Any Qualified Provider (AQP) Framework for the Provision of Home Care Services

Social care support during the day for people living in their own homes.

Main place of delivery generally but not exclusively to sites as directed within the area covered by Cumbria CC Departments, it's customers and NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group and Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and any person or successor body replacing NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group and Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in title or in function.

An Any Qualified Provider (AQP) ‘framework’ is to be set up to meet the needs of Social Care support during the day for people living in their own homes. An AQP framework will ensure sufficient capacity to meet demand for clients in Cumbria

The AQP ‘framework’ approach will appoint multiple organisations capable of delivering the specified service. The providers will be selected at time of need. They will register an interest to a commission, and selected according to published criteria.

Fixed price per unit, please see procurement documents.

Please note that AQP does not limit the number of candidates

Refer to procurement documents and contract documents available at http://demand.sproc.net

Cumbria County Council is fully supportive of all aspects of diversity including ethnicity, race, religion, age, disability and sexual orientation. In this respect Cumbria County Council welcomes expressions of interest from ethnic minority, disabled and other diverse business communities and the voluntary sector. Economic operators are therefore required to fully comply with all statutory obligations/applicable legislation and there will be a requirement to participate in the Authority’s supplier audits on all aspects of diversity. The Contracting Authority expressly reserves the right:

(I) not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice; and

(II) to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the tendering competition; and in no circumstances will the Authority be liable for any costs incurred by the candidates. If the Authority decides to enter into a contract with the successful supplier, this does not mean that there is any guarantee of subsequent contracts being awarded. Any expenditure, work or effort undertaken prior to contract award is accordingly a matter solely for the commercial judgement of potential suppliers. The contract is for 4 years. The total value provided is only an estimate. Local Authorities have a duty under the Local Government Act 2003 to obtain best value in the procurement of works, services and supplies and to secure continuous improvement in the way they carry out their functions, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. This means that when procuring contracts, the Council will, on a case by case basis, weigh up the costs of the contract against the benefits off their employment terms for contractors employees and any resulting benefit to the Council. There is scope forgiving some weight at the tender evaluation stage to the attitude of contractors, suppliers and some service providers to fair employment clauses and of the Council’s fiduciary duty to tax payers and obtaining best value. Each case will be considered separately and flexibly, with any impact on costs fully assessed and justified.

Please note that AQP does not limit the number of candidates.