Leaving Care Night Concierge Service (Out-of-Hours Support)

Description

This request for expressions of interest is issued solely for the purpose of conducting market engagement and does not constitute any commitment by the Authority to undertake any procurement exercise in the future. This exercise includes no element of supplier evaluation. No parties will be prejudiced by any response or failure to respond to this by the deadline, there is no commitment of any kind involved on either side. This request does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services and the Authority is not bound by any proposal offered. If you are interested in this potential opportunity, then please express an interest by 17 June 2026 at 12:00pm by email to: stephen.barker@somerset.gov.uk Background Somerset Council is seeking to understand market interest and capability in delivering an out-of-hours Night Concierge Service to support young people residing in Leaving Care accommodation. A previously commissioned concierge service ceased in 2024, with interim arrangements relying on internal on-call provision. This approach has proved unsustainable and has increased risks relating to: • Staff wellbeing • Safeguarding and incident response • Increased reliance on emergency services • Community and neighbour complaints The Council is therefore exploring options to secure a safe, responsive, and sustainable overnight support model, aligned with its corporate parenting responsibilities. Service Overview The Night Concierge Service is intended to provide overnight support to Leaving Care accommodation (x3 homes in Somerset, x2 in central Taunton, x1 in central Bridgwater) ensuring: • Resident safety and welfare • Rapid response to incidents and emergencies • De-escalation of risk situations • Reassurance to residents and local communities • Reduced pressure on internal services The service is expected to operate across multiple sites and provide a combination of: • Scheduled welfare checks • Responsive call-out capability • Incident management and reporting • Liaison with emergency services where required Key Objectives The Council is seeking a model that: • Ensures consistent overnight safeguarding coverage • Provides a timely and professional response service • Reduces reliance on internal on-call arrangements • Is cost-effective and scalable • Aligns with best practice in supported accommodation Delivery Expectations Providers are asked to consider how they would deliver the following: 1. Overnight Coverage Model • Proposed hours of operation (typically overnight) • Staffing model (mobile patrol vs. static presence vs. hybrid) • Geographic coverage across Somerset 2. Response & Call-Out Arrangements • Response times to incidents • Triage and prioritisation of calls • Escalation procedures 3. Safeguarding & Risk Management • Safeguarding governance and policies • Incident reporting and information sharing • Management of high-risk behaviours or situations 4. Workforce • Staffing structure and roles • Recruitment, vetting, and training • Experience of working with care leavers or vulnerable young adults 5. Partnership Working • Working with Somerset Council teams • Engagement with emergency services • Communication with housing providers 6. Mobilisation • Timescales for implementation • Approach to rapid mobilisation (particularly for interim provision) Service Models Under Consideration The Council is particularly interested in market feedback on the feasibility and design of the following models: Full Night Concierge Service • Comprehensive overnight support including patrols, welfare checks, and call-outs • Fully commissioned external service • Aligned with sector best practice Reduced / Interim Models • Limited visit-based or call-out-only provision • Short-term stabilisation approach Partnership / Hybrid Models • Integration with existing provision (e.g. local providers models) • Flexible, scalable arrangements Procurement Context The Council is considering a phased approach, which may include: • Short-term/interim solution via a quick quotation process (if below threshold) • Longer-term solution via a full open tender There is currently no suitable framework or DPS available, so procurement routes will be bespoke. Market Engagement Purpose This engagement is intended to: • Assess market capacity and appetite • Understand delivery models and innovation • Inform service specification design • Shape the procurement approach Anticipated Timeline • Market engagement: Summer 2026 • Interim arrangement (if required): ASAP • Formal procurement (if required): 2026/27 • Service commencement: To be confirmed Deadline for responding: 17.06.2026, 12 noon Thank you.