Issue - items at meetings - Re-Tendering Home Care Contracts

1.     That the district contracts for home care services be re-tendered during the financial year 2008-09 for the subsequent three years. 

2.     That it is agreed that the re-tender will be for new cases arising during the contract period only and these will be subject to the new contract.  The expectation is that existing work will come under the terms and conditions of the new contracts with each successful provider (as agreed in the previous two tendering processes).

3.     That a service user representative be included on the Tender Evaluation Panel.

4.     That the Director of Adult Social Care & Housing be authorised to approve the recommendations of the tender evaluation panel, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, and the letting of contracts.

5.     That the Director of Adult Social Care and Housing be authorised to approve any other matters in connection with the tendering and contract award exercise, including any necessary adjustments to the procedures outlined in the officer’s report.

14.1    The Cabinet Member considered a report of The Director of Adult Social Care & Housing which sought to secure the agreement in principle to proposals for re-tendering contracts for home care services  (for copy see minute book).  The report stressed that home care was an essential service which was key to supporting the national and local agenda of personalisation in social care.  The tendering process needed to support this agenda, ensure quality and value for money and comply with the relevant tendering legislation.    

14.2    The Cabinet Member stressed that the current contractual arrangements had worked well and had received commendations from different sources.  The Director of Adult Social Care & Housing reported that the focus in re-tendering would be on quality of home care, as it had been in previous years. 

14.3    The Contracts Manager reported that the council was experienced in re-tendering and most of the home care provided was rated as good or excellent by the Commission for Social Care & Inspection (CSCI).  The work of the Contracts Unit was supported by the Independent Providers Forum. 

14.4      RESOLVED – (1)  That the district contracts for home care services be re-tendered during the financial year 2008-09 for the subsequent three years. 

(2)         That it is agreed that the re-tender will be for new cases arising during the contract period only and these will be subject to the new contract.  The expectation is that existing work will come under the terms and conditions of the new contracts with each successful provider (as agreed in the previous two tendering processes).

(3)         That a service user representative be included on the Tender Evaluation Panel.

(4)         That the Director of Adult Social Care & Housing be authorised to approve the recommendations of the tender evaluation panel, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, and the letting of contracts.

(5)         That the Director of Adult Social Care and Housing be authorised to approve any other matters in connection with the tendering and contract award exercise, including any necessary adjustments to the procedures outlined in the officer’s report.