Handypersons Service

The purpose of this PIN is to:
• Inform local businesses and community / voluntary sector organisations about the opportunity to deliver a handypersons service in North Somerset. The service will be for older and disabled people living in all tenures, and also any person needing the service as part of hospital discharge.
• Obtain an understanding of the organisations that are interested in delivering this service in the local community and inform the decision on the best way forward.
• Seek the views of local businesses and organisations on the proposed handypersons service and its operation.
The Council has an existing contract for handypersons services is due to end on the 30th September 2018 and therefore the Council is seeking to find a provider(s) for this service. The Council would welcome interest from individual provider or a collective / consortium of providers that would be interested in delivering these services.
The provider will undertake a variety of jobs examples are listed below:
• Small building repairs / improvements – minor plumbing / carpentry / electrical work, securing loose carpets, putting up curtain rails, shelves.
• Safety measures – fitting key safes, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, grab rails, clearing and cleaning paths.
• Home security - door and window locks, door chains and door viewers.
• Energy efficiency checks - installing draught excluders, radiator heat reflectors and energy efficient lightbulbs
• Other jobs: Moving furniture, installing standalone telecare, signposting to other care and support services as required
The jobs should take no more than 2 - 3 hours. The expectation is that jobs would be completed within two - three weeks of the initial request, however, there will also be a small amount of urgent hospital discharge work which will need to be completed to a tighter timescale. The provider should have systems in place to receive referrals from the general public and professional / agencies working with people in the community, as well as receiving referrals directly from the Council.
The service has an estimated value of £100,000 per annum, which will be used to provide a Handypersons service to the most vulnerable clients in North Somerset. It is important that the cost of the service is easily understood and transparent to members of the public who may use the service and may be self-funding. The Council are looking for a flexible, innovative service, which can meet the diverse needs of the people of our community.
The initial term of the service will be for a two year pilot and the Council will work closely with the successful provider(s) to shape and promote the handypersons provision.

The Handypersons service is currently delivered to the Council via an existing provider, therefore TUPE may be applicable to one or more posts.

What happens next?
Organisations who wish to express an interest should initially make contact with Laura Cresser, Community Equipment Service Partnership manager to discuss further. Her contact details are 01934 427603 / laura.cresser@n-somerset.gov.uk
You may also express interest via the portal;
https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/
Using the listed opportunity; Handypersons Service, Project ID DN319974; and using the messaging function within the portal to contact the Council and arrange an appointment.
We would welcome interest from providers in North Somerset, and if you wished to form a collective / consortium of providers across a range of professions to deliver the service, interest from such a collective would also be welcomed.
Expressions of interest should be made by no later than the 5th March 2018, if you are interested in meeting to discuss this opportunity please contact Laura Cresser to arrange an appointment.
Submitting an expression of interest is not a guarantee of award of the service. This stage of the process is to scope the market position to understand market interest in the opportunity and to inform the structure of the service.