BCC TENDER PROCESS: A WORD FROM CARE & SUPPORT WEST

This Newsletter comes to you as those of us who have decided to engage in the Bristol City Council Care Home Tender process are in the midst of the work involved.   This is undoubtedly a huge commitment that will require research and reference to your policies and to the tender documents.  We estimate that it is at least a full-time week’s work by a senior member of your team to accomplish.

The Care Home ITT final refers to market engagement and close work with a co-production group of care home providers.  However, the outcome of the co-production group left many of it’s members of the opinion that their input had minimal effect on the tender and after initial positive engagementtheir input was given little regard by the authority.

Please bear in mind that you are tendering to the Council’s contractual terms which will apply to all providers appointed under the Open Framework Agreement. No amendments after the deadline for tender submissions will be accepted.  You should therefore read all of the documents carefully  and raise any queries regarding the contract documents before the deadline for submission of clarification questions.

There are a number of requirements for providers that you may wish to consider further as they could impact upon the costs to provide the service or the ability to deliver to the specification, please read everything carefully.  Despite requests BCC have not given any useful guidance on the prices they expect to pay for placements under this framework.

You should check the insurance requirements carefully with your insurance provider, it may be either difficult or costly to meet some of the authorities stipulations. 

Please be aware that payments to providers will be changing and in future will be 28 days in arrears, are you ready for this extra delay between paying staff wages and receiving income to cover the costs? 

Please make sure you have carried out your own impact assessment and carefully costed your model.  Consider all of the implications of the contract and service specification.  For example, are you able to have tissue viability assessed by a registered nurse as part of their initial assessment when moving into the Care Home for all residents?   This is just one of the requirements placed upon you.

If there are issues you are not clear on it is important to send questions via the Pro Contract system, although the closing date for the tender is 13 April 2016 clarification questions should be submitted no later than 31 March 2016 (see ITT).

If you would like any more help from your association please let us know as soon as possible.  

Some information about the section 35 insurance requirements can be found HERE