Young Persons Supported Living / Accommodation Pathway Service

Location

Description

***Note, this is a Contract Award Notice further to the publication of a previous voluntary ex ante transparency notice (VEAT), notice reference: 2024/S 000-040833 (as referred to below in this award notice)*** Contract award for the provision of an accommodation-based support service exclusively for vulnerable Enfield Young People of 18-24 years old. The service provides various levels of support depending on the Young Person’s needs. Supporting them into Education, Employment or Training and providing life skills for them to enable the Young Person to move on into an independent lifestyle. In the current pathway, all of the remaining properties are owned by the existing provider (Christian Action (Enfield) Housing Association Ltd) apart from one other location. Furthermore, the provider does not want to dispose of or sublet their properties to another supported living provider. Some of the units have covenants upon them which means they can only be occupied by individuals requiring on-site support. The pathway utilises the best units currently available to the provider. By having schemes of 14+ units, it maximises support resources available. The proposed pathway under the proposed and awarded contract will yield savings against the current contract. To ensure that the contracting authority continue to benefit from the accommodation, a direct award for a newly remodelled contract has been put in place as there is no reasonable alternative or substitute that exists to deliver the volume, quality and suitability of schemes within Enfield, in the current accommodation marketplace; even after reducing the number of units in the pathway. The awarded contract is for an initial term of three (3) years with an option to extend for a further period of two (2 years), thus giving a total contract length of up to five (5) years. As previously noted (in the VEAT Notice), the service advertised in this notice falls under the services listed in Chapter 3 and Schedule 3 (Social and other specific services) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Total Quantity or Scope

London Borough of Enfield

Award Detail

Renewal Options

The awarded contract is for an initial term of three (3) years with an option to extend for a further period of two (2 years), thus giving a total contract length of up to five (5) years.

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85000000 - Health and social work services
• 85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people

Indicators

• Options are available.

Legal Justification

As set out in the contracting authority's voluntary ex ante transparency (VEAT) notice, notice reference: 2024/S 000-040833 on 18 December 2024, the key reasoning and justification are: Firstly, the existing provider’s exclusive ownership and possession of properties used for the service provision and the need to avoid disruption for the residents. This decision to directly award the proposed contract would ensure the continuation of 94 units of purpose-built accommodation for vulnerable Young People (that we may lose if going out to tender). The housing market is very limited in Enfield and the loss of these units would put further pressure on the market and risk significant disruption for the vulnerable Young People currently accessing the service. Secondly, the absence of competition for technical reasons as there are no other providers that could secure the amount and quality of supported accommodation within a reasonable timeframe. Without the concentration of units currently achieved through the arrangements with Christian Action (Enfield) Housing Association Ltd (which owns the units) the service to vulnerable young people would be fragmented and would lead to either a reduction in support hours per person or an increase in costs, to accommodate staff travel time between sites. And thirdly, there is the prevention of vulnerable Young People potentially becoming homeless as the contracting authority would be securing a pathway for the future. Note, the contracting authority observed a 10-day standstill period, commencing the day after the publication of the VEAT Notice and this standstill period ended 30 December 2024.

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. **