Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Welsh Government
Corporate Procurement Services, Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
UK
Telephone: +44 3000257095
E-mail: cpsprocurementadvice@gov.wales
NUTS: UKL
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://gov.wales
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA0007
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk/web/
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk/web/
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at:
https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk/
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Discretionary Assistance Fund Framework Agreement
Reference number: C317/2021/2022
II.1.2) Main CPV code
75110000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The UK Government’s Welfare Reform Act 2012 abolished the discretionary Social Fund, which was administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and replaced parts of it (crisis loans and community care grants) with new locally based provision. From April 2013 funding for the Social Fund was devolved to the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government and to local authorities in England. The Discretionary Assistance Fund was established and has operated as the replacement scheme in Wales since 2013.
The fund comprises two distinct elements:
- Emergency Assistance Payments (EAP) – which provide assistance with an emergency or disaster situation when there is an immediate threat to health and well being; and
- Individual Assistance Payments (IAP) – which are in place to meet an urgent identified need necessary to enable or support independent living thereby preventing the need for institutional care. Eligibility for an IAP is based upon an applicant being entitled to and in receipt of income related benefits. All IAP applications are required to be supported by a Partner from an established Partner Network comprising support and advice organisations across Wales.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
30 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
75112000
79512000
72262000
72263000
75131000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKL
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The key aim of the Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF) is to offer payments or in kind support to enable or maintain independent living and to provide urgent assistance to people where there is an identified need to safeguard health and well being. These payments are made available to people who have no other means of meeting the immediate cost of living and are not intended to meet the cost of ongoing expenses. As such, payments from this fund are not repayable. The aim of this contract is to ensure the fund is delivered to the most financially vulnerable people in Wales. The successful Bidder will be responsible for all aspects of the management, implementation, administration and monitoring of the DAF grant scheme.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
30 000 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 36
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
The framework includes the option to extend for 1 year. The Client will have the option to award an up to 3-year term call off contract during the final year of the Framework Agreement.
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
Additional call off contracts may be required during the Framework Agreement duration for contracts that may be required as a result of any change in Ministerial priorities in response to emerging policy changes, for example having to respond to possible unprecedented emergency situations, i.e Welsh Government response to flooding or other such emergencies.
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
The value is GBP6m to GBP15m for the initial 3 years. 6m reflects historical spend prior to the covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis. Spend during 2018-2021 is GBP3.5m per annum the value may be less at circa GBP2m per annum. The 15m value reflects changes to Ministerial priorities in response to unknown priorities. The max value over the lifetime of the framework/ contract is GBP30m.
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:
As stated in the tender documents.
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.2) Contract performance conditions
As stated in the tender documents.
III.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement with a single operator.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
12/09/2022
Local time: 14:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
CY
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
12/09/2022
Local time: 14:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published:
3 or 6 years
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
VI.3) Additional information
E-Tender Information:
https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk
- The first person from your Organisation to use the Platform will be required to register on behalf of the Organisation.
- Registration involves accepting a User Agreement, and providing basic information about your Organisation and about the User performing the Registration.
- The User who performs the Registration becomes the Super User for the Organisation.
- On registering on the Platform the Super User will select a Username and will receive a password.
- The Password will be sent by e-mail to the email address that was specified in the User Details section of the Registration page.
- In order to log-in to the Platform please enter your Username and Password.
- Note: If you forget your Password then visit the homepage and click “Forgot your password?”
- Registration should only be performed once for each Organisation.
- If you think that someone in your Organisation may have already registered on this Platform then you must not register again.
- Please contact the person who Registered (i.e. the Super User) in order to arrange access to the Platform.
- Contact the Helpdesk immediately if you are unable to contact the Super User (for example if they have left your Organisation).
- Note: If your Organisation is already registered on the Platform then you must not make any additional registration. Please contact the Helpdesk to gain access to the Platform.
- Tenders must be uploaded to the BravoSolution portal by 2pm
How To Find The ITT:
- Once logged in you must click on ‘ITT’s Open to all Suppliers’
- The e-tender references for this contract are: project_50283, itt_94605.
- Click on the title to access summary details of the contract. If you are still interested in submitting a tender, click the ‘Express an Interest button’. This will move the ITT from the ‘Open to all Suppliers’ area to the ‘My ITT’s’ on the home page.
- You will then see the full details of the ITT in the qualification and technical envelopes along with any relevant documents in the ‘Attachments’ area.
- Should you have any questions on the ITT, please use the ‘Messages’ area to contact the buyer directly – Please do not contact the named person at the top of this notice.
NOTE: The authority is using eTenderwales to carry out this procurement process. To obtain further information record your interest on Sell2Wales at http://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=123067
Under the terms of this contract the successful supplier(s) will be required to deliver Community Benefits in support of the authority’s economic and social objectives. Accordingly, contract performance conditions may relate in particular to social and environmental considerations. The Community Benefits included in this contract are:
Community benefits will be non core
(WA Ref:123067)
The buyer considers that this contract is suitable for consortia.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
High Court
Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
UK
Telephone: +44 2079477501
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
21/07/2022