CONTRACT NOTICE – OFFICIAL JOURNAL

Section I: Contracting Authority

I.1)

Name, Address and Contact Point(s)

I.2)

Type of contracting Authority and Main Activity or Activities

Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions National or federal agency/Office Regional or local Authority Regional or local Agency/Office Body governed by public law European Institution/Agency or International Organisation

General public services Defence Public order and safety Environment Economic and financial affairs Health Housing and community amenities Social protection Recreation, culture and religion Education

Section II: Object of the Contract

II.1)

Description

II.1.1)

Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority

II.1.2(a))

Type of works contract

II.1.2(b))

Type of supplies contract

II.1.2(c))

Type of service contract

II.1.2)

Main site or location of works, place of delivery or performance

Denbighshire, Conwy, Gwynedd and Anglesey

II.1.3)

This notice involves

A public contract
The setting up of a Dynamic Purchasing System
The establishment of a framework agreement

II.1.4)

Information on framework agreement (if applicable)

Framework agreement with a single operators
Framework agreement with several operators

Number of participants to the framework agreement envisaged

Duration of the framework agreement

Justification for a framework agreement the duration of which exceeds four years

Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement

Frequency and value of the contracts to be awarded

II.1.5)

Short description of the contract or purchase(s)

RCS are currently inviting tenders from therapy providers to join a Multi Supplier Framework to deliver therapy services across Denbighshire, Conwy, Gwynedd and Anglesey. The framework will be used solely by RCS in the delivery of the In-work support project which is funded through European Social Funding.

The project delivered by RCS is profiled to see 2532 individuals over a 3 year period with a maximum overall contract value of 759,600GBP. Once on the framework the suppliers will be used on an ‘as and when needed’ basis to deliver services to our clients. Case Coordinators will use their knowledge of suppliers’ specialisms, geographical considerations and the client to identify what they feel as the best ‘match’ options in identifying a suitable supplier. The client will be able to make an informed decision from the options they have been given. This process is described more particularly in the Framework Agreement, but providers should be aware that the choice of service users as to which provider to use will be weighted heavily given that this is such an important service to them.

Background

The Fit for Work Service (FFWS) was proposed following Dame Carol Black’s 2008 review of the health of Britain’s working age population. The service was to offer support for people in the early stages of sickness absence, particularly for employers working in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Dame Carol’s proposal was for a case-managed, multi-disciplinary and holistic early intervention service, providing tailored support for people in the early stages of sickness absence. This support might include advice about housing or debt management, or might address specific clinical needs through a range of therapies including physiotherapy and counselling.

In 2010, RCS led a bid with its partners Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Public Health Wales to be included in a national programme of piloting the FFWS. The programme was sponsored jointly by the Department of Health and the Department for Work and Pensions as part of the Government’s Health, Work and Wellbeing programme. Eleven pilot sites in the UK were established to test whether the Fit for Work approach would help to facilitate an early return to work for employees in the early stages of sickness absence. In the second year, seven of the original eleven pilot sites were invited to participate in the continuation of the pilot until March 2013. Rhyl was included as one of these seven sites.

In 2013, RCS secured continuation funding for Fit for Work North Wales from the European Social Fund through WEFO. The project delivery ran until March 2015.

In late 2014 the UK Government launched a national advice and assessment service called Fit for Work, aimed at employees of small to medium businesses who are off sick or expected to be off sick for 4 weeks. GPs and employers can refer into the service and employees can access occupational health professional advice and assessments around issues preventing them from returning to work.

The Department for Health & Social Services applied for European Social Funds to deliver a project in north Wales EU ‘Convergence’ area. The project would be able to receive clients signposted from Fit for Work who have been assessed to require therapeutic, work-focused interventions to help them return to work. RCS is a proposed joint beneficiary who will deliver the project.

RCS works on the idea that our partners can deliver more if they combine and align their efforts behind shared priorities, and are given more freedom to try out new ideas and to tailor services in response to local need. This project encourages innovation and fresh new approaches. RCS bring a strong delivery record over the last four years of Fit for Work and seek to continue to build on this with the new project.

The project is aimed at supporting employees with mild to moderate work limiting health conditions, who are off sick, to return to work and retaining employees with work limiting health problems in work.

Tender Approach

The majority of referrals to the project are likely to be due to musculoskeletal or mental health problems, and provision may include:

-physiotherapy, chiropractory and osteopathy

-evidence-based psychological and occupational therapies including CBT

approaches and counselling

-chiropody / podiatry

-condition management

-‘Mindfulness’ and group-based approaches

-support for drug and alcohol / substance misuse problems

-coaching, mentoring, motivational interviewing, pain and stress management, and condition self-management

The key objective of this procurement process is to secure high quality and effective therapy services, which offer RCS value for money and added value in the services. In order to do this, the service will take the form of a single lot, multi supplier framework agreement covering all therapeutic interventions to be delivered to the client group.

The service required will include:

- Delivery of therapeutic services to aid recovery of musculoskeletal issues to individuals.

- Delivery of therapeutic services to aid recovery of mental health issues to individuals.

- Delivery of condition management sessions to groups who may be suffering from musculoskeletal issues.

