Published date: 27 November 2020

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 4 December 2020, 5pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Research and development services and related consultancy services - 73000000

Location of contract

London

Value of contract

£10,000 to £25,000

Procurement reference

BIP548256791

Published date

27 November 2020

Closing date

4 December 2020

Closing time

5pm

Contract start date

8 December 2020

Contract end date

31 March 2021

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

The LGA has commissioned and delivered a programme of work on Reshaping Financial Support (RFS), which began in autumn 2019. This programme has centred on a core group of councils who were engaged in both local pilots and action learning. In April 2020 the programme was reviewed and amended to enable the LGA to support councils and share learning as the sector put in place support for households whose finances and income were affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The events of the summer have seen financial hardship and economic vulnerability rise rapidly up the agenda as key considerations for councils and their local partners. Councils have cemented their role as lynchpin organisations who know their communities and connect partners.

Throughout this period the LGA's RFS programme has been developing case studies and guidance, bringing councils together through meetings and webinars and engaging in vital policy discussions with HMG and key partners with the objective of ensuring that low income households are most efficiently and effectively supported both now and in the longer term.

The LGA would now like to commission a partner organisation to:
-produce a review / evaluation of the approaches councils have taken so far, and where possible the impact / outcomes these have achieved, drawing on the work of the RFS programme to date
-inform current policy and funding discussions
-develop proposals for priorities, partnership working and sector-led improvement for 2021/22


-An analysis and impact evaluation of councils' approaches to financial support. This will focus on the core councils within the existing RFS programme, but should also consider the support that councils have put in place throughout the pandemic
-As appropriate, evidence-based support for the LGA's engagement with key HMG and partner work programmes e.g. Cabinet Office Fairness Group; Money and Pensions Service strategy for financial wellbeing
-As appropriate, review and expand the content of the LGA's financial hardship and economic vulnerability demand dashboard
-Proposals for outcomes-focused support and sector-led improvement from April 2021. This should include proposals for work with key partners and stakeholders and:
oInform national and local policy development
oSupport councils with the efficient and effective use of available funding
oStrengthen local partnership working and integrated delivery
oHelp to develop emerging practice in key areas including income smoothing; debt recovery and local welfare
oContinue to develop good practice in the collection and use of data and insights
oContinue to develop the evidence-base for the social and economic benefits of preventative approaches to financial hardship and economic vulnerability

More information

Links

Additional text

The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.

About the buyer

Contact name

Rose Doran

Address

18 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3HZ
UK

Telephone

07464652786

Email

jordanne.mckenzie-blythe@local.gov.uk