To seek authorisation to tender community drug and alcohol housing related support services.

That:

1.    Agreement is given that, in keeping with the Cabinet decision of July 2010, a drug and alcohol service schedule under Part 3 of the Section 75 Agreement be agreed by the relevant Commissioning Director after consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member and the Director Strategic Finance and the Cabinet Member for Finance;

2. Authorisation is given to officers to provide such professional assistance to NHS Gloucestershire as is necessary for NHS Gloucestershire to develop and conduct a competitive tender process relating to the award of a contract for the supply of community specialist drug and alcohol services within Gloucestershire and to ensure that such contract will meet the drug and alcohol housing related support requirements of both NHS Gloucestershire and, more particularly, the Council;

3.    Authorisation is given to officers to take part in the evaluation process in respect of tenders that are received in the course of the said competitive tender process for the purpose of ensuring that the contract is awarded by NHS Gloucestershire to the preferred provider which is evaluated to offer the Council best value for money for delivery of the Council’s requirements in respect of drug and alcohol housing related support; 

4.    upon completion of the competitive tender process, authorisation is given to NHS Gloucestershire to award the contract for drug and alcohol housing related support services to the preferred provider which is evaluated to offer the Council best value for money for delivery of the Council’s requirements in respect of drug and alcohol housing related support services and for NHS Gloucestershire to enter into the contract with the preferred provider on both NHS Gloucestershire’s and the Council’s behalves.  In the event that the preferred provider is either unable or unwilling to enter into the contract with NHS Gloucestershire then NHS Gloucestershire is authorised to award the contract to the next willing highest placed suitably qualified tenderer. 

5.    Authorisation is given toofficers to commit resources, whose value shall not exceed £685,000 per annum for up to five years, to meet the cost of the delivery of the drug and alcohol housing related support services required by the Council under the contract. 

6.  authority is delegated to the Commissioning Director Children and Families in consultation with Cabinet Member for Vulnerable Families to approve a council led competitive tender process for the award of a contract whose value shall be £685,000 per annum for up to five years for the supply of drug and alcohol housing related support services in Gloucestershire in the event that the risks outlined in section 5 should impact on the council’s ability to achieve its outcomes and, upon conclusion of the procurement process, to award a contract to the preferred provider that is evaluated to offer the Council best value for money.

Paul McLain, Cabinet Member for Vulnerable Families, introduced this report.

In response to questions Mr McLain clarified that the report sought to implement the Supporting People Strategy which had been agreed by Cabinet in March 2011.  This would be by working on a joint commissioning basis with the NHS.   He assured Cabinet that service users from all of the current providers would be involved in the ongoing consultation process to develop the details of the new specification document.

Having considered the information within the report, including the options highlighted, Cabinet

Resolved

That:

1.     Agreement is given that, in keeping with the Cabinet decision of July 2010, a drug and alcohol service schedule under Part 3 of the Section 75 Agreement be agreed by the relevant Commissioning Director after consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member and the Director Strategic Finance and the Cabinet Member for Finance;

2.     Authorisation is given to officers to provide such professional assistance to NHS Gloucestershire as is necessary for NHS Gloucestershire to develop and conduct a competitive tender process relating to the award of a contract for the supply of community specialist drug and alcohol services within Gloucestershire and to ensure that such contract will meet the drug and alcohol housing related support requirements of both NHS Gloucestershire and, more particularly, the Council;

3.     Authorisation is given to officers to take part in the evaluation process in respect of tenders that are received in the course of the said competitive tender process for the purpose of ensuring that the contract is awarded by NHS Gloucestershire to the preferred provider which is evaluated to offer the Council best value for money for delivery of the Council’s requirements in respect of drug and alcohol housing related support; 

4.     upon completion of the competitive tender process, authorisation is given to NHS Gloucestershire to award the contract for drug and alcohol housing related support services to the preferred provider which is evaluated to offer the Council best value for money for delivery of the Council’s requirements in respect of drug and alcohol housing related support services and for NHS Gloucestershire to enter into the contract with the preferred provider on both NHS Gloucestershire’s and the Council’s behalves.  In the event that the preferred provider is either unable or unwilling to enter into the contract with NHS Gloucestershire then NHS Gloucestershire is authorised to award the contract to the next willing highest placed suitably qualified tenderer. 

5.     Authorisation is given to officers to commit resources, whose value shall not exceed £685,000 per annum for up to five years, to meet the cost of the delivery of the drug and alcohol housing related support services required by the Council under the contract. 

6.    authority is delegated to the Commissioning Director Children and Families in consultation with Cabinet Member for Vulnerable Families to approve a council led competitive tender process for the award of a contract whose value shall be £685,000 per annum for up to five years for the supply of drug and alcohol housing related support services in Gloucestershire in the event that the risks outlined in section 5 should impact on the council’s ability to achieve its outcomes and, upon conclusion of the procurement process, to award a contract to the preferred provider that is evaluated to offer the Council best value for money.