Decision details

The County Council is committed to giving customers choice and control over their support services; one method of enabling this is through Direct Payments, where the customer receives a cash allocation to purchase support to meet their assessed care and support needs. A Direct Payment Support service is required to ensure that people can receive the appropriate advice and support to make the best use of their money, including the employment of a Personal Assistant.

Following Cabinet Member decision, in February 2018, to commence a competitive procurement exercise for a Direct Payment and Personal Budget Support Service and to delegate responsibility to award the contract to the Director of Adult Services (Reference Cabinet Member Decision Report AH6 17.18.) the Director of Adult Services now seeks to award the contract. 

A robust open tender procurement process in compliance with West Sussex County Council Standing Orders on Procurement and Contracts has been undertaken.  The procurement attracted a good number of competitive bids which have been evaluated robustly on both technical and financial aspects.  Prior to commencement of evaluation, it was agreed that the contractor submitting the most economically advantageous tender would be recommended for award of the contract and a successful bidder has been identified.

The Director of Adult Services seeks to award the contract to the successful bidder and to extend the contract, if appropriate, in accordance with the County Council’s Standing Orders on Procurement and Contracts, subject to this being affordable within the limits of planned budgets.

The Cabinet Member approves that a contract for a Direct Payment and Personal Budget Support Service for up to 7 (3 & 2 & 2) years be awarded to Independent Lives who submitted the most economically advantageous tender.

None