Soft Market Testing: Young Parents Accommodation Provider Engagement

Description

The London Borough of Hackney is currently exploring the appetite and availability of landlords and providers to deliver a supported accommodation service for young parents aged 16-21 to commence towards the end of 2024. Prior to any formal market engagement event we invite prospective providers to participate in a soft market test to enhance our knowledge of the current market and what it is able to offer. This will inform the market engagement event and the specification for the service delivery. Lot 1: Soft Market Testing:Young Parents Support Accommodation - Provider Engagement The London Borough of Hackney is currently exploring the appetite and availability of landlords and providers to deliver a supported accommodation service for young parents aged 16-21 to commence towards the end of 2024. Prior to any formal market engagement event we invite prospective providers to participate in a soft market test to enhance our knowledge of the current market and what it is able to offer. This will inform the market engagement event and the specification for the service delivery. Currently there are 380 looked after young people in Hackney and around 450 care leavers. Out of this number we’ve had around 30 young parents who have been care leavers and a small number of looked after children who have become parents. We have a statutory duty to provide supported accommodation for our looked after children and care leavers and ensure those who are parents receive the support they need. Young Parents Supported Accommodation Service Currently, we have one service delivered in the borough through a block contract that is due to be recommissioned by the end of 2024. We have 8 self contained flats in one building in Hackney, with an office on site and staff present during the day and night. There is also CCTV coverage of the whole building. This service is well utilised and the capacity is meeting our current needs. The service is Ofsted registered under supported living. We are seeking the following: Landlords We require Social Registered Landlords with properties with 8-10 units in Hackney to work with us for the upcoming procurement to deliver a service to Young Parents. Ideally we will need self contained units in one building with a separate office onsite. The premises must be staffed 24 hours. We are keen to use this exercise to assess the availability of suitable properties to accommodate our young people in the borough and if landlords are willing to work in partnership with the local authority by allowing a Support Provider (who is not necessarily the landlord) to deliver the service. Support providers We want to hear from Support Providers who are interested in delivering accommodation based support service for young people in Hackney. We would want this service to be staffed during the day and night. We want to know if these providers already have their own properties or can source their own for this service by the end of 2024. This notice does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services for the Council and the Council is not bound to accept any proposals offered. The Council is not liable for any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any party participating in the soft market testing/sounding exercise. Any procurement of any services by the Council in due course will be carried out strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. We will be holding 2 virtual information events during the week commencing 15th January 2024, one for Landlords and one for Support Providers. Landlords: Monday 15th January 2024 10am to 12pm Support Providers: Tuesday 16th January 2024 10am to 12pm Registering an interest If you are interested in participating in the soft market testing exercise please complete the attached questionnaire sheet and return via the messaging function on the ProContract portal under the reference number DN702652. All communication regarding this exercise will be conducted through the messaging functions of the ProContract portal to ensure transparency and a clear audit trail of enquiries. The deadline for registering interest and completing the attached questionnaire is Friday 22nd December 2023 12 noon.