Social Inclusion activities - Short Breaks (Children)

This procurement will establish a flexible framework of providers, delivering social inclusion type activities, for children with disabilities throughout the Stirling Council area. This is a wide category of supports which are predominantly provided in the community. Examples of relevant activities and services include, but are not limited to: - Specialist Play Schemes; - Social Inclusion activities; - Befriending schemes; - Peer support groups; - Health & wellbeing (including leisure sports) activities; - Development of Independent Living Skills; or - Other supports which meet our criteria and Service Specification. Care and Support type services (including care at home; assisted and emergency breaks) and Residential Short Breaks, for children with disabilities, are being procured separately and are not covered by this framework agreement. Providers will be able to provide social opportunities throughout the Stirling Council area for children between the ages of 5 to 18 years, and beyond if required. Through the creation of this framework, the Council aims to develop formal Purchaser/ Supplier relationships with local organisations who can provide a choice of social inclusion, short break services for children and young people. This will promote choice in the type of providers and services available to children and young people and increase overall service capacity, underpinning the Self Directed Support (Scotland) Act 2014. Social Inclusion activities only require to be Care Inspectorate registered where an activity meets the criteria of being a regulated care service. All staff or volunteers involved in the delivery of a service through the framework should have the appropriate PVG membership for working with children and young people in place. Prospective providers are invited to download the documents associated to this Notice for further information on the application process and criteria for participation. Those expressing an interest and satisfactorily passing Single Procurement Document (SPD) checks will be sent an application pack. This will include: an application form which allows a provider to detail the services they propose to offer; the terms and conditions of business; the full Service Specification; and Pricing Schedule documents. The framework value is estimated, based on current demand and budget availability. This may increase, beyond the initial estimated value, in the event of growth in service demand and associated budget. The framework will be established for a period of approx. 4 years and 9 months. The decision to reopen the framework to admit the application of new providers is at the discretion of Stirling Council. This is anticipated to be annually, or as need arises. The same selection criteria will be used at each opening of the framework to ensure fairness, transparency and equal treatment in the process. Providers must pass all of the required selection criteria in order to be awarded to the framework agreement. There will be no restriction placed on the number of providers participating on the framework. Participation on the framework does not guarantee future business between the Council and a Provider. However, it does mean that the Council has the means from which to buy services from a provider, should they be required. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. This procedure utilises the 'light-touch' provisions described in regulations 74-76 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.