The scope of this lot was designed to secure provider(s) to develop and maintain a Universal Standard Support Offer (USSO) to the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) in Essex. This service is designed to allow users to self-assess and directs them to relevant, up to date and accessible business and compliance advice.
The overarching purpose of this lot is to provide equity in access to quality, practical guidance to ensure organisations have the strong foundations needed to support them to achieve their goals, plan for development, become more resilient, build capacity and contribute to flourishing communities.
The successful bidder must ensure that the service delivers the following commissioning requirements:
• Ensure the USSO is hosted as a digital platform
• Allow users the ability to complete self-assessments of their organisational health
• Automatically direct users to high-quality and relevant information, advice, guidance and resources based on the outcome of their self-assessment regarding business development and compliance (e.g. governance procedures, safeguarding, policy templates, legal updates, training).
• Be easily accessible to all VCS organisations regardless of size, skill or accessibility needs.
• Allow users to intelligently browse the resources within the USSO
Please note that the above information is intended to provide an overview of the Council's commissioning requirements for this service and full details of the scope of this provision were published in the associated service specification via the Council’s e-tendering portal, ProContract.
The proposed contract commencement date is 1st December 2024 until 31st March 2031 with a break clause at 31st March 2028. The stated budget for this lot is based on £75,000 for the initial four (4) month term followed by £75,000 p.a. for each subsequent year of the contract. In addition, the Council understands that there may be scope for additional funding of up to 15%, although this matter remains subject to final confirmation.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 60
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Price - Weighting: 30
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
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Community Participation
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 98133100 - Civic betterment and community facility support services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This lot was designed to enable the Council to commission provider(s) to deliver a strategic approach to building Community Participation across Essex.
The successful provider for this lot will be required to support the development of a broad approach to community participation, developing a culture of active and engaged communities that can be driven forward and supported by place-based resources. Leading the development of an eco-system that enables and grows community participation within the boundaries of Essex County Council (excluding Southend and Thurrock).
• Lead the creation of an ecosystem that facilitates community participation
• Support and develop a positive environment in which the value of participation is recognised and community activity is flourishing
• Embrace digital technology to connect local efforts into an integrated whole
• Advocate for accessible participation, by creating, promoting, and fostering accessible and welcoming pathways into community participation
• Identify and scope opportunities to maximise the potential of corporate volunteering capacity and return on Social Value commitments.
Please note that the above information is intended to provide an overview of the Council's commissioning requirements for this service and full details of the scope of this provision were published in the associated service specification via the Council's e-tendering portal, ProContract.
The proposed contract commencement date is 1st December 2024 until 31st March 2031 with a break clause at 31st March 2028. The stated budget for this lot is based on £75,000 for the initial four (4) month term followed by £75,000 p.a. for each subsequent year of the contract. In addition, the Council understands that there may be scope for additional funding of up to 15%, although this matter remains subject to confirmation during the post-tender phase of the project.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 60
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Price - Weighting: 30
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.1.8) 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: 2024/S 000-023390
Section five. Award of contract
Lot No
1
Title
Universal Standard Support Offer (USSO)
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
7 November 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 2
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: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Maldon and District Community Voluntary Service (MDCVS)
Maldon District Council Offices, Princes Road
Maldon
CM9 5DL
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKH3 - Essex
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £517,015
five.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract is likely to be subcontracted
Value or proportion likely to be subcontracted to third parties
Proportion: 24 %
Short description of the part of the contract to be subcontracted
The sub-contracting arrangements for this service will be delivered by a subject matter expert in the development of online systems and local infrastructure alongside an experienced provider in facilitating recourse to adaptive and flexible information for individuals who are not digitally literate. These provisions are intended to facilitate the delivery of the wider USSO service as per the Council's specified requirements.
Section five. Award of contract
Lot No
2
Title
Community Participation
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
7 November 2024
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 2
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
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: Yes
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
The Active Wellbeing Society Limited
Manor House, Hay Hall Business Park, Redfern Road, Tyseley
Birmingham
B11 2BE
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKG31 - Birmingham
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
ATF Southend
The Hub 324-326, Chartwell Square, Victoria Plaza
Southend-on-Sea
SS2 5SP
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKH3 - Essex
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £524,337
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
Please note that as per the terms of the contract notice for this procurement, bidders were only permitted to submit a response to one of the specified lots.
In addition, please note that in relation to the contractual award for lot 2: Community Participation, the successful tender was submitted under a collaborative bid with a lead provider, The Active Wellbeing Society Limited which has been awarded the contract to deliver the service in conjunction with ATF Southend under an informal partnership arrangement. Under the terms of this arrangement, The Active Wellbeing Society will be the sole party to the contract with the Council to deliver this service.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The High Court
The Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom