Rough Sleeper Pathway

The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead (RBWM) experiences a greater incidence of rough sleeping /street homelessness than most other local authorities in the Southeast. Government statistics indicate that on average one to four people are sleeping rough with the Borough at any one time - https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-england-autumn-2021/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-england-autumn-2021-technical-report

To engage with this issue of rough sleeping / street homelessness in the Borough, RBWM has adopted a three-stage model / pathway. The aim of this model is to provide immediate assistance, but also to create a pathway to enable the former rough sleepers engaged in this model to receive support and develop skills to maintain a safer and more sustainable lifestyle in longer term accommodation within the private rented sector.

The three stages are -

Stage 1 - an initial assessment and the provision of emergency accommodation that is either in or adjacent to the Borough. The emergency accommodation is paid for by the Council.

Stage 2 - intensive floating support provided in temporary accommodation (that is either in or adjacent to the Borough and is sourced by the Council) to service users to prepare them for more independent living. The temporary accommodation is paid for through a service user's individual benefit entitlement.

Stage 3 - less intensive floating support provided to service users both in temporary accommodation and within the private rented sector. The accommodation is paid for through a service users individual benefit entitlement.

RBWM undertakes Stage 1 of this model / pathway in house whilst Stages 2 and 3 are currently outsourced. The intention of RBWM is to ultimately let a multi-year contract for the provision of Stages 2 and 3.

This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is being issued to seek and invite expressions of interest from suppliers / organisations who are interested in delivering these services to the Council.

Interested suppliers / organisations are required to contact procurement@rbwm.gov.uk to express their interest. When contacting the Council please clearly identify your organisation. Once you have contacted the Council we will send you a market questionnaire to complete which also contains a current high level specification of the Council's requirements. The deadline for completing and returning market questionnaires is the 07/08/2023