Children's Social Care Assessments Approved Provider Panel

The Council intends to establish a 4 year multi-supplier Approved Provider Panel to deliver Children's SocialCare assessments. Assessments commissioned from the Panel of experts will be within the context of cases being managed under Public Law Outline (PLO) Framework both in pre-proceedings and Court Proceedings. The Approved Provider Panel will be split into ten lots, ,Parenting Assessment Manual Software (PAMS)assessment, Parenting assessment, Residential parenting assessment, Reverse residential assessment,Viability assessment, Together & Apart assessment, and sub lots within the Psychological, Psychiatric,Fostering assessments and Risk assessments lots. The Council has identified that the proposed service provision falls within the scope of "social and other specificservices" set out within Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Regulations)). Consequently, theso-called Light Touch Regime will apply to this procurement. The Council is orientating this procurement towards an adapted open procedure as described in Regulation 27 of the Regulations but using a "light touch" approach. The Council does not hold itself bound by theRegulations except to the extent that they apply to the light touch regime as set out in Regulations 74 to 76 ofthe Regulations. The Approved Provider Panel contract shall be for a period of 2 (two) years with an option to extend at the Council's sole discretion for a further 2 (two) years, giving a total maximum contract term of 4 years.The anticipated contract start date witll be the 1st August 2019. During the 4 year period, the Council reserves the right to refresh the Approved Provider Panel and admit new providers onto the panel who meet the initial quality and price evaluation criteria. This is to ensure the Provider Panel continues to contain enough qualified assessors who can meet the breadth of assessment need.The value of the assessment service under the Approved Provider Panel Agreement is estimated to be in the region of £10m for Croydon and estimated at £10m for other Local Authorities for the full 4 year term.