Provision of a managed local welfare scheme

1. BACKGROUND
Please note that this Soft Market Test is not an invitation to tender and does not form any part of an invitation to tender.
It is envisaged that TUPE will apply to the contract.
The Council’s Cabinet have agreed to extend the current scheme without any variation in the provision.
Star Procurement (on behalf of Rochdale Borough Council) seeks to better understand the market opportunity and limitations through a soft market testing exercise for the supply of a managed local welfare provision scheme.
Due to the nature of the requirements and Cabinet’s satisfaction of the current services procured, Rochdale Council will only be engaging with suppliers who can fulfil the exact requirements outlined below.
If you would like to engage with us during the soft market testing process please complete and return this document, via The CHEST, by 12 noon on the 30th January, 2019.
We will endeavour to correspond with all suppliers who have submitted documentation via the CHEST. Any shortlisted suppliers will be notified by 6th February, 2019.
2. SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

The scheme seeks to provide a managed local welfare offering on behalf of the Council. At the highest level the Council requires the following services:

• The management of back office IT systems and a secure public facing website providing an application process;
• The provision of a telephone service available from 9am until 5.30pm from Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays, and an online service available continuously (24 hours per day, 7 days per week) to all residents of the Borough for the purposes of making applications to the fund;
• An application process which includes an Eligibility Check and a Needs Assessment; the application process must capture the following applicant details:

a). Name (mandatory)
b). Current address (mandatory)
c). Address for which the claim is being made (mandatory)
d). Date of birth (mandatory)
e). National Insurance Number (mandatory)
f). Council Tax Reference Number (mandatory)
g). What benefits the applying household claim, frequency of benefit, how much they are in receipt of and when the last payment was received and the next payment due (mandatory)
h). Household make-up, including name, DOB for other family members
(mandatory)

i). The reasons an applicant is applying to the fund (mandatory)
j). Items/support requested by applicant (mandatory)
k). Equality and diversity information

• The verification of applicants using the Department of Work and Pension’s Customer Information System to verify:

o Applicants’ personal details
o Whether an applicant lives in the Rochdale borough
o What benefits an applicant receives and the status of benefit claims (suspensions and sanctions)

• The management of the assessment and decision making process, as directed by the Council’s policy;
• The management of the awards process according to the policy provided by the Council, including the delivery of all awarded items to a customer’s home, to install / fit / assemble all items at the customer’s home and remove and dispose of all packaging.
• All awards to be available at all times. Awards to include the following items (list is not exhaustive):
o Gas cookers
o Electric cookers
o Carpets
o Fridges, both upright and under counter
o Washing machines
o Bed frames (double and single)
o Bedding (pillowcases, sheets, quilt covers)
o Duvets and pillows
o Mattresses (single and double, including orthopaedic)
o Cutlery and crockery
o Household energy vouchers (able to be redeemed for gas and electric top ups at a number of outlets across the borough)
o SMS cash payments
o BACS payments

• The management of a robust automated supply process to meet fulfilment timescales.
• To provide 100% of all emergency awards within 1 working day of a completed application being received;
• To supply, deliver and install 75% of other items within 2 working days and the remainder within 5 working days of a completed application being received;
• The management of a 2 stage applicant appeals process;
• The management of a complaints process;
• Financial reporting and control to facilitate spend reviews and enable the Council to make amendments to the policy where required;
• Performance reporting; and
• The provision of change management where required (eg. as a consequence of amendments to the Eligibility Criteria).

3. PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS AND MONITORING ARRANGEMENTS

The Council’s maximum budget will be £100,000 per annum; this includes any costs associated with set up, management and TUPE. This does not include costs for items provided.
The service provider will provide a monthly monitoring report within 5 working days of each month end.

4. CONTRACTUAL STRUCTURE AND TERMS
2 year contract, beginning on the 1st April 2019 and ending on March 31st 2021.
5. PROPOSED TIMETABLE FOR PROCUREMENT
The delivery and management of the scheme needs to be seamless, with both online and telephone provision starting on the 1st of April 2019.
6. HOW TO RESPOND
Interested organisations are invited to express their interest in providing the requirement. To do so they should complete the Response Document and submit this via the Chest by the deadline. Interested parties are also encouraged to consider how they might deliver these services in collaboration with other facilities / organisations.
This advert via the Chest is one method that is being used to undertake the soft market exercise. Other means of expressing an interest are acceptable.
The Response Document requires some basic information regarding capacity, resources, and facilities that are available, or will be made available under any contract. It is not expected that interested parties will provide detailed information in their expression or pricing that can be relied upon, but sufficient information will be required with which it is likely will be explored in more detail.

The deadline for expressing an interest is: 30th January, 2019 at Midday 12:00
Please note that the Council cannot guarantee further engagement with the market following this Soft Market Test exercise. Furthermore, the Council cannot guarantee that queries relating to this expression of interest will be responded to.