Probation Services Dynamic Framework (PSDF) - Engaging People on Probation (EPOP)

This Contract Award Notice details the award of a call-off competition conducted by the Authority via the Ministry of Justice's Probation Service Dynamic Framework (PSDF).

The Probation Service sought a provider to build the capability, opportunity and motivation of probation service personnel to engage more widely with People on Probation, to enable people on probation to influence and be more involved in service design, development, delivery and review.

The Supplier will deliver a national solution across the Probation Service for England and Wales

In June 2020 the Ministry of Justice established the Probation Services Dynamic Framework (PSDF) to allow the Authority and Participating Bodies to purchase services to deliver rehabilitative and resettlement Interventions. The Dynamic Framework and subsequent Call-Off Competitions are conducted pursuant to Section 7 of the PCR 2015 (Social and Other Specific Services) the 'Light Touch Regime'.

The Provider is not responsible for delivering direct engagement sessions with people on probation, as probation Service Personnel would take over primary responsibility for this in the new contract., the Provider will be expected to drive the introduction of a national and regional infrastructure for consistently engaging with people on probation. This will include but is not limited to:

- Developing Regional EPOP Action Plans for every region, based on a thorough review of existing EPOP Plans.

- Developing an EPOP Action Plan for Approved Premises, based on a thorough review of existing EPOP Plans

- Providing skills development and on-the-job and experiential learning to probation personnel.

- Creating a National Forum for People on Probation.

- Driving a cultural change amongst all staff, including Senior Leadership which develops individual and organisational capability, opportunity and motivation to engage with people on probation and enables their involvement in service design, development, delivery and review.

- the Authority reserved the right to exclude tenders that did not achieve a total quality score of 60 per cent;

- if a Bidder scored 20 or less in any given question, the Authority reserved the right to remove that Bidder from the competition;

The specific evaluation and award criteria for each competition were detailed in full in the procurement documents for the call off competition. The procurement documents are published through the Authority's esourcing portal.

Engaging People on Probation (EPOP)

In accordance with the Framework Agreement, the Supplier is entitled to sub-contract its obligations under this Call-Off Contract to Key Sub-contractors declared in the ITT and Call-off Contract. The Parties agree that they will periodically update records of any Key Sub-contractors appointed by the Supplier with the consent of the Customer after the Call-Off Commencement Date.

The majority of the services within scope of the DF are listed within Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR) and pursuant to Section 7 (Regulations 74-77 of the PCR) are subject to the ‘Light Touch Regime’ or 'LTR' under which the Authority is not obliged to comply with the full requirements of the PCR. The PSDF is described as a framework agreement, but has features of a dynamic purchasing system; it is not subject to either Regulation 33 or 34 of the PCR, and Regulation 28 does not apply to this procurement. This is irrespective of the use of this standard form notice (the Authority is unable to use the LTR notice for technical compatibility reasons). The Authority will comply with its equal treatment, transparency, non-discrimination and proportionality obligations throughout the procurement.

Please see; https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/procurement