Issue - meetings

VIBRANCE: EXTENSION AND REPROCUREMENT STRATEGY (From ACS PDS 17/9/19)

Meeting: 18/09/2019 - Executive (Item 71)

71 GATEWAY REPORT - EXTENSION TO THE DIRECT PAYMENTS SUPPORT AND PAYROLL SERVICE CONTRACT WITH VIBRANCE - AND APPROVAL TO COMMENCE TENDER FOR A DIRECT PAYMENTS SUPPORT AND PAYROLL SERVICE CONTRACT (PART 1) pdf icon PDF 178 KB

Minutes:

Report ACH19003

 

The report sought agreement to apply the second and final formal one year extension of the Direct Payments Support and Payroll Service Contract, from 8 April 2020 to 7 April 2021 and approval to commence a full tender exercise for a new Direct Payments Support and Payroll Service Contract by the end of 2019.

 

The current contract was awarded following a competitive tender and commenced in April 2017 for a period of two years with the option to extend up to a further two years on a 1 year +1 year basis.  The 2nd extension from 8 April 2020 would allow time for the implementation of the Pre-Payment Cards in Bromley as outlined in Option 1 – paragraph 4.8.2 b of the report.

 

The additional rationale for the extension was that (as demonstrated in Sections 4.2 and 5.2 of the report) the provider was delivering a good service and was operating in accordance with the current contract and service specification.  Additionally, the service had been reviewed with a satisfactory outcome in April 2018 and again in June 2018.  In summary, there was compelling justification and benefits from the contract extension, which also guaranteed no increase in the budget for a further year (retaining the 2017 price). 

 

It was proposed that following a competitive tender the new contract would commence in April 2021 for a period of five years with the option to extend up to a further two years on a one year plus one year basis. 

 

The Leader thanked officers for the progress now being made to promote direct payments; take-up had increased from 11% to 19.4%, and was expected to rise further under the new contract.

 

Confidential details were set out in a part 2 report. The reports had been scrutinised at the Adult Care and Health PDS Committee meeting on 17th September 2019, and the Committee had supported the proposals.

 

RESOLVED that the commencement of a formal tender process for a Direct Payments Support and Payroll Service Contract, by the end of 2019 to ensure a new service is commissioned at the end of this extension be approved; the new service will commence on 8 April 2021 for a period of 5 year with an option to extend by a period of up to but not exceeding 1 year followed by a further period of up to one year.


Meeting: 17/09/2019 - Adult Care and Health Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee (Item 24)

24 EXTENSION TO THE DIRECT PAYMENTS SUPPORT AND PAYROLL SERVICE CONTRACT WITH VIBRANCE - AND APPROVAL TO COMMENCE TENDER FOR A DIRECT PAYMENTS SUPPORT AND PAYROLL SERVICE CONTRACT pdf icon PDF 178 KB

Minutes:

Report ACH19003

 

The Committee considered a gateway report seeking agreement to apply the second and final formal 1 year extension of the Direct Payments Support and Payroll Service Contract, from 8 April 2020 to 7 April 2021 and approval to commence a full tender exercise for a new Direct Payments Support and Payroll Service Contract by end 2019.  The current contract was awarded following a competitive tender and commenced in April 2017 for a period of two years with the option to extend up to a further two years on a 1 year +1 year basis.  The 2nd extension from 8 April 2020 would allow time for the implementation of the Pre-Payment Cards in Bromley as outlined in Option 1 detailed in the report.  The additional rationale for the extension is that the provider was delivering a good service and was operating in accordance with the current contract and service specification.  Additionally the service was reviewed with a satisfactory outcome in April 2018 and again in June 2018.  In summary there was compelling justification and benefits from the contract extension, which also guaranteed no increase in the budget for a further year (retaining the 2017 price).  It was proposed that following a competitive tender the new contract would commence in April 2021 for a period of five years with the option to extend up to a further two years on a 1 year +1 year basis. 

 

Noting the comments that had been made earlier in the meeting, the Chairman suggested that it would be helpful to Members if future reports concerning contract award and contract extension provide further information surrounding the involvement of service users in the process.

 

The Committee noted the detailed financial information contained in the Part 2 report on the agenda.

 

 

RESOLVED: That:

 

1. The Portfolio Holder is recommended to agree that the contract with Vibrance be extended for a period of 1 year, from 8 April 2020 – 7 April 2021.  To run continuously from the current contract to enable the Council to have arrangements in place to fulfil its statutory duties.

 

2. The Executive be recommended to agree the commencement of a formal tender process for a Direct Payments Support and Payroll Service Contract, by the end of 2019 to ensure a new service is commissioned at the end of this extension.  The new service will commence on 8 April 2021 for a period of 5 year with an option to extend by a period of up to but not exceeding 1 year followed by a further period of up to one year.