Published date: 5 February 2021

This notice was replaced on 6 May 2021

This notice does not contain the most up-to-date information about this procurement. The most recent notice is:

Awarded contract (published 6 May 2021)

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

  • Other services - 98390000

Location of contract

England

Value of contract

£1 to £200,000

Procurement reference

KENT001-DN525284-35647389

Published date

5 February 2021

Closing date

8 March 2021

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

3 May 2021

Contract end date

16 June 2023

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

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, Kent & Medway Clinical Commissioning Group and 289 parish/town councils.
The Opportunity
The Council has set 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. The framework commenced on 17th June 2019 and will run until 16th June 2023. The framework opens every two months for new tender applications.
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

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 an invitation to submit a tender.
Tenders must be received by 12 noon on the 8th March 2021.
The anticipated tendering schedule is as follows:
Invitation to Tender opens - 05/02/2021
Last date for clarification questions - 26/02/2021
Invitation to tender closes - 08/3/2021, 12 noon
Evaluation - week commencing 08/3/2021
Anticipated contract start date - 01/05/2021

Questions and Communication
Please direct all questions and communications through the Kent Business Portal via the Discussion facility.

Tendering Schedule
This Framework will be opened for applications from new entrants every two months.


About the buyer

Contact name

Katherine Clark

Address

County Hall
Maidstone
ME14 1XQ
United Kingdom

Telephone

+44 3000411290

Email

katherine.clark@kent.gov.uk

Website

http://www.kent.gov.uk