Health and social work services

Description

A competitive tender is required to appoint a single provider, to deliver integration and support services to both refugee families already settled across the region, and the additional 10 families who are expected to arrive before March 2020. The successful provider will be required to be ready to deliver the service within 4 weeks from notification of award of contract and will need to demonstrate local knowledge and experience of supporting vulnerable people with complex needs, and people seeking sanctuary. The successful provider will also need to ensure a sustainable and robust business model to deliver the service to a high standard. In 2014, the UK Government responded to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Syria by announcing the creation of the vulnerable persons resettlement scheme, which aimed to relocate 20,000 of the most vulnerable refugees to the UK, by March 2020. Local authorities were asked to participate on a voluntary basis and a Leadership Group was formed, from members of the public service board, to oversee the implementation of the programme and to provide strategic oversight. Cardiff Council and the Vale of Glamorgan Council agreed to work in partnership, to deliver the programme on a regional basis under the terms of a collaborative agreement, which was issued in May 2016. Arrangements were put in place to receive 10 families across the region during the first year and it was intended the same level of resettlement would be maintained over the lifespan of the Programme. In May 2016, an Integration and support services provider was appointed, following a competitive tender, to provide resettlement support across the region, in accordance with the requirements set out in the service specification. The service contract, awarded to Taff Housing Association, dovetailed with the collaboration agreement and was issued for an initial 12-month term, with the option to extend for 2 further 12 month terms, by agreement. In May 2018, the authorities mutually agreed to extend both Agreements to enable participation in the VPRS for a third and final year, under the current arrangements. Both agreements end on 16.5.2019. According to the most recent data published by the Home Office (February 2019), 14,945 refugees (including dependants) were resettled in the UK at the end of December 2018 under the VPRS, including 959 in Wales. Therefore, the Home Office still requires the voluntary assistance of local authorities to achieve its pledge to resettle 20,000 of the most vulnerable refugees by March 2020. On the 16th May, cabinet approved recommendations to extend the current regional partnership arrangements for an additional term, to facilitate the resettlement of up to 6 families in Cardiff until March 2020, in line with the home office objective. On 20th May, the managing director used emergency powers to approve recommendations, on behalf of the Vale of Glamorgan Cabinet, to resettlement of an additional 4 families on the same, continued regional basis. In compliance with the programme grant conditions (see Appendix 1, Local Authority Funding Instructions 2018-19), a competitive tender is required to appoint a single provider, to deliver integration and support services to both refugee families already settled across the region, and the additional 10 families who are expected to arrive before March 2020. The successful provider will be required to be ready to deliver the service within 4 weeks from notification of award of contract and will need to demonstrate local knowledge and experience of supporting vulnerable people with complex needs, and people seeking sanctuary. The successful provider will also need to ensure a sustainable and robust business model to deliver the service to a high standard. The service specification has been updated, since the last contract was issued, to reflect operational changes and to ensure the service is meets the needs of both service users and stakeholders over the long term.