Dorset Care, Support, Housing and Community Safety Framework

The commissioning partners seek to provide high quality, personalised care and support services (taking a strengths based approach) which focus on meeting the outcomes of those individuals using the services, whilst ensuring they are delivered and financed in a sustainable way.

In order to achieve this Dorset Council’s Adults and Housing Directorate is opening a new Framework; this will act as a vehicle to procure a range of care and support, housing and community safety services. It will replace the existing Frameworks.

The Dorset Care, Support, Housing and Community Safety Framework will be established by utilising the flexibilities of the Light Touch Regime under the Public Contract Regulations 2015. These enable Public Sector Bodies, in terms of health and social care, to adapt and innovate procurement and contracting models to best meet service requirements.

The Framework will be in place for up to 10 years and will enable providers to join at any time (as long as specific criteria is met) instead of fixed opening periods (as is the case with the existing Frameworks). It will work in two stages as follows:

• Part I: The overarching 10 year framework will open and detail specific lots. At this stage providers need to meet the minimum entry criteria, this is detailed when the framework is open. At this stage providers will be asked to complete minimum entry criteria for the Lots they may in future wish to participate in further competitions for.

• In Part 2 providers will be invited further competition which will include further quality / price evaluation processes in respect of “specific call off”s. It is anticipated that this process will commence from April 2022.

The Framework shall allow a variety of procurement methods in order to support flexibility; opportunities to expand Providers’ geographical reaches and to respond to the needs of Service Users in receipt of Direct Payments or Personal Health Budgets. These shall include but are not limited to:

• Brokerage of individual packages

• Fixed term block contracts

• Individual Service Funds (ISF)

The Framework shall remain open for providers to apply to be appointed onto the Framework at any time during the Term, including those who have previously applied and failed to become a Framework provider (but excluding any whose Framework Agreement and/or Call-Off Contract has been terminated for Contract Non-Compliance). Framework providers may re-apply to improve their standing on the Framework by applying to be appointed to additional Lots.