Purpose

This item will
recommend that the Director of Public Health approve the award of a
four-year contract (with the option of two one-year extensions) for
the Community Connector service, to commence on 1 February
2025.
 
On the 23rd
of January 2024, the Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee
authorised the Director of Public Health to recommission Community
Connector, ‘Connect Us’ Service in Wirral. The
Committee, delegated authority to the Director of Public Health to
award the tender to the successful bidder(s) following the tender
process. This report provides an update on the re-commissioning
process and advises on the outcome in relation to the Community
Connector, ‘Connect Us’ Service.
 
The process has
concluded, the tenders received have been fully evaluated according
to the Council’s procurement rules and the Director of Public
Health is recommended to award the contract to the successful
bidder, Involve Northwest. Current commissioning arrangements
expire at the end of January 2025.
 
The commission
supports the implementation of the Wirral Working Together Plan
2023-2027 and its core purpose to work together to promote fairness
and opportunity for people and communities in Wirral through
working to local priorities using local resources to ensure Wirral
residents receive the best possible services.
 
The proposed actions
affect all wards within the borough and the decisions requested
are
key decisions.
 
Appendix 1 to this
report contains exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A of
the Local Government Act 1972. It is in the public interest to
exclude the press and public under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of
Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 ‘Information
relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding
the information).

 

Decision

The Director of Public
Health, under delegated authority from the Adult Social Care and
Public Health committee (23rd January 2024), has  approved the award of a four-year contract, with
the option of two one-year extensions) in relation to the Community
Connector ‘Connect Us’ Service, to Involve Northwest
within the approved budget and as the highest scoring tenderer, in
accordance with the most economically advantageous tender criteria
at a total cost of £2,871,493.85 over the initial four-year
term.
 

Reasons for the decision

The current contract for the
Community Connector, ‘Connect Us’ Service, delivered by
Involve Northwest expires on 31st of January 2025. A
procurement exercise has been completed in accordance with the
Council’s Contract Procedure Rules, utilising the competitive
dialogue process.
 
The tenders that were
submitted were evaluated against a 10% contract price,10% Social
Value and 80% contract quality ratio. The successful bidder met all
the quality requirements within the allocated budget.
 

Alternative options considered

The current commission
was considered as part of the Public Health Grant Review process.
Options, including contract length, contract value and service
capacity, were explored. The impact of not recommissioning the
service was also considered. Not reprocuring the service was not
deemed to be a viable option. Given the level of increasing complex
needs of residents experienced across the borough relating to
mental health and social isolation, the grant review panel
concluded that maintaining the service as a Wirral wide resource
was the best option.