Purpose

The Development of External Residential
Children’s Homes cabinet decision taken on 3 September 2023
authorised the Executive Director People in consultation with
Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Equalities to take all
steps required to procure and award the contract(s) necessary
for:
- the implementation of a strategic partner to develop
children’s homes, 16+ supported accommodation and foster
places up to a maximum cost of £35m across ten years.
- two bespoke children’s homes up to a maximum cost of
£2m per year.
- a crisis home up to a maximum cost of £750,000 per
year.
Following an Open Competitive dialogue procedure (Above Threshold
Procurement), the decision was taken to award the strategic
partnership contract to CF Support Services (CFSS) Ltd.
The four children’s homes will be let to CF Support Services
Ltd on 10 year internal repairing leases that will be tied to the
contract. The properties will be let on peppercorn rents. The basis
of the lease agreements formed part of the procurement process, and
any interested party would have factored the peppercorn arrangement
into their bid. If a market rent was charged for each property this
would have reflected in the contract price resulting in a higher
cost to the service. There is therefore no undervalue as the value
is being delivered through savings to the service rather than
through the market rent.

Content

To award a contract of two years’
duration, with the option to extend for a further eight years, to
CF Support Services Ltd, for the development of a strategic
partnership to provide care services within an initial four
children’s homes, develop additional homes for specific types
of care provision and develop care pathways and provision
consistent with children’s care requirements within
Bristol.

Alternative options considered

A full, comprehensive and transparent Open
Competitive dialogue procedure was undertaken under the Public
Contracts Regulations, following a failed initial procurement
exercise under Open Procedure. All bids received were subject to
multi-partner evaluation and moderation overseen by the Bristol
City Council Procurement Team.