04/10/2013

Over recent months, the MoJ has worked hard to include SME and VCSE organisations in its plans for reforming offender rehabilitation. The involvement of local service providers is widely accepted as being crucial to ensuring that the 330,000 offenders enter rehabilitation each year have access to quality services which will reduce reoffending rates.

At Bevan Brittan, we have been following the procurement closely since its inception and have recently produced a number of articles:

Transforming Rehabilitation – have you grasped the opportunity?

Reducing Reoffending – the bidding begins (Part 1)Reducing Reoffending - will you make the cut? (Part 2)

Reducing Reoffending - what TOM tells us (Part 3)

Containing high level analysis of the key documentation as it is released. This article is aimed at those organisations that are not considering bidding as a Tier 1 (previously known as a Prime) provider but whose services will no doubt form part of a winning bidders offering.

Much of the detail about sub-contracting is unknown at this stage however the following key points will interest Tier 2 and Tier 3 organisations:

1. Tier 1 Bidder Structure

Potential Bidders have been invited to submit a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) by noon on 31st October 2013. Contained in the PQQ is a requirement for the bidding entity to set out its structure. This means that Potential Bidders are being encouraged to consider the structure of their service provision at an early stage and therefore there is an opportunity for Tier 2 and 3 organisations to contact bidders with a view to working together.

2. Procurement

In addition to working out a viable structure upfront, Potential Bidders are also required to consider how they can innovatively utilise and provide fair and equal access to opportunities to SME's and fair and ethical trade organisations to deliver the services. Potential Bidders and also required to adhere to thePrinciple of Competition  governing the procurement which make a number of references to supply chain partners.

This means that a Potential Bidder will not be successful unless they:

  • appropriately manage contract risk (which cannot include passing disproportionate risk down to supply chains)
  • foster a sustainable relationship with key supply chain providers by ensuring visibility of participation and recognition of good performance
  • adopt the principles of Compact when working with third sector organisations.

3. Getting Involved

In order to maximise this opportunity, organisations should:

If your organisation currently offers a rehabilitation service, we can help you to understand this process as it develops and to maximise your involvement in the ultimate service provision.

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