Domiciliary Care Tender Writing success

We have learnt today that we have secured a client of ours a place on Dorset County Council’s tender for the provision of outcome based contracts – domiciliary care services in Dorset.
This is the sixth domiciliary care provider we have helped to secure a place on a framework this year.

The contract will cover the provision of domiciliary care across Adult and Community Services. (With the exception of Adults with Learning Disabilities).
The tender writing was especially challenging due to the large number of policies and procedures Dorset County Council requested. They included;

• Audited accounts for the past three years and a Profit & Loss Account for the current financial year. Audited Accounts will be required to meet Dorset County Council’s financial viability criteria

• A copy of the current insurance certificate(s) to comply with local authority insurance requirements (Public Liability minimum £5 million, Employers Liability minimum £10 million)

• Latest Mission Statement, Beliefs and Values; and/or Constitution of Memorandum of Association, as applicable

• Business Plan covering the current year through to 2013 as a minimum

• ‘Whistle Blowing’ Policy in accordance with the Public Disclosure Act

• Incident/Accident Policy and Procedure

• Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy(ies)

• Staff Recruitment & Selection Policy and Criminal Records Bureau arrangements including Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA)

• Adult Protection/Safeguarding Policy

• Staff Supervision and Appraisal Policy

• Complaints Procedure

• Confidentiality Policy

• Health & Safety Policy

• Contingency/Business Continuity Plan

• Quality Assurance Policy

• Lone Working Policy

• Copy of last CQC report

There then followed a range of questions which looked to identify and understand how the services under this contract would be delivered. This section contained 14 questions, all of which required a narrative response and all of which were quite detailed.

Section three requested responses to a number of vignettes, and so overall there was a significant amount of information.
For me, the result was never in any doubt. Not only was our client running a good company, they were prepared to put in their own hard work and help us to create the very best responses possible.
Well done, you know who you are ;)