Tender for Domestic Abuse Support Services in Herefordshire

Herefordshire Council is inviting tenders for the provision of specialist domestic abuse services to meet its statutory duties under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. The procurement is divided into two lots:

Lot 1 – Safe Accommodation Service
The service will provide refuge and dispersed safe accommodation alongside specialist domestic abuse support for victim-survivors and their children who require urgent access to safe accommodation due to immediate or high risk of harm. The successful provider will be responsible for supplying and maintaining a minimum of 20 units of safe accommodation (comprising an appropriate mix of refuge and dispersed accommodation) and 1 emergency unit within Herefordshire, and delivering associated specialist support to enable safe access, recovery and move-on. At least one dispersed property must be fully accessible for individuals or families with physical disabilities or mobility needs.

Lot 2 – Whole Family Community-Based Domestic Abuse Support Service, Dispersed Safe Accommodation and Housing Advocacy Support
The service will provide a countywide domestic abuse support offer including prevention and early intervention support, floating and outreach support, support linked to Sanctuary Scheme provision, structured group and whole-family interventions, housing-related advocacy, and dispersed safe accommodation. The successful provider will be required to provide a minimum of 8 dispersed safe accommodation properties within Herefordshire, including at least 1 fully accessible property suitable for individuals or families with physical disabilities or mobility needs.

Prospective suppliers must demonstrate the ability to secure and maintain suitable accommodation within Herefordshire for the duration of the contract or provide evidence of robust arrangements to do so.

Bidders may submit a tender for one or both Lots depending on the services they are able to deliver and their capability and capacity to meet the requirements of the relevant Lot(s). The Council intends to appoint a maximum of one supplier for each Lot.

Contract Duration: Mobilisation from 4 January 2027, service commencement from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2029, with the option to extend for up to a further 48 months. Any extensions are subject to future Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant and the Public Health Ringfenced Grant funding availability, supplier’s satisfactory performance, and Council internal governance approval.

Estimated Contract Values
Lot 1: £742,366 for the initial two-year contract period.
Lot 2: £480,609 for the initial two-year contract period.

Future Funding and Contract Value Information
The Council receives external grant funding to support delivery of all services within Lot 1 and Lot 2. Funding is currently confirmed for the initial two-year contract period only.

Future grant funding beyond 31 March 2029 has not yet been confirmed. It is anticipated that the future funding will be in line with 2027-2029, however it is not guaranteed. Should the Council elect to extend either contract, extension decisions will be subject to funding availability, identified service need, satisfactory performance and the Council's internal governance processes. At that point, the Council will engage with the successful provider(s) regarding available funding and resulting service requirements.
Funding available during any extension period may be higher or lower than current funding levels. As a result, service volumes, accommodation capacity and activity levels may increase or decrease accordingly.
Bidders must be aware that if no Grant Funding is allocated for 2029/30 onwards, then it is very likely that no contract extension will be awarded.

Important Note: The contract values stated above relate to commissioned support services only and do not include Housing Benefit income or other accommodation-related income that may be received directly by the successful provider. The Council will not underwrite accommodation-related costs.