---
title: "CO02454 Pre-Employment Checks - Vetting Services"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-035081"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-035081"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-035081.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-035081.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2022-09-30"
---

# CO02454 Pre-Employment Checks - Vetting Services

Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-035081

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## Summary

Essex County Council (ECC) is seeking a provider for Pre-Employment Checks - Vetting Services. The contract involves processing DBS and other employment checks, both internal and external, with a focus on becoming an eRB broker. ECC completed 37,500 checks last year, expecting a 36% increase in 2022. The contract aims to ensure continuity for the eDBS Service and its customers. The procurement stage is now in the award phase, with a contract value of £900,000, signed on 30th September 2022.

This tender by Essex County Council offers business growth opportunities for providers of vetting services, particularly those experienced in handling DBS and other employment checks. Companies offering cloud-based services with mobile access and integration capabilities would be well-suited to compete. The competitive criteria include quality (55%), social value (5%), and price (40%). The contract period is 420 days with a possible extension of up to 24 months. Interested businesses should consider presenting to key stakeholders if shortlisted for the contract.

## Notice

Essex County Council (ECC) Employment Vetting Service currently processes Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) and other employments checks for internal staff, and also to External Customer Organisations across the UK. The current split of checks is approx. 30% internal to 70% external. ECC is seeking to replace its current service provision with a service that will offer a range of checks including the current checks and any potential new checks that the bidder may offer. Our longer-term aim is to become an eRB broker. We would be seeking a provider to offer a system for checks with ECC remaining as the counter signatory for DBS The ECC eDBS Service has a current e-Bulk contract with an external provider which is due to come to an end in November 2022. On average last year we completed 37,500 checks with an expectation to increase this by 36% throughout 2022 and continue to increase. The checks completed were made up of 23,100 DBS checks and 14,400 other pre-employment checks. The new contract will be expected to ensure continuity for the eDBS Service element and its existing customers.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The system shall be candidate driven with minimal manual intervention by ECC. This shall include technology which enhances customer experience to ensure we are at the forefront of service provision such as facial recognition for Right to Work purposes. The preference is for a cloud-based service with minimal impact on ECC's infrastructure. The system will need to be available on-line 24/7 and accessible via mobile / smart devices. ECC branding of the version of the providers system to be used by ECC applicants. (The ECC brand book will be provided in the tender pack) The system will be fully functional in line with our requirements and have the proven ability to integrate into other line of business systems such as our ATS Functionality to capture data from the existing eDBS provider and retain all data pertaining to each DBS disclosure application and all other employment checks The ability to interface with ECC's resourcing and finance systems. The capability to raise charging information and to inform invoicing and accounting systems. The provision of regular and ad-hoc billing and activity reporting which is further outlined in the requirements spreadsheet. The interface(s) between the e-Bulk system and the DBS must be approved by the DBS to link in with the DBS system. It is envisaged that the Authority may invite the top three rated bidders following evaluation to present to key stakeholders. The e-Bulk provider's system will be able to deliver fully, to the ECC disclosures database, data entered during the disclosure application process and the resulting outcome from the DBS check. The system will also provide access via self-service to our customers to make all other employment checks including DBS The system shall be flexible in order to accommodate any increase in the number of checks per annum, including on-boarding large customers and any other changes. Successful implementation of the service is dependent on the system being fully functional, robust and able to accept and store the volumes of applications and subsequent outcomes to be received via the eBulk interface and additional customers checks.

Renewal: Option to extend for up to 24 months in two periods of 12 months

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/027521-2022 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 30 Sep 2022 |
| Submission deadline | 10 Aug 2022 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 29 Sep 2022 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £900,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £900,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## 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 | TLH3 Essex |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | COMPLETE BACKGROUND SCREENING |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 48000000 - Software package and information systems
- 79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services

## Release History

- 30 Sep 2022 at 13:27 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/027521-2022
- 11 Jul 2022 at 11:42 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/018904-2022

## Notice URLs

- 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-h6vhtk-035081. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-035081.json.
