Home Based Care Services - Open Framework

Description

Following extensive Preliminary Market Engagement with suppliers, peer benchmarking and a review of options, Portsmouth City Council (the Council) is recommending to decision makers that it procures future home based care service requirements through the establishment of an Open Framework. A decision paper is due to be taken to the next Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, Health and Care public meeting which is scheduled for 10th November 2025 17:00. The paper is published on the Council's website and can be accessed via the following link: https://democracy.portsmouth.gov.uk/documents/s59722/Procurement of Domicilary Care.pdf Subject to approval of the recommendations made at the public meeting, the Council is targeting to commence the formal procurement process to establish the open framework in line with the latest indicative programme set out below: • Contract notice published - 11th November 2025 • Tender Briefing Sessions - 11th - 14th November • Deadline for requests for clarification - 28th November 2025 • Tender return deadline for Stage 1 - 5th December 2026 • Tenderers notified of outcome - 16th January 2026 • Stage 2 quality evaluation - 26th January - 1st June 2026 • Award decision notified to tenderers - 15th June 2026 • Standstill Period Start - 16th June 2026 • Standstill Period Concludes - 26th June 2026 • Contract Award confirmed and contracts issued - 29th June 2026 • Framework commencement - 1st July 2026 The Council will establish the framework agreement via a Competitive Flexible Procedure 2 stage procurement process in accordance with the relevant regulations contained within the Procurement Act 23 that apply to Light Touch Regime services and establishment & operation of Open Frameworks. The 2 stage process is summarised below: • Stage 1: Providers will complete a series of pass/fail questions (Procurement Specific Questionnaire) and submit pricing • Stage 2: The Council will conduct a partial Provider Assessment and Market Managements Solutions (PAMMS) assessment In order to pass stage 1 suppliers must • Have a Registered Office within the following postcodes: PO1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,11,12,16 OR • Must be in the process of setting up a new Registered Office with CQC within those postcodes and be able to evidence this via a copy of their response from CQC confirming receipt of their application At stage 2 PAMMS assessment suppliers must be able to evidence that they are delivering care to at least three individuals from their local nominated Registered Office. A score will be calculated based on the rate submitted (representing 60% of the score) and the PAMMS assessment (representing 40% of the score). Suppliers will then be ranked within each Lot based on their combined score. Every year, framework providers will complete a further PAMMS assessment and will be re-ranked based on new assessment scores. In the event that there is a package of care where two or more suppliers can meet the needs, the package will be awarded to the highest ranked supplier. The framework agreement will be split into 3 Lots as follows: • Lot 1 - Standard Home-Based Care • Lot 2 - Complex Home-Based Care • Lot 3 - Take a Break (formerly Sitting Service) A maximum of 40 suppliers will be appointed onto each Lot. Suppliers will be able to bid for multiple Lots and can be awarded places on multiple Lots. The framework will operate for an initial term of 8 years. It will be an Open Framework which will reopen once within the first 3-year period, and the Council will open it again at least once in the remaining 5-year contract term as required under Regulation 49 of the Procurement Act 23. The Council may opt to open the framework for applications earlier than required, although not likely to be ever more than once per year. Earlier re-opening could be triggered by a range of factors, such as: • Supply & demand changes • Changes to requirements • Changes to framework lotting structure • Changes to pricing structures • Changes to qualitative assessment • Changes to framework management • Addition of new framework lots • Changes to demand, volumes, values and geographical coverage due to impact of Local Government Re-organisation For Lots 1 and 2, the Council is proposing to move from a fixed rate to a market-led rate. For Lot 1 - Standard Home-Based Care a minimum rate of £21.00 and maximum rate of £24.40 will apply. Rates may be submitted below the minimum rate but will be subject to additional scrutiny around sustainability and may be rejected. For Lot 2 - Complex Home-Based Care a minimum rate of £21.00 will apply but no maximum rate will be applied due to high variability in the type and complexity of care that may be required under this Lot. As per Lot 1, rates may be submitted below the minimum rate but will be subject to additional scrutiny around sustainability and may be rejected. For Lot 3 - Take a Break pricing will remain at a set rate of £20.08 to support management of a discrete budget via the Carer's Service. Minimum and maximum rates - as well as the hourly rate paid for any package of care commissioned under the new Framework - will be eligible for an uplift in April 2027. For Lots 1 & 2, framework suppliers will be able to revise their pricing, within relevant minimum & maximum constraints, up to twice per framework operational year. Any changes will trigger a recalculation of assessment and subsequent revised Lot ranking. While the planned procurement is being undertaken the Council will extend the existing contract for its Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for Domiciliary Care for a further 1-year period to cover 1st February 2026 to 31st January 2027. Please note that in extending the arrangement the DPS will remain closed to new entrants as per the current position. Whilst the extension of the DPS goes beyond the date of the timeline above it will allow for the Council to continue to compliantly commission packages of care between 1st February 2026 and 30th June 2026, and beyond those dates should there be any delay to the start date of the new framework.