Direct Payments — Payroll and Managed Accounts Services Dynamic Purchasing System

Portsmouth City Council (the ‘Council’), is inviting tenders from suitably qualified payroll and managed account service providers to provide these services to adult social care direct payment users.

The Council is seeking to set up a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) in order to provide direct payment users with a choice of assessed suppliers from which they can commission services from directly.

It is targeted that places on the DPS will be awarded from 2 February 2021 with services commencing from the 1 April 2021. The contract will run for an initial term of 4 years with the option to extend for additional periods up to 2 years on a rolling basis.

Based on current usage the value of contracts awarded via the DPS is expected to be in the range of GBP 17 500-GBP 25 000 per annum for payroll services, GBP 7 000-GBP 12 000 per annum for managed accounts services.

Application is via submission of tenders by 11 January 2021 at 12.00 via the Council's eSourcing solution InTend.

Portsmouth City Council (the ‘Council’), is inviting tenders from suitably qualified payroll and managed account service providers to provide these services to adult social care direct payment users.

The Care Act 2014 places a duty on local authorities to make Direct Payments available to everyone who is assessed as eligible for care and support. Direct Payments provide users with increased independence, choice and control by enabling people to commission their own care and support in order to meet their eligible needs, leaving as much choice as possible in their hands. The Council needs to ensure that suitable arrangements are in place to support the take-up of Direct Payments and support direct payment employers so that they are able to meet their responsibilities and manage their direct payment successfully.

The draft specification for the service is included within document pack accessible via the Council's eSourcing solution InTend, however the key elements for delivery can be summarised as follows:

— to work collaboratively with the Authority’s Adult Social Care Department to deliver additional aspects of Direct Payments support, and assist in raising awareness of and access to Direct Payments;

— to provide access to appropriate advice, information and support so that customers feel confident to undertake the complexities of using Direct Payments to meet their support needs in being a good employer;

— to provide a personalised service that actively reflects and promotes the empowerment of Direct Payments customers.

The Council understands that a number of clients do not take up Direct Payments because they do not want to do the payroll or are not capable of setting up and managing payments to personal assistants. By having these services available to them we anticipate that the use of Direct Payments will increase.

The Council is seeking to set up a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for payroll services and for managed account services in order to provide Direct Payment users with a choice of assessed suppliers from which they can commission services directly from. Suppliers will be asked to indicate which services (one, or both) they are able to provide and upon successful submission will become an approved supplier for those services.

When the Council assesses an individual in need of a payroll or a managed account service it will provide the individual with the list of approved providers who can deliver that service. The list of suppliers will contain the services available for each supplier and the costs associated with the service they provide. Each service user will purchase services particular to their needs directly from the provider. It will not be mandatory for current Service Users contracted with the existing payroll or managed account providers to transfer to new providers or to use the DPS.

The initial DPS term will be for 4 years with the option to extend for additional periods of up to 2 years. The Council may extend beyond the initial term indefinitely subject to being satisfied that best value and customer satisfaction is being achieved. Suppliers may apply to join the DPS at any time throughout the life of the DPS.

The Council will run the procurement procedure in accordance with the restricted procedure as detailed in the Public Contracts Regulations (2015) to the following timetable:

Call for competition published: 7 December 2020

Initial deadline for clarification questions: 23 December 2020

Initial deadline for DPS submissions: 14 January 2021 at 12.00

Initial evaluation complete: 27 January 2021

Notification to bidders and DPS award: 2 February 2021

Commencement of DPS: 1 April 2021.

Initial DPS applications are via completed submission by the deadline stated above using the Council's eSourcing system which will be used to administrate the procurement process. The system is accessible via the link below:

https://in-tendhost.co.uk/portsmouthcc/aspx/home

The target date for award of places onto the DPS is 2 February 2021 and the DPS will commence on 1 April 2021. The DPS will operate for an initial term of 4 years with the option to extend for additional periods up to 2 years on a rolling basis.

Whilst there is an option to extend the DPS term on a rolling basis this option will be at the sole discretion of the Council.

Payroll service:

Direct Payments users will have the option to purchase this service from suppliers on the framework to ensure that they comply with all their legal duties and obligations as an employer in the United Kingdom, including that which is required by HM Revenue and Customs and the UK Border Agency. The Direct Payment user/their representative will commission this service direct from the Payroll provider.

Managed accounts:

This service will be advertised to clients who would like to access Direct Payments however the responsibility of managing the Direct Payment is either too much or they may not themselves be capable of setting up and managing payments to personal assistants, other providers and HMRC. This service supports Direct Payment users by securely holding the Direct Payment funds allocated to them whilst also collecting any assessed client contributions from the client. The service will then verify and process all necessary payments to personal assistants, agencies and other providers ensuring compliance with the Direct Payment user's legal duties and obligations as an employer. The Direct Payment user/their representative will commission this service direct from the managed account provider.

Contract value, term and scope:

The per annum value of the DPS has been based on current usage so should be viewed only as an initial value and may be subject to significant increase or decrease. This value has been calculated in accordance with Regulation 6 (19) (b) of the Public Contract Regulations 2015. Over the course of the contract the Council may apply variations in terms of volume, variation of services and addition of further associated services in order to meet any changes in demand from Council services and end clients in accordance with Regulations 72 (1) (a) and (e) of the Public Contracts Regulations (2015). It is expected that usage will increase over the DPS term as more service users move to Direct Payments. Additionally, the DPS also has the option to extend on a rolling basis therefore the Council will not be constrained by the value range given in this notice.