Rough Sleeper Outreach Services for Gloucestershire

Introduction
1.1 The Authority requires a proactive and assertive Rough Sleeper Outreach and Support Service with specialist knowledge of working with homeless individuals across a continuum of support needs, including complex and multiple needs. The service will be available 365 days each year.
1.2 The Provider will deliver this service for an initial period of three years, commencing on 1 April 2025. The service may be extended by an additional 12 months up to three times at the discretion of the Commissioner.
1.3 The total budget available for delivery of this service during FY2025/26 is £346,600. This figure is inclusive of the specifically ringfenced allocation of £20,000 per annum for service user personalisation, to be managed by the Service in accordance with criteria to be agreed with the commissioner.
1.4 Providers should be aware that part of this budget is provided through central government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative and as such is likely only to be confirmed on an annual basis. The Provider will need to be prepared to scale up or down the service in response to changes in the availability of central government funding. The commissioner is committed to working collaboratively and openly with the Provider to communicate any expected change at the earliest opportunity, and to consult with the provider regarding the impact on service delivery as a result of any change.
1.5 The Housing Partnership has agreed indicative funding levels for the first three years of the contract:
• FY2025/26 - £346,600
• FY2026/27 - £353,500
• FY2027/28 - £360,600
1.6 The provider will be expected to work flexibly and collaboratively as part of the wider Gloucestershire homelessness pathways to prevent and reduce rough sleeping, responding to changes in local needs and circumstances to contribute to the overall goal of eliminating rough sleeping and intervening early to prevent or respond to those who are at risk of rough sleeping.
1.7 The funding for the service is dependent on central government funding. The Provider should identify options to expand the service should further funding become available.
1.8 The Provider will deliver support that is both person-centred and trauma informed; that builds on an individual’s existing strengths and talents to increase wellbeing, empower, and build resilience.
1.9 Rough sleeping occurs to different extents but in all areas of Gloucestershire. The service is expected to demonstrate an ability to respond to rough sleeping wherever it is found and to ensure that service users can access the Gloucestershire pathways equitably. The Partnership recognises the differences in the number of rough sleepers and their needs in different local authority areas in the County so it is commissioning the services based on two potential Lots.
1.10 While services are being procured as two lots the Commissioners would welcome the opportunity to work with a single provider in the event that a single provider is the preferred tenderer for both lots following evaluation.
1.11 The indicative split of the first-year funding is shown below:
A. Gloucester & Cheltenham (£205,000)
B. Cotswold, Forest of Dean, Stroud and Tewkesbury (£141,600)
1.10 Potential providers are asked to provide proposals for one or both of the lots explaining how they will respond to this specification in each case. If responding to both lots, tenderers are expected to submit (quality and pricing) evaluation question responses for each lot individually. When submitting responses for both lots, it is anticipated there may be some duplication in the answers provided, however differences relating to the specificity of the lot should be highlighted.
1.11 The Authority is conducting this procurement using the open procedure in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/102) for the purposes of procuring the services described in the Specification