On 29^th November 2022, the Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee authorised the Director of Public Health to recommission Information and Advice Services in Wirral. At this Committee, delegated authority was given to the Director of Public Health to award the tender to the successful bidder following the tender process. This report provides an update on the recommissioning process and outcome.

The process has concluded, the tenders received have been fully evaluated according to Council procurement rules and the Director of Public Health will take the decision to award the contract to the successful bidder Wirral Citizen’s Advice Bureau.

Current commissioning arrangements expire at the end of the financial year 2023/24. Good information and advice services are an important component of overall health and wellbeing, and a pillar of wider work to reduce health inequalities in Wirral.

The report supports the implementation of the Wirral Plan 2021 – 26 priorities, Brighter Futures and Active and Healthy Lives and Wirral’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy and its core purpose to improve equity for people and place through the provision of a Wirral-wide service that directly supports people in need.

The Director of Public Health has approved the award of a five-year contract commencing on 1 April 2024 and running until 31 March 2027 (with the option of two one-year extensions) at a total cost of £6,999,925.20for Information and Advice services to Wirral Citizen Advice Bureau within the approved budget and as the highest scoring tenderer in accordance with the Most Economically Advantageous Tender criteria.

1.1  The current contract for the Information and Advice Services delivered by Wirral Citizen Advice Bureau will expire on 31^st March 2024. A procurement exercise has been completed in accordance with Council Contract Procedure Rules.

1.2  The tender was evaluated against a 25% contract price,10% Social Value and 65% contract quality ratio. The successful bidder met all the quality requirements within the allocated budget.

2.1  The service was assessed as part of the Public Health Grant review process in July 2023.  During the review, consideration was given to not re-commissioning the service, however local data and insight continues to demonstrate high levels of need, and therefore continued requirement for the service.

2.2  Authorisation was given by the Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee in November 2022 to re-commission the Wirral Information and Advice service totalling up to £7,000,000 (£1,400,000 per annum) for a three-year contract (1st April 2024 – 31st March 2027) with the option of a one year plus further one year extension.  Delegated authority was also given to the Director of Public Health to award the tender to the successful bidder following the tender process.