Devon Countrywide Direct Payments Service

Devon County Council Adult And Community Services Directorate are seeking submissions from suitably experienced organisations who wish to tender for the provision of the Direct Payments Service. The Service will include some or all of the following elements: provide advice, information and support for service users; ensure direct payments to service users are made; assist service users with employment and financial issues; undertake financial monitoring and auditing of accounts; promote direct payments; develop and facilitate a direct payment user network and provide a payroll and holding account service. The Service will cover the geographical area served by Devon County Council and will be provided to eligible individuals over 18 years across the County.

Potential providers should be aware that within the tender process theCounty Council will be seeking to sustain quality whilst maximising the efficiencies that might be gained by aggregation and the innovative provision of services. The resulting contract will be let under block arrangements for a period of three years from 24th August 2009 with the option to extend for a further two years subject to performance.

Providers who register an interest in this tender will be invited to attend an Information Event on Monday 12th January 2009 at The Tiverton Hotel from 1pm until 5pm which will be an opportunity for interested parties to hear inmore detail the proposals that will form the basis of the tender, and to ask questions of representatives from the County Council. Consortium and partnership bids will be acceptable in relation to this contract providing that the appropriate conditions are met.

The deadline for submission of tenders will be 12 noon on Wednesday 4th March 2009. The price submitted, the quality of the service to be delivered, and the suitability of the tendering organisation will be evaluated against criteria designed to ensure that service users receive a consistently high quality of service which delivers good value for money.

To register your interest in this service, please visit Devon Procurement Portal

Help and guidance can be found on the Devon Procurement Portal.For general queries please contact: Rebecca Beasley, Procurement and Contracts Officer Telephone: 01392 383559

OJEU Notice dispatched: 17th December 2008