ASC0269 - Building Communication Skills In The First 1,001 Critical Days

<p>Leicester City Council (&lsquo;the &lsquo;Authority&rsquo;) invites Tenders for the provision of Building communication skills in the first 1001 critical days (for families where English is an additional language, and women/families on the perinatal mental health pathway).</p>
<p>This new service for parents and their extended family networks is to support the development of their children&rsquo;s early communication skills, building upon the evidence base of the importance of the first 1001 critical days (from conception to 2 years), and the recently launched Speech and Language Strategy and Pathway. The service will have a strong focus on supporting bonding and attachment from the very earliest opportunity in a child&rsquo;s life.</p>
<p>Giving every child the best start in life is crucial to improving health outcomes and reducing health inequalities across the life course. The foundations for virtually every aspect of human development &ndash; physical, intellectual and emotional &ndash; are set in place during pregnancy and in early childhood. Early years have a lifelong effect on health and wellbeing, educational achievement and economic status and evidence tells us that speech, language and communication development in the earliest stages of childhood had a direct impact on lifelong outcomes.</p>
<p>There will be two key groups that this service will work with: new and prospective parents on the perinatal mental health pathway, and families where there is more than one language spoken at home, usually where English is not the primary language.</p>
<p>Organisations bidding for this service may feel they have expertise or experience to be able to support one of the key groups more than the other. In this circumstance we would welcome consortium or sub-contracting arrangements which include partnership working between organisations.</p>
<p>The proposed Contract will be for an initial period of 3 years to commence on 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2025, with an option to extend, subject to satisfactory performance outcomes and agreement by the Authority, for a further period or periods totalling up to a maximum of a further one year to 30 June 2026.</p>
<p>The proposed service is based on current and known funding allocations. These could alter through the life of the contract in light of changes in future local and central government funding. The contract value assigned to this service for the initial period of 3 years to commence on 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2025 is &pound;140,000 exclusive of VAT. (If VAT is applicable, then the contract value inclusive of VAT will be &pound;168,000). Should additional funding become available during the contract period, then there may be an opportunity to extend the contract for a further period or periods totalling up to a maximum of a further one year to 30 June 2026. However, there is no guarantee that additional funding will become available. If the funding remains as per the initial contract period, then it is estimated that the contract value assigned to this service for the initial period including the contract extension option (1 July 2022 to 30 June 2026) may be &pound;186,667 exclusive of VAT. (If VAT is applicable, then the contract value inclusive of VAT will be &pound;224,000).</p>
<p>The Authority will hold an online Tender Information Session conducted via Microsoft Teams on 1 February 2022 between 10:00 am to 12.00 pm. Further information on how to register for this session is contained within the ITT documentation.</p>