Decision

Salford City Council – Record of Decision

I Councillor Cusack, Lead Member for Corporate Services and Chairman of the Procurement Board, accept the recommendation of the Procurement Board and in exercise of the powers contained within the Council Constitution, do hereby approve:

Detail required

Answers

Title/Description of Contracted Service/Supply/Project

Connecting Care Leavers

Procurement Reference numbers (DN and CR number supplied by Procurement)

CR - S1825   DN806473

Name of Successful Contractor

Power2

Supplier Registration Number

(to be supplied by Procurement

04001308

Proclass Classification No.

(to be completed by procurement)

Type of organisation

(to be supplied by Procurement)

Private Limited Company

Status of Organisation

(to be supplied by Procurement)

Non-SME

Contract Value (£)

£ 124,642.40 per annum

Total contract value £ (including extensions)

£ 623,212.00 total project value

Contract Duration

36 months

Contract Start Date

01/08/2026

Contract End Date

31/07/2029

Optional Extension Period 1

12 months

Optional Extension Period 2

12 months

Who will approve each Extension Period?

Executive Director (extension < £150k)

Contact Officer (Name & number)

Catarina Lima, 0161 603 4255

·      to Award the Contract for a Connecting Care Leave Service, as detailed in the table below:

Lead Service Group

Children's Services

How the contract was procured?

(to be supplied by procurement)

ITT

Framework Details (where applicable)

(procurement body, framework reference & title, start/ end date

PA2023

Funding Source

Revenue Budget

Ethical Contractor (EC): Mayor’s Employment Charter

Yes

EC: Committed to sign The Mayor’s Employment Charter

N/A

EC: Committed to the principles outlined in the Mayor’s Employment charter

N/A

EC: Accredited Living Wage Employer

Yes

EC: Committed to becoming Accredited Living wage Employer

N/A

?

The Reasons are:

Through the tender evaluation and interview, the provider demonstrated:

·      Previous and current experience of delivering a connecting care leavers service

·      A commitment to supporting Salford care leavers, proactively identifying barriers and unmet need.

·      All elements of the service specification will be met.

Options considered and rejected were: Not to award the contract.

Assessment of Risk:

If a Connecting Care Leavers programme is not re-commissioned, the key risk would be reduced support and less favourable outcomes for Salford Care Leavers.

The continuation of commissioning a Connecting Care Leavers Service would reduce the risk of adverse outcomes for vulnerable care leavers. De-commissioning this service would place additional pressures on Salford City Council’s Next Steps leaving care service and on commissioned mental health services (both children’s and adults) and other services in Salford, including  increased presentations via A&E and increased demand for All Age Mental Health Liaison Service assessments.

There is also high risk that statutory obligations to address care leavers’ mental health needs would not be met.

The current contract ends on 31st July 2026, any delay on awarding that would prevent the provider to start on 1st August 2026 would mean the service would be stopped which would leave care leavers who currently benefit from the service vulnerable.

The source of funding is: GM ICB and Salford’s Children’s Services Next Step revenue budget.

Legal Advice obtained:

Supplied by the Shared Legal Service, Lauren Armstrong, Solicitor.

When commissioning contracts for the procurement of goods, services, or the execution of works the City Council as a ‘contracting authority’ must comply with the Procurement Act 2023 (for any frameworks and contracts let on or after 24th February 2025), as well as the provisions of its own Contractual Standing Orders (CSO’s), Financial Regulations and the duties of Best and Social value.

This report sets out the outcome of the procurement exercise undertaken by the Council to identify the successful bidder Power2 and to ensure that the exercise is undertaken in a way which treated the candidates equally, transparently and in a non-discriminatory way. Council officers appear to have taken appropriate steps to satisfy themselves that from the bids received and evaluated, Power2 is best placed to meet the Council’s statutory duties owed to care leavers.

Legal is happy to support Council officers with the finalisation and execution of the contract for services with Power2, which shall include obligations to comply with the KPIs, the social value commitments offered by Power2, and the ability to trigger the optional 1+1 extensions.

Financial Advice obtained: Supplied by Ian Johnson, Senior Accountant

GM ICB will contribute £60,000 towards the cost of the contract as they have done in the past. The remaining £64,956 will be funded from Children’s Services Next Step revenue budget.

Procurement Advice obtained: Supplied by Michelle White – Category Manager.

This contract opportunity was openly advertised on the chest procurement portal and complies with the Procurement Act 2023 and SCC Contractual Standing Orders.

The procurement process is detailed in Section 2 of the above report.

For transparency, we are required to publish a Contract Award Notice (UK6) on Find a Tender Service (FTS) which will trigger the 8-day standstill period to allow for representations. Following the standstill period, procurement will also publish a Contract Detail Notice (UK7)

HR Advice obtained: N/A.

Climate Change Implications obtained: Requested on 30/04/2026

The following documents have been used to assist the decision process:

·      Transitions Policy

·      Salford Corporate Plan

·      GM Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy

·      GM Cared For and Care Leaver (CF/CL) Mental Health Focus Group

·      Connecting Care Leavers Specification

Contact Officer: Catarina Lima

Telephone number: 0161 603 4255

Please delete from the bullets below any which are not relevant:

·      This matter is also subject to consider by the Lead Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services. The Lead Member has been consulted and is supportive of the proposed contract.

·      The appropriate Scrutiny Committee to call-in the decision is the Children’s Scrutiny Panel.

Signed:   Cllr Cusack          Dated:   8 June 2026.

               Lead Member

FOR DEMOCRATIC SERVICES USE ONLY:

·      This decision was published on 9 June 2026.  

·      This decision will come in force at 4.00 p.m. on 16 June 2026 unless it is called-in in accordance with the Decision Making Process Rules.