Sandwell Carers Service

The Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council wishes to procure a new Carers Service in Sandwell where carers can access information, advice, and support in line with the Care Act 2014. The Care Act 2014 placed a duty on all Councils to consider the needs of carers on equal footing to the person receiving care and support. There is a clear focus in the Act on promoting carers' wellbeing, taking account of the impact caring has on all aspects of their lives. It is therefore a statutory requirement that every Council has a robust offer to identify carers and support them appropriately. The new service will work with local partners towards better lives for Carers in Sandwell. It will improve outcomes for Sandwell carers, including health, wellbeing and opportunities. Key functions will include: 1. Support for carers to identify or be identified as carers - including campaigns, targeted activities for under- represented groups of carers and promotion/awareness raising 2. Single point of access for carers with information and advice, and signposting to the right support 3. Preventative community based support - including peer support groups and work with local partners 4. Checks on carer wellbeing 5. Wellbeing plans and triage to the right services as needed, including Adult Social Care and Children's Trust The successful contractor will be required to have responsibility for the delivery of the Service in compliance with legislation including the Care Act 2014, Children and Families Act 2014, and to support and empower carers to meet key outcomes. Tenderers should note that: - The Council has set the budget for the service, which is outlined in the Invitation to Tender documentation. - Subcontracting tenders are permitted, but a single lead provider is required to be responsible for managing the delivery of any subcontractors to meet the requirements of the Specification. The duration of the contract will be 5 years from 2 June 2025 to 1 June 2030. The Council intends to use an evaluation model based on price and quality. The criteria, on which the tender will be evaluated, inclusive of weighting attached to each, are included in the Invitation to Tender documentation. The Tender Document(s) will be made available to suppliers who Express Interest on the Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council Tendering Portal. To access the portal please click the following link https://in-tendhost.co.uk/sandwellmbc You will be required to log into an existing account or register a new one. Once logged in, from the top menu bar click on "Tenders" to list all the current opportunities. Once you have found the relevant opportunity you should click on "View Details" in order to Express an Interest. Suitably qualified and experienced Contractors are invited to respond to the Invitation to Tender documents and submit proposals for the delivery of the service. These must be submitted no later than 13:00 on 18 March 2025 via the Sandwell In Tend e-procurement system. The deadline for the submission of any clarification questions is 13:00pm on 11 March 2025 via In Tend.