Alert
Invitation to Tender – New Home Support Provider Framework
Via Email
Date: 8th August 2019
Adult Social Services, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich Norfolk NR1 2DH
NCC contact number: 0344 800 8020 Text relay no: 18001 0344 800 8020
To NCC Home Support Providers
The purpose of this letter is to alert you that an Invitation to Tender (ITT) for a new Home Support Framework has been published and to provide links to web-sites with more details about the tender process and deadlines.
The Council is continuing with phase 2 of the Home Support Framework and replacing the current Home Support Framework with a new updated Home Support Framework Agreement. The new Framework is based on Primary Care Network (PCN) areas across Norfolk.
This was announced at the Home Support Market Engagement Event, held at Dereham Football Club on Friday 19th 2019. Presentations and feedback from the event can be found on the Keeping Well at Home Blog https://norfolkkpwah.com/ or on the Council’s Care Market News https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/business/supplying-norfolk-county-council/norfolk-care-market/news.
The intention is to move existing packages of care to the new Framework on their current terms and conditions. The new Framework Agreement will be used to arrange individual packages of care, a round of packages of care, a commitment to buy a volume of hours in a particular area (previously referred to as ‘block contracts’) and specialist services. Existing NCC providers with a CQC rating of good or outstanding who apply will be fast-tracked on to the Framework Agreement. The expectation is that successful providers will work together to facilitate effective delivery of home support services across Primary Care Network (PCNs) areas.
This opportunity is published on the In-tend web-site, http://In-Tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc with project reference of NCCT41877. To access the documents, interested providers must express interest in the tender. They will then be able to view the documents which contain information about the Council’s plans as well as advice on how to apply. All correspondence and clarifications in relation to the tender will be issued via this system, so if you are interested in applying to the Framework, please make sure you check the site regularly.
A Question & Answer session will be held on 28 August 2019 at 10:00 (there may be an additional session at 12.00 due to numbers) at the White Horse Inn in Trowse. To reserve a place, please e-mail Commissioning Support Officer, Alice Dyson, alice.dyson@norfolk.gov.uk before noon on Thursday 22 August 2019.
The closing date for the tender is 2pm on Monday 16 September 2019. Please see full timetable below.
If you encounter any difficulties whilst using the system you can contact the In-Tend support team by phoning 0845 557 8079 or +44 (0) 114 407 0065 or by emailing support@in-tend.co.uk
Regards from
Fiona Craig
Head of Integrated Commissioning (North) and Lead for Home Support
| Procurement reference number | NCCT41887 | |
| Procurement title | Home Support Framework for Norfolk | |
| Details of the contract notice | Date dispatched to publisher | Monday 5 August 2019 |
| Publication | Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union | |
| Contracting Authority’s name and address | Procurement Sourcing Team
Norfolk County Council Floor 3 County Hall Martineau Lane Norwich United Kingdom |
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| Correspondence | All correspondence and clarifications regarding the procurement should go through In-Tend: http://In-Tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc | |
| Procurement procedure | Open procedure as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended) | |
| Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 | The Authority has concluded that it is not appropriate to consult on social value in respect of this procurement, because social value to at the heart of this service. | |
| Information and Q&A session for Bidders | 28 August 2019 at 10:00 (there may be an additional session at 12.00 due to numbers) at the White Horse Inn in Trowse | |
| Final deadline for submission of clarification questions relating to ITT | 2pm UK time on Monday 9 September 2019 | |
| Deadline to request further explanation about clarification answers (no new questions to be introduced) | Midnight UK time on the third working day after the Council sends its final answers to the clarification questions received before the above deadline | |
| Deadline for submission of tender documents | 2pm UK time on Monday 16 September 2019 | |
| Address for submission of tender documents | All tenders must be submitted via the In-Tend portal. | |
| Period for which offers must remain open for acceptance | 180 days from the tender submission deadline | |
| Award decision notice and standstill process | The Council shall have no obligation to Applicants concerning debriefing beyond those contained in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended). The Council will observe a standstill period and will not appoint to the framework until after midnight on the tenth day after the award decision notice has been issued to the Applicants.
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| Expected date for issuing intention to award letters and for standstill period to commence | Friday 11 October 2019 (First Tranche)
Please note that the Council will evaluate the applications in tranches due to the checks required. This mean the framework agreements will be awarded in batches. |
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| Expected date for standstill period to finish | Midnight UK time on Monday 21 October 2019 | |
| Framework Award | Tuesday 22 October 2019 (First Tranche) | |
Summary of Home Support Provider Event held at Dereham Football Club on 19th July 2019
Norfolk County Council (NCC) invited all providers of home support services in Norfolk to this event. The aim of the day was to stocktake the key issues, developments, successes and challenges in the home support sector in Norfolk. Feedback was sought on the way NCC sources, contracts and commissions home support services. The day was structured to involve participants in a mixture of presentations, help desks and round table discussions.
The Head of Commissioning in North Norfolk and Lead for Home Support Services, introduced the programme for the day and gave an update of NCC spend on home support. There was an overview of the ‘Living Well’ strategy and its intention to work more closely with providers. The main challenges facing the markets were discussed including the increased population of older people, financial austerity, Brexit decisions, the delayed Green Paper for Social Care and integration of Health and Social Care and emerging Primary Care Networks (PCN).
Important update – Guidance for Providers
- Medication Error and Safeguarding – Guidance for providers
Norfolk County Council receives thousands of notifications from providers about medication errors. Some of these need to be reported as safeguarding concerns and some don’t. But which ones?
To support providers, the Quality Assurance Team of Norfolk County Council and the Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board (NSAB) have produced new joint guidance.
Patent Safety Alert Re: Thick & Easy (starch)
We acknowledging that some of you may already have received this important safety alert from other sources, we felt it appropriate to share to ensure that Norfolk’s care market is fully aware of the issue
Dear Provider
We have had reports of people aspirating fluids that have not been thickened correctly due to issues with Thick & Easy (starch) scoop sizes changing.
Please read the attached patient safety alert regarding Thick & Easy (starch) by clicking on this link: Patent Safety alert v0.3 FINAL . There are actions for GP practices, pharmacies and patients/carers/care staff in the alert. Please take the action that is relevant to you in your setting.
If there is no relevant action , then this alert has been sent to you for you information.
Kind regards
Kate Wyatt
Quality Improvement Nurse for Care Homes
07775 007504
Q Member
NHS North and South Norfolk CCG, Lakeside 400, Broadland Business Park, Old Chapel Way, Norwich, NR7 0WG
Patent Safety alert v0.3 FINAL
It’s very hot – so just a reminder…..
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Look at Independent Age’s latest free guide ‘Summerwise’ which has information on how to stay safe and well in hot weather.
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