Agenda item

Report ACH21-032

The Committee considered a report outlining the proposed contract award for the building-based complex needs day service.

The Council had a contract in place with the Southside Partnership (also known as Certitude) to provide learning disability supported living and community-based day and respite services. Executive approval was obtained in November 2019 to extend the contract for a period of up to 2 years from 1^st October 2020 to 30^th September 2022. The Council was unable to reach mutual terms to extend the contract as originally intended and subsequent negotiation resulted in a 6-month extension of the contract to 31^st March 2021.

At the Adult Care and Health PDS meeting on 24^th November 2020 Members scrutinised a report that set out the procurement proposals in relation to these services, and the report was subsequently agreed by the Leader. Future learning disability day provision was being divided so that people with lower needs would receive their services from community based locations that were spot purchased or funded via direct payments, and people with complex needs would receive a building based service purchased via a block contract.

The tender process for complex needs day services closed on 4^th February 2021 but did not attract any compliant bids. A report was presented at the 31^st March 2021 Executive advising that a negotiated contract award process was being followed and sought Member agreement to a contract variation and extension of the current block contract with Southside Partnership to enable service provision whilst the negotiation and contract award processes were progressed and the new contract was mobilised. Executive agreed the contract variation and extension. The report followed the conclusion of the negotiated contract award process and sought Executive agreement to award the provision of the learning disability complex needs day service as detailed in the accompanying Part Two report for a period of 3 years from 16^th August 2021 with the option to extend for a further 2 years at a total contract value also detailed within the Part Two report.

The Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Health extended her thanks to the Head of Complex and Long-Term Commissioning and his team for all their hard work throughout the pandemic. The Chairman echoed these comments and expressed her admiration for the huge amount of work undertaken to manage the large number of contracts.

RESOLVED: that the Executive be recommended to:

i.)  Award the contract for the provision of the learning disability complex needs day service as detailed in the accompanying Part Two report, commencing on 16^th August 2021 for a period of 3 years to 15^th August 2024 with the option to extend for a further period of up to 2 years and an annual and whole life value as detailed in the Part Two report; and

ii.)  Delegate to the Director of Adult Social Care, subject to agreement from the Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Health Services, the Assistant Director Governance & Contracts, the Director of Finance and the Director of Corporate Services, authorisation to exercise the 2-year extension period.