Published date: 10 July 2024

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: 26 July 2024, 5pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Other community, social and personal services - 98000000

Location of contract

B69 3DE

Value of contract

£0

Procurement reference

IT-230-8299-HS090724

Published date

10 July 2024

Closing date

26 July 2024

Closing time

5pm

Contract start date

1 August 2024

Contract end date

31 July 2027

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (below threshold)

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

This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

No

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

Sandwell Council is looking for a provider for Housing Solutions Out of Hours service provision for an initial 12 month period or up to three years depending on the quote value (in line with procurement thresholds). The service we are looking to source is to provide emergency out of hours call handling of households presenting as homeless.

The calls will be from individuals and families who find themselves with nowhere to stay that night due to a range of issues, most commonly family/friends asking them to leave, eviction from private rented properties and incidents of domestic abuse. The Housing Solutions is looking for a provider for the following:
o Receive the initial call
o Triage the situation (using a defined flow chart - which will include checking whether the council has ended a duty to the family)
o Identify whether the council would owe an emergency accommodation duty (using defined flow chart)
o Direct any single/ non-priority cases to options they can explore themselves including hostels etc
o Secure temporary accommodation for families/ people with priority from a list of providers/ capacity which will be updated by 5pm each day
o Make contact with bed and breakfast provider to make referral and book the family in
o Advise the customer of where to go for temporary accommodation
o Provide a daily list of basic information to the service of all people/ households placed during out of hours

On average the council receives around 4 calls per night (this has been as high as 13 in one period and is regularly as low as 0) during out of hours shifts. This includes weekends.

The out of hours service would need to take these calls during the following timescales:

1. Monday from 5:30pm to 9:00am Tuesday
2. Tuesday from 5:30pm to 9:00am Wednesday
3. Wednesday from 5:30pm to 9:00am Thursday
4. Thursday from 5:30pm to 9:00am Friday
5. Friday from 5:00pm to 9:00am Monday

A number will be provided for a manager within the service should anything need escalating, however, we would expect this to be the exception rather than the norm.

The service believes this will suit a provider who already provides out of hours cover on behalf of other local authorities/ agencies or an organisation who can provide this in addition to 24/7 cover within their existing operations/ premises e.g. a hostel or supported accommodation provider with 24 hour staffing.

Please feel free to contact me if you need any further clarification or for further discussion.

More information

Links

Additional text

Please submit quotations either through intend or via email to karl_robinson@sandwell.gov.uk

Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : No

About the buyer

Contact name

Karl Robinson

Address

Freeth Street
Oldbury
West Midlands
B69 3DE
United Kingdom

Telephone

0121 569 3628

Email

karl_robinson@sandwell.gov.uk