- Delivery of group information / mind-set sessions to groups who may be suffering from mental health problems.

- Delivery of therapeutic services to aid recovery of drug and alcohol problems (substance misuse) to individuals.

- Delivery of group information to groups who may be suffering from drug and alcohol problems (substance misuse).

The process will be conducted under the Light Touch Regime and will be conducted via the e-tender Wales portal. (https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk).

The new in work support service delivers throughout Denbighshire, Conwy, Gwynedd and Anglesey, from two main offices in Rhyl and Bangor with access to other premises throughout the location.

It will be able to offer Case Coordinator support, referrals to other key organisations for assistance and offer access to therapy sessions to treat the clients work limiting health condition up to a maximum of six sessions.

It will complement the UK Government Fit for Work advice and assessment service by being able to support absentee clients who come through the service and are identified as needing additional support from our case managed service. Our programme can also support presentees, those in work and struggling due to a work limiting health condition, and self-employed people.

*Please note, RCS are awaiting a final decision on an ESF funding agreement. Any work carried out towards this should be undertaken at the providers own risk and no recompense can be sought from RCS or Welsh Government.

Absentees will be determined as:

Employees who have been absent from work or are expected to be absent from work for 4 weeks, who have been signposted from the Fit for Work service (following referral by their GP or Employer) and have received a Return to Work Plan.

Presentees will be determined as:

Employees or self-employed people who remain in work but are struggling with a work limiting health condition and are at risk of going on sick leave, who have been referred directly into the new service by either self, GP or employer referral.

Eligibility will primarily be determined by whether the client is employed and whether they work or live in the geographical area the project covers.

NOTE: The authority is using eTenderwales to carry out this procurement process. To obtain further information record your interest on Sell2Wales at http://www.sell2wales.gov.uk/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=34884

NOTE: The authority is using eTenderwales to carry out this procurement process. To obtain further information record your interest on Sell2Wales at http://www.sell2wales.gov.uk/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=35834

II.1.6)

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

II.1.7)

Contract covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

II.1.8)

Division into lots

II.1.9)

Will variants be accepted

II.2)

Quantity or Scope of the Contract

II.2.1)

Total quantity or scope

II.2.2)

Options

Provisional timetable for recourse to these options

Number of possible renewals

In the case of renewable supplies or service contracts, estimated time frame for subsequent contracts

II.3)

Duration of the contract or limit for completion

Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial and Technical Information

III.1)

Conditions Relating to the Contract

III.1.1)

Deposits and guarantees required

III.1.2)

Main Terms of financing and payment and/or reference to the relevant provisions

Delivery payments

More details can be found in the Tender Specification Documents and the Framework Agreement

III.1.3)

Legal form to be taken by the grouping of suppliers, contractors or service providers to whom the contract is to be awarded

III.1.4)

Other particular conditions to which the performance of the contract is subject

III.2)

Conditions for Participation

III.2.1)

Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers

III.2.2)

Economic and financial capacity

III.2.3)

Technical capacity

III.2.4)

Reserved contracts

The contract is restricted to sheltered workshops
The execution of the contract is restricted to the framework of sheltered employment programmes

III.3)

Conditions Specific to Service Contracts

III.3.1)

Is provision of the service reserved to a specific profession?

III.3.2)

Will legal entities be required to state the names and professional qualifications of the personnel responsible for the execution of the service?

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)

Type of Procedure

Open		Restricted
Accelerated restricted		Negotiated
Accelerated negotiated		Competitive dialogue

Justification for the choice of accelerated procedure

IV.1.1)

Have candidates already been selected?

IV.1.2)

Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate

Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates

IV.1.3)

Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue

Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated

IV.2)

Award Criteria

IV.2.2)

An electronic auction will be used

IV.3 Administrative Information

IV.3.1)

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

IV.3.2)

Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract

Prior Information Notice
Notice on a Buyer Profile

Other previous publications

IV.3.3)

Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents

IV.3.4)

Time-limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

IV.3.5)

Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

IV.3.6)

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

IV.3.7)

Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender 

IV.3.8)

Conditions for opening tenders

Section VI: Other Information

VI.1)

Indicate whether this procurement is a recurrent one and the Estimated timing for further notices to be published

VI.2)

Does the contract relate to a Project/Programme financed by Community Funds?

This procurement exercise is being conducted by RCS (Rhyl City Strategy). RCS is a ‘joint beneficiary’ for delivery of an In-work Support project. The Department for Health & Social Services is the lead beneficiary. The project is funded through European Social Fund (ESF) funds from the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO).* Further information about RCS and WEFO can be found below.

www.rcs-wales.co.uk and www.wefo.wales.gov.uk

VI.3)

Additional Information

The tender application process is being conducted via the E-tender Wales portal and all documentation and submissions must be conducted via the following website

https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk

The tender reference is itt_50520 and can be also searched under RCS.

This Contract Notice is the same as OCT104554 which was published until 16 October 2015 and has subsequently been cancelled.

(WA Ref:35834)

VI.4)

Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)

Body responsible for appeal procedures

Body responsible for mediation procedures

VI.4.2)

Lodging of appeals
Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals:

VI.4.3)

Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained

VI.5)

Dispatch date of this Notice