Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Fife Council
Fife House, North Street
Glenrothes
KY7 5LT
UK
Contact person: Pasha Keir
Telephone: +44 3451555555
E-mail: Pasha.Keir@fife.gov.uk
NUTS: UKM72
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.fife.gov.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00187
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
I.5) Main activity
Social protection
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Re-opening of the Flexible Framework for the Provision of Care at Home for Adults and Older People
Reference number: SC0005/1
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The Fife Health and Social Care Partnership (“the Partnership”/H&SCP) requires to commission a Care at Home Service from a variety of external care providers. Fife’s Health and Social Care Partnership is committed to personalisation and outcome-based services for individuals of all ages and abilities and is seeking to appoint a range of partner organisations to deliver outcome focused support to young people, adults and older people with a range of identified support needs throughout Fife, under a flexible Framework agreement.
This Framework commenced on 1st June 2023, and is being re-opened to allow new Care at Home Providers to bid for a place on the Framework.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
17 905 031.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
85300000
85310000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKM72
Main site or place of performance:
Fife
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Fife Health and Social Care Partnership (“the Partnership”/H&SCP) requires to commission a Care at Home Service from a variety of external care providers. Fife’s Health and Social Care Partnership is committed to personalisation and outcome-based services for individuals of all ages and abilities and is seeking to appoint a range of partner organisations to deliver outcome focused support to young people, adults and older people with a range of identified support needs throughout Fife, under a flexible Framework agreement.
Any partner organisations must be able to demonstrate experience and commitment to innovatively work with individuals within existing self-directed support policies and approaches. They must also evidence strong skills in working with families of individuals.
Objectives for the Framework are to ensure that individuals have access to support that aspires to the highest level of quality and promotes the right of each individual to direct their own support. Key elements of success from desirable organisations include robust evidence of promoting and delivering:
- personal preferences
- fluctuating levels of required support
- an organic service to reflect individual’s achievement of outcomes
-continuity and consistency in provision of individual outcome focussed support
- creative approaches that ensure outcomes are
developed which promote ordinary lives
- innovative combinations of natural, paid and
technological support
- support that enables and supports approaches to risk
The Provider will provide practical and personal care over 24 hours a day and 365 days a year to the Supported Person living in their own home and will be in line with the service aims and objectives specified within this document.
The purpose of the Service Specification is to set out the minimum standards required to ensure that a consistent quality of service is provided to all Supported Persons who are assessed by the Partnership as requiring a Care at Home Service.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
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 contract will be for the period of 3 years from 01/06/2023 with the option to extend for up to 12 months if required. It is estimated that Providers awarded a place on the framework at this re-opening will join the Framework from 01/03/2024.
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:
Fife Council may require additional purchases under this contract which have not been specifically detailed in the "specification" however any additional purchases will be in full accordance with the requirements of Regulation 72 of the Public Contract (Scotland) Regulations 2015.
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
This Framework will be a flexible Framework which re-opens at regular periods throughout the lifetime of the Contract. This is th first re-opening period.
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:
Providers are required to hold the relevant registration to provide the services detailed in the Service Specification.
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.2) Conditions related to 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 several operators.
Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement: 100
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2022/S 000-032387
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
19/01/2024
Local time: 17:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
19/01/2024
Local time: 17:00
Place:
Fife House, Glenrothes or staff home address if working from home.
Information about authorised persons and opening procedure:
Pasha Keir, Niki Hutchison and/or Katy Hope.
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published:
There will be an ongoing requirement for external Care at Home Services, it is envisaged that the next time this will go out to full open tender will be 3 years (or 4 years with extension) after Contract award date. As this is a flexible framework this Contract will be re-opened at regular intervals throughout the Contract lifetime to allow new Care Providers to submit a bid to join the Framework.
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
Tenderers should note that to improve the Tender completion and evaluation processes, the Tender Document (TN2) has been changed aesthetically, however the content is still the same, as the information that was originally requested in the appendices have been reviewed and now sits either within the body of the tender (quality questions) or the T&Cs.
Providers already awarded a place on the Care at Home Framework (SC0005) are NOT required to re-submit a Tender.
Please note this requirement is NOT for Supported Living, this has been advertised under a separate Contract Notice (SC0026)
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=751706.
The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.
Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.
The Contracting Authority does not intend to include a sub-contract clause as part of community benefits (as per Section 25 of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014) in this contract for the following reason:
Sub-Contracting is not permitted.
The Contracting Authority does not intend to include any community benefit requirements in this contract for the following reason:
Community Benefits have not previously been sought for these services (apart from recent mini competitions which have been held for supported Living requirements) as to date they have been deemed to be delivering a Community Benefit in themselves: The previous PSR states “by their nature the services provided under this Contract continually benefit members of the community. In addition, many of the providers in the market are local companies employing local carers.”
Community Benefits have been considered for this procurement but have not been deemed as appropriate therefore will not be requested for the following reasons:
Community benefits are often encouraged to be around generating employment and training opportunities however it is well documented that the Care Sector is experiencing issues in recruiting and retaining staff and it is felt that this would add additional pressures.
Traditionally, wider communities offer support to Care Providers in the form of volunteers, fundraising etc. which is the opposite to Care Providers offering additional benefits to the community.
It is felt that asking for other community benefits would place a disproportionate burden on the Providers at a time when they are already dealing with the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, EU Exit and the Cost-of-Living Crisis. A recent article published on the Scottish Care website The straw that breaks the back of care outlines the current challenges that Care Homes are experiencing with many unsure how they will be able to continue to operate with the crippling rising costs.
For the reasons above and the fact that the pricing is fixed for this Contract rebates will not be sought.
(SC Ref:751706)
Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=751706
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court
Kirkcaldy
KY1 1XQ
UK
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
Economic operators should approach the contracting authority in the first instance. However, the only formal remedy is to apply to the courts:
An economic operator that suffers, or is at risk of suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 or the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or the Court of Session.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
15/12/2023