This guidance contains details of new projects to
be commissioned by DETR, in connection with the development
of policy about Supporting People.
The projects contained within this guidance will
be commissioned in the course of the next year, and
cover research activity for the next three to four
years. It is being sent to a wide range of research
organisations, consultants and other bodies who might
wish to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in
order to be considered as potential contractors.
For each project there is a brief description of
the nature of the work, the kinds of skills we would
expect to be needed to undertake the work and the
anticipated timetable for the commissioning of the
work. There is also a named research officer for each
project who is the contact point for that project.
This is a large programme of work, and some of the
projects need to be undertaken within quite limited
timescales. In addition, a number will involve close
cross-disciplinary working, whether within an organisation
or involving several organisations. Organisations
may wish to cooperate with one another in either completing
the EOI or later on, in responding to invitations
to pre-tender or tender.
The research programme described below replaces the
Supporting People research programme described
in the Housing and Regeneration Newsletter
1999 - 2000 (available from Jonathan Hanton, Housing
and Regeneration Research Programme Officer, Department
of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Zone
2/B1 Eland House,
Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU. Tel: (020) 7944
3283, Fax: (020) 7944 3109 or 3529.
If your organisation submitted an EOI in any of the
Supporting People research projects described
in that newsletter in section 1(7), you are encouraged
to submit a new EOI, making it clear which project
or projects you are interested in being considered
for.
Organisations who have not previously expressed an
interest are encouraged to consider which projects,
if any, they wish to submit an Expression of Interest
for. Organisations sending in such submissions will
be considered by the Department when decisions are
being made about suitable organisations to invite
to compete for specific projects or programmes of
work.
If you have any enquiries about the Department's
contracting processes please contact Jonathan Hanton.
If you have any queries about the research, please
contact the person named in relation to each of the
projects.
Supporting
People Policy <Top>
Supporting People is the Government's new
policy aimed at delivering a coherent and flexible
policy and funding framework for providing support
to vulnerable people in different types of accommodation
and tenure.
It will bring together various funding streams into
a single budget to be administered by local authorities
(for example, the support element of Housing Benefit,
the Housing Corporation Supported Housing Management
Grant, etc). Local authorities will work in partnership
with other statutory agencies, the probation service,
voluntary organisations, housing and other service
providers to plan how the resources available could
be spent most effectively, at a local level, on support
services.
Supporting
People Research Programme <Top>
The research projects described below are to be commissioned
in support of the development of policy, monitoring
and evaluating policy implementation and the development
of good practice.
The Department intends to commission, at a later
date, a full evaluation of the Supporting People
programme, once it is fully implemented. The projects
discussed below will clearly contribute to establishing
a baseline against which the impact of the programme
can be assessed.
Project One - Parts 1 - 4
<Top>
Audit of Sector in 2000/01:
Timetable: Research already commissioned or being
commissioned.
Research contact: Gavin Smart, tel: (020) 7944 3473,
email: gavin_smart@detr.gsi.gov.uk
This has several components, discussed below.
However, please note that Parts 1-4 are already being
commissioned and therefore expressions of interest
are not required. A description of this work is provided
for information only.
Please make it clear whether your organisation wishes
to express an interest in Parts 5 & 6 or only
one of them.
The audit will provide an overview of the current
state of the sector(s) that will be covered by the
Supporting People regime. The focus will be
not just on the amount of provision, but its appropriateness
and its adequacy, in relation to the extent of need.
The audit will also provide a baseline measure that
would be available for use in the evaluation studies
planned for subsequent years.
Objectives
Part 1 - Estimates of current supply of accommodation
and support by client group (national and regional
estimates and methodology for production of local
estimates) and good practice guidance for use by local
authorities.
Part 2 - Current need for accommodation and support
by client group (national and regional estimates and
methodology for production of local estimates) and
good practice guidance for use by local authorities;
Part 3 - Using supply and demand data to estimate
the levels of unmet need;
Part 4 - Identifying the extent of inappropriate/unpopular
provision.
Outputs
· National and regional estimates of need, provision,
inappropriate provision and programme cost.
· A methodology for the local assessment of
need for support.
· Guidance for local Social Service, Housing
and Probation services on assessing local needs.
Project
One - Part 5 <Top>
Pattern of ownership (RSL, local authority, charitable,
etc) and implications of ownership for the amount
of regulation and scrutiny of provision necessary.
Timetable: Commission September/October 2000.
Research contact: Gavin Smart, tel: (020) 7944 3473,
email: gavin_smart@detr.gsi.gov.uk
Objectives
· To map current provision of services to be
funded through Supporting People.
· Identify gaps in current data on provision
and design appropriate research and statistical approaches
to provide the missing information.
· Identify and describe the various regimes
of regulation and scrutiny under which different providers
operate.
· Produce sound policy conclusions commenting
on any changes required in the recording of provision
information, in all sectors, and/or changes needed
in the different regimes of regulation and scrutiny.
Outputs
· Research report reviewing current patterns
of ownership across all provider sectors.
· Conclusions making recommendations for policy
change necessary to improve regulation and scrutiny
(if necessary).
Skills
· Knowledge of the sector.
· Knowledge of existing datasets detailing ownership
of housing with support and the provision of support
services.
· Understanding of the systems of regulation
employed by the government departments responsible
for overseeing social services, local authority housing
and probation services; the Housing Corporation; any
other bodies overseeing the charitable/private sectors.
· Excellent written and oral communication skills.
· Ability to liaise with a wide range of officers,
provider organisations, representative bodies and
individual provider organisations.
· Ability to construct appropriate methodological
approaches to fill the gaps in existing datasets recording
patterns of provision of accommodation and support
services.
· Ability to make appropriate policy recommendations
based upon research findings.
Project
One - Part 6 <Top>
Indication of extent to which current management
and staffing of provision attains an agreed standard.
Timetable: Commission June/July 2000.
Research contact: Gavin Smart, tel: (020) 7944 3473,
email: gavin_smart@detr.gsi.gov.uk
Objectives
· Carry out staff skills audit of the Supporting
People sector.
· Identify gaps in existing information, taking
into account the Housing Corporation's Performance
Indicators introduced in April 2000 and design appropriate
research approaches to provide required missing information.
· Produce policy conclusions, to include any
recommendations for systems of accreditation and/or
training if research suggests these are required.
Outputs
· Research report reviewing current levels of
staffing and staff/management skills.
· Policy conclusions detailing any recommended
changes needed to improve the skills base of the sector.
Skills
· Experience of or ability to carry out staff
skills audit research at the national level.
· Knowledge of the sector and formally recognised
qualifications likely to be held by staff and management.
· Ability to devise an appropriate approach
to identify level of skills and qualifications across
the sector nationally.
· Ability to devise and agree agreed staffing
and management standards in consultation with the
Department.
· Ability