Agenda item

(Report of the Deputy Chief Executive. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Services). The report seeks approval to waiver tendering requirements and to approve an award of contract for a period of two years.

Cabinet considered a report, introduced by the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Services, which sought approval to waiver tendering requirements and to approve an award of contract to BUBIC to provide peer led substance mis – use treatment  ,in the borough, for a period of two years.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Adult services advised Cabinet  that BUBIC was a local community organisation developed by Tottenham residents providing a unique peer led service for improving the lives of residents affected by substance mis – use. Cabinet noted that no other organisation in London was providing a similar service.

RESOLVED:

      i.        That the waiver of the tendering requirements of Contract Standing Order 9.01 (requirement to tender), as allowed under Contract Standing Order10.01.2 (d), be approved.

    ii.        That the award of contract for a period of two years to Bringing Unity Back in the Community (BUBIC) to the value of £330,000 from April 2014 to March 2016 be approved.

   iii.        That it be noted that award of contract is contingent upon BUBIC developing a business model which puts them in a position to undergo a competitive tender process by February 2015.

   iv.        That it be approved that the service be tendered during 2015 resulting in a new contract being in place by April 2016.

Alternative Options Considered for BUBIC

The existing NHS contract comes to an end in April 2014. The option of not renewing this contract and/or undertaking an open tender process for this service was considered but was discounted on the grounds that:

The service is an important component in the effectiveness of the wider integrated substance misuse treatment system acting as an outreach and engagement service to Black and minority ethnic communities, providing peer support, and re-engaging those who have dropped out of treatment.

The service is unique. This is because the service was developed by Tottenham residents who have overcome their drugaddiction problems who wanted to give something back to the community. The outcomes it delivers are largely attributable to the fact that this is a service developed by local ex-service users who know the local “scene” and are able to access sections of the community that mainstream services have difficulty in accessing or engaging.

Two credible independent external sources: Public Health England’s Regional Substance Misuse lead, who has oversight of substance misuse provision in London, and the Senior Policy Advisor of the London Drug and Alcohol Policy Forum were contacted and confirmed that there are no similar providers in London.

On this basis, it was decided that a standard procurement process was not appropriate at this point in time. However, it should be noted that the service will be tendered during 2015 in order to ensure that the market has been fully tested and that the council is achieving maximum value for money in going forward. BUBIC will effectively have a year in which to develop their business model.

Reasons for decision

The BUBIC service is a bespoke service (reasons for this are given in the body of this report) and delivers well against the required outcomes. No other organisations in London are providing a similar service. Any new provider would need a significant amount of time to develop the community knowledge and networks to fulfil the role required. This would account for much of the proposed length of the contract extension and would therefore not represent good value for money to the Council.