Agenda item

Procurement of a new information, advice and guidance service for NEET young people

Report of the Head of Regeneration and Housing

Minutes:

 

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Regeneration and Housing that sought approval to invite tenders through the appropriate procurement route for the provision of information, advice and guidance services for young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).

 

Decision Made:      That the Cabinet:

 

(1)    approves the decision to procure and tender for the provision of IAG services; to be published on The Chest using an EU compliant Open Tender process, as outlined in the report;

 

(2)    authorises the contract period from 1st September 2018 to 31st March  2020, with an option to extend annually for up to two years based on successful performance.

 

(3)    authorises delegated authority to the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills in conjunction with the Executive Director to award the Contract subject to a satisfactory and compliant tender process; and

 

(4)    approves the extension of the current contract in place for 2017/18 for a period of up to six months (from 1 April 2018) to secure continuity of service to young people in the transition to a newly configured, outcomes based offer.

 

Reasons for the Decisions:

 

The Council is fully committed to supporting its young residents to achieve and sustain their full potential in terms of their skills, aspirations, economic prosperity and life chances. Vision 2030 sets out the ambition for the Borough and the priority strategic outcomes, three of which are:

·             Resilient people and places;

·             Growing, living and ageing well;

·             A great place to live, work and play.

The proposed approach to Information Advice and Guidance will make a significant and positive contribution to these outcomes and to the Vision overall.

In order to support this aim, there is a clear intention to achieve a step-change in value and impact in the advisory and engagement services through the Council’s direct investment and to the future of our young people. 

 

The Council’s current service delivery has been procured using established methods. This contract is now ready for renewal and in the changing context the Council now operates in, a new service offer needs to better reflect our Vision 2030 principles.

 

This investment will be designed to give closer alignment with the Council’s Framework for Change priorities and will reflect community based co-design and delivery together with an emphasis on early intervention and prevention (EIP) to ensure that potentially vulnerable young people make a successful transition to the adult world of work.

 

The objective through the procurement is to ensure young people are actively engaged and supported to make choices and achieve progression based on well informed intelligence about local opportunities available to them. 

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

 

1.          Procure a contract for IAG using the similar approach as previous exercises.

 

This option has been fully considered and has been rejected on the grounds that the Council has moved on with its own approach to early intervention and prevention and requires suppliers able to flex and adapt to this new operating environment in a way that optimises the role of IAG alongside other services targeting young people offered by the Council. It is felt highly likely that using the approach used previously would yield a similar set of results under current circumstances. There is a strong appetite among relevant members to bring about change and innovation in this policy area.

 

2.          Procure a jointly commissioned service alongside the LCR Local Authority partners.

 

This option has been considered on the grounds that at least four of the LAs have been working together on commissioning for some years and their approach has led to changes in the pattern of service delivery which have not featured in Sefton. In particular, the data tracking/reporting and engagement /support activities have been undertaken by in- house LA staff while the professional careers guidance has been sourced externally. In Sefton, we have not to date run services such as these in-house

 

 

Supporting documents: