--- title: "Direct Payment Support Services" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-1bd8306b-77fd-4c67-ab82-41c53963af64" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-1bd8306b-77fd-4c67-ab82-41c53963af64" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-1bd8306b-77fd-4c67-ab82-41c53963af64.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-1bd8306b-77fd-4c67-ab82-41c53963af64.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL" published: "2022-10-20" --- # Direct Payment Support Services Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-1bd8306b-77fd-4c67-ab82-41c53963af64 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-1bd8306b-77fd-4c67-ab82-41c53963af64) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-1bd8306b-77fd-4c67-ab82-41c53963af64.json) ## Summary The Essex County Council has initiated a procurement process for Direct Payment Support Services with an estimated contract value of £4.65 million. This procurement opportunity consists of two lots: Independent Information and Advice Service and Personal Assistant (PA) Support Hub, and Payment/Payroll/Account Management services. The tender submission deadline is set for Friday 2nd December 2022 at 12:00 noon. The Council will act as a central purchasing body and intends to publish the procurement on the ProContract portal the week commencing Monday 17th October 2022. This tender presents an opportunity for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and other interested parties to provide services to help individuals in Essex manage their direct payments. The contract duration is initially three years, extendable for up to five years at the Council's discretion. Businesses in the health and social work services industry category are well-suited to compete in this open procurement procedure. Prospective bidders should engage with the Council's e-tendering portal for further details and documentation for this opportunity. ## Notice Essex County Council ("the Council") is seeking to commission a new Direct Payments Support Service (DPSS) to enable people who are ordinarily resident within the administrative boundaries of Essex (excluding the unitary authority areas of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea) to manage their direct payment. This procurement will incorporate the following lots: Lot 1: Independent Information and Advice Service and Personal Assistant (PA) Support Hub Lot 2: Payment/Payroll/Account Management services Further details regarding the Council's requirements for each of these lots can be found within the relevant service specification which will be published on the Council's e-tendering portal, ProContract and can be accessed via: https://procontract.due-north.com/ Please register for a user account to gain access to the procurement documentation for this opportunity. The Council envisages that this procurement will be published on the aforementioned e-sourcing portal during the week commencing Monday 17th October 2022 with an estimated deadline for tender submissions of Friday 2nd December 2022 at 12:00 noon. Prospective bidders are advised that the Council will act akin to a central purchasing body in relation to this procurement opportunity in conjunction with Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) who will access but not formally be a party to the ensuing contract. In addition, please note that whilst the ensuing DPSS contracts will primarily be used to support people with either social care and/or mental health needs to manage their personal budgets via a Direct Payment; it will also be open for the following classification of users within the administrative area of Essex: NHS Healthcare (including local Integrated Care Systems). In addition, bidders are advised that this service will be commissioned under an initial three (3) year term with the option to extend for a further two (2) years at the Council's sole discretion; thereby resulting in a maximum possible contract duration of five (5) years. Additional information: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement. Candidates are welcome to bid for either single or multiple lots of this procurement. Candidates are advised this procurement will be conducted via the Council's e-tendering portal, ProContract, which can be accessed via the following website: https://procontract.due-north.com/Login Please register for a user account to gain access to the procurement documentation for this opportunity. The Council envisages that this procurement will be published on the aforementioned e-sourcing portal on Wednesday 19th October 2022. However, the Council reserves the right to postpone the publication in order to ensure suitable assurance that the tender documents are fit for purpose. Once the procurement is published a corresponding advertisement will be available via the Council's e-tendering portal, ProContract to enable prospective bidders to access, view and respond to this opportunity. In order to submit an effective expression of interest in this opportunity, candidates must utilise the functionality within the Council's e-tendering portal. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b21f9bc1-0fdc-4ee2-bc4c-5cb6faab955a | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning, Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 20 Oct 2022 | | Submission deadline | 2 Dec 2022 | | Future notice date | 2 Sep 2022 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 30 Jun 2023 - 30 Jun 2026 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £4,650,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL | | Locality | CHELMSFORD | | Post town | Chelmsford | | Postcode | CM1 1QH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLH East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLH3 Essex | | ITL 3 | TLH36 Heart of Essex | | Local authority | Chelmsford | | Electoral ward | Moulsham and Central | | Westminster constituency | Chelmsford | | Delivery location | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85000000 - Health and social work services ## Release History - 20 Oct 2022 at 12:03 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b21f9bc1-0fdc-4ee2-bc4c-5cb6faab955a - 26 Aug 2022 at 11:15 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/a044e6d4-6522-48bd-a7fd-90d8548d7e56 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b21f9bc1-0fdc-4ee2-bc4c-5cb6faab955a 20th October 2022 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/a044e6d4-6522-48bd-a7fd-90d8548d7e56 26th August 2022 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder ## Notice URLs - https://procontract.due-north.com/ - https://procontract.due-north.com/Login - https://www.essex.gov.uk/ ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-1bd8306b-77fd-4c67-ab82-41c53963af64. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-1bd8306b-77fd-4c67-ab82-41c53963af64.json.