Provision of a Stalking Service

Description

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire is issuing this virtual Request for Information with the market in advance of a procurement exercise. The purpose of this RFI is to seek feedback from suitably qualified and experienced providers to help inform the development and refinement of the proposed scope and specification. Providers are invited to review the attached draft specification and associated questions. The Authority welcomes responses to the questions provided. The information gathered through this process will be used to inform the final scope and specification and to ensure that any subsequent procurement exercise is robust, transparent and aligned with current market conditions. All responses and clarifications must be submitted in writing by 6th March 2026 to the Authority’s e-tendering portal, Proquro using the following link https://help.proquro.co.uk/supplier-self-registration/ Overview: The Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue, and Crime (The Commissioner), wishes to commission a free, effective, Stalking Support Service across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, which will provide independent, specialist interventions to victims of non-DA related stalking (including cyber and digital). The service will comprise (not exhaustive): • Trained Independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworkers • Need and risk-based assessment • Risk management/safety planning • Care planned interventions • One to one and group work sessions • Emotional and practical support • Advocacy - point of contact/liaison with police/courts in any investigation • Specialist advice and support in relation to digital/cyber stalking • Support to access other services (signposting and managed handover) • Service exit planning • Awareness raising The aim is to provide high quality, accessible, independent, specialist support. Interventions will be individually tailored to meet victim needs and reduce risk, increase safety and empower people to make positive choices and respond when stalking is experienced. It will also help victims to cope and recover. The model and approach will be evidence-based, trauma informed, ACE aware, founded on safety, trust, choice and empowerment. It will incorporate a restorative approach, including motivational interviewing, strengths building, peer support, non-shaming, non-judgemental, listening. It will recognise the complexity of stalking and provide interventions as needed, working in close collaboration with other services to provide holistic, joined up support. Given the service is new, the provider will be flexible in their approach to developing and implementing the service. Staff will operate across the whole geography flexibly to meet demand. The Service will commence 1 December 2026 for a period of 3 years with the option to extend for a further 2 x 1-year periods. The Commissioner is planning a digital market engagement exercise. The purpose of the market engagement is to share some of the main aspects of the service requirements and receive market views, before the formal tender is launched. Full details about this pre-market engagement can be accessed at https://portal.proquro.co.uk/Suppliers/Tenders/Details?id=1045