Purpose

To approve the awarding of a contract to develop and deliver an overnight short breaks with outreach support service, for children and young people with disabilities from a property secured by the council.

Decision

That: a) To award a 5-year contract, with an option to extend for a further 24 months, to PCA Dom 1 Ltd to develop and deliver a registered overnight short breaks with outreach service, at an anticipated contract value cost of £2.1 million over 7 years;

b) To authorise the Corporate Director Children and Young People to purchase additional services during the contract term up to a maximum budget of £7.6m (inclusive of the £2.1m anticipated spend) provided within the approved Council’s budget and / or within any subsequent in-year additional Government grant funding; and

c) To delegate authority to the Corporate Director Children and Young People to take all operational decisions necessary to implement, manage, vary, extend or terminate the contract in accordance with the approved budget and contract terms.

Alternative options considered

1.     Do nothing and continue to spot purchase. This option is not recommended. It is highly unlikely to secure sufficient capacity, provide consistent market-wide quality and performance oversight or procure provision at best value. It also misses the opportunity to commission more strategically to improve outcomes for children and young people.

2.     Award two separate contracts; one for overnight shortbreaks and another for outreach support. This is not recommended. Commissioning a single registered provider to deliver both elements better supports continuity for children, families and staff. Market engagement and work with operational colleagues indicate a single-provider model is more likely to deliver a sustainable, flexible service and maintain a stable local workforce through consistent volumes of work matched to need.

3.     To deliver the service in-house. This is not recommended. Developing a new in-house service requires extensive time and resources, a specialism of practice and a requirement to complete Ofsted and CQC registrations.