Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Wolverhampton City Council
Civic Centre, St. Peters Square
WOLVERHAMPTON
WV11RL
UK
Contact person: Adebimpe Winjobi
E-mail: adebimpe.winjobi@wolverhampton.gov.uk
NUTS: UKG39
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.wolverhampton.gov.uk
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
CWC23060 Provision of Community and Voluntary Service
II.1.2) Main CPV code
98000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The community and voluntary service provision will take the lead in working collaboratively with communities and groups across the protected characteristics and equalities to ensure all are supported and represented. The Strategic Lead will proactively engage with organisations and local people in venues across the City and digitally, to identify current and emerging priorities and develop an action plan for key outcomes to be met.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
3 500 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1
II.2.1) Title
Infrastructure Support Service
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
98000000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKG39
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Infrastructure in the Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise Sector (VCSE) - Sustainability, Growth, Partnership & Volunteering.
The provider will establish a clear and robust Governance structure for the sector that is representative and accountable for all. As a representative for communities, organisations and the system the primary role will be to act on behalf, in partnership and collaboratively with community organisations. The strategic lead will co-design and co-produce a range of initiatives that put local people at the heart of the provision, whilst bringing stakeholders and the wider sector on board to respond to needs in our communities. They will also provide organisational support, capacity building and training initiatives that equip local people and primarily small grassroots VCSE organisations with the tools they need to respond to needs in our communities so that they may thrive and grow.
The provider will also be the strategic lead on a Citywide Structured and Supported Volunteering Programme which raises the profile of volunteering in the City, and embeds a City offer that enables local people wishing to volunteer to gain access to face to face and digital resources to easily navigate their way to a suitable role and support organisations to create, develop and grow their own volunteer programmes.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Service Quality and Social Value
/ Weighting: 100
Price
/ Weighting:
0
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
option of up to 2 years contract extension on an annual basis at the sole discretion of the council
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Lot No: 2
II.2.1) Title
Welfare Debt and Financial Support Service
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
98000000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKG39
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Welfare, Debt, Housing and Benefits Advice
The benefits system is complex and can be difficult to understand. Residents need different levels of support to understand what they are entitled to, or to complete forms with full and accurate information. The emphasis for this provider is a proactive and immediate response where required to people in crisis, support to maximise income and resilience, prevention of adverse repercussions, stabilisation and management of life's challenges, progression towards better life chances.
The Provider will take the lead in delivering a suite of community-based services offering advice, information, practical help and support (including initiatives encouraging self-help and resilience building) to some of the City's most vulnerable people in the areas of welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment and welfare advice.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Service Quality and Social Value
/ Weighting: 100
Price
/ Weighting:
0
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
Option to extend for up to 2 years on an annual basis at the sole discretion of the council
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Directive
Explanation
The Council has entered into two contracts for the provision of community and voluntary services each for a period of five years with options exercisable by the Council to extend the contracts by up to a further two years.
The Council published a notice calling for competition on the Contracts Finder website on 12 June 2023 (titled: CWC23060 Provision of Community and Voluntary Service, currently available at the following url: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/0ec788f1-47d9-4627-a536-feb4f432e0d3?origin=SearchResults&p=1) and received tenders from 4 providers.
The Council completed the procurement process and awarded contracts to the economic operators identified in this contract award notice. However, the Council subsequently identified that in error the Council had failed to select the correct settings within the procurement portal to have a contract notice published on the Find a Tender Service website.
The Council considered whether to conclude the procurement processes notwithstanding that accidental omission and concluded that it was rational to do so on the following basis:
1) The Council provided transparency to the supplier market by publishing a notice on the Contracts Finder website. The Council considers that it is likely that suppliers wishing to deliver services in England registered to Find a Tender Service would also register to Contracts Finder and would have identified the existence of the opportunity as a result.
2) The Council received tenders from 4 suppliers and concludes that therefore the Contracts Finder notice was effective in making the opportunity known in the market.
3) The procurement was for services similar to those advertised to the market by contract notice reference: 2022/S 000-019852 published in July 2022 which advertised a procurement for community and voluntary services which was subsequently abandoned prior to tender submission (in October 2022). Whilst that procurement was abandoned it did have the effect of engaging the supplier market wishing to compete to deliver community and voluntary services in Wolverhampton. Six suppliers expressed an intention to submit tenders in the abandoned procurement whereas eleven suppliers expressed an intention to submit tenders in the current procurement (though in the event only four submitted completed tenders). All of the suppliers that expressed an intention to submit tenders in the previous, abandoned, procurement, did likewise in the current procurement indicating that the Contracts Finder notice was effective at providing transparency to the pool of suppliers most likely to wish to compete for the opportunities.
Taking all of the above factors into account the Council concluded that it has tested the market and advertised the opportunity to participate in the procurement sufficiently that it was rational for the Council to conclude the contracts and that it would have been disproportionate to abandon the procurement.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 1
Contract No: CWC23060
Title: Infrastructure Support Service
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
01/01/2024
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Wolverhampton Voluntary and Community Action
2288239
16 Temple Street
Wolverhampton
WV2 4AN
UK
NUTS: UKG39
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 1 400 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 2
Contract No: CWC23060
Title: Welfare, Debt, Housing and Benefits Advice
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
01/01/2024
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Citizens Advice Dudley and Wolverhampton
516877
Dudley House, 9-11 Stone Street
Dudley
DY1 1NP
UK
NUTS: UKG36
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 2 100 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
City of Wolverhampton Council
Civic Centre, St Peters Square,
Wolverhampton
WV1 1SH
UK
E-mail: adebimpe.winjobi@wolverhampton.gov.uk
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
30/01/2024