Published date: 8 November 2022
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.
Contract summary
Industry
Miscellaneous services - 98300000
Location of contract
England
Value of contract
£1 to £200,000
Procurement reference
KENT001-DN639854-52554400
Published date
8 November 2022
Closing date
8 December 2022
Closing time
12pm
Contract start date
17 June 2023
Contract end date
16 June 2027
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?
Yes
Description
Background
Kent County Council (the Council) is the largest county council in England covering an area of 3,500 square kilometres. It has an annual expenditure of over £900m on goods and services and a population of 1.3m. The Council provides a wide range of personal and strategic services on behalf of its residents, operating in partnership with 12 district councils, and 289 parish/town councils.
The Opportunity
The Council is setting up a Framework for Interpreting and Communication Services for People who are d/Deaf and Deafblind to allow the Council to buy communication services from a list of approved providers who meet a certain set of minimum standards. Use of the Framework will commence on 17/06/2023 and continue for a period of four years.
Approved providers will then be able to bid to deliver Communication Services on an on-demand basis. The services which will be commissioned under the Framework will fall into one of the following disciplines. Applicants may apply to join the Framework within one of more of these disciplines (please download the Invitation to Tender for a list of the sub-lotting structure):
Lot 1 - Face-to-face Interpreting Services (Verbal)
Lot 2 - Face-to-face Interpreting Services (Non-Verbal)
Lot 3 - Transcription
Lot 4 - Lip Speakers
Lot 5 - Speech to Text Reporters
Lot 6 - Deaf Relay
Lot 7 - Translation
Lot 8 - Video Interpreting Services
Lot 9 - Other Sign Language Interpreting from an International Range of Languages
Lot 10 - Trainee Interpreters
Lot 11 - Out of Hours Agency
Expression of Interest and Tender Process
Expressions of Interest will only be accepted via the Kent Business Portal. In order to submit your interest in this opportunity, please select the 'Login and Express an Interest' button located at the bottom of this page. Note: If you have not registered on the portal before, in order to successfully submit your interest you will first need to register for an account. After registration is complete and you have received your login details, you should return to the advert for the opportunity and express your interest. Once you have expressed an interest, you will be emailed the link to access the Invitation to Tender.
Tenders must be received by 12 noon on the 8th December 2022.
The anticipated tendering schedule is as follows:
Invitation to Tender opens - 08/11/2022
Last date for clarification questions - 30/11/2022
Invitation to tender closes - 08/12/2022
Evaluation - week commencing 12/12/2022
Award notification - 28/03/2023
Framework commencement date - 17/06/2023
Questions and Communication
Please direct all questions and communications through the Kent Business Portal via the Discussion facility.
Tendering Schedule
Following the commencement of the Framework in June 2023, the Framework will be opened for applications from new entrants four times a year for the duration of the Framework.
About the buyer
Contact name
Katherine Clark
Address
County Hall
Maidstone
ME14 1XQ
United Kingdom
Telephone
+44 3000411290
Website
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Closing: 8 December 2022, 12pm
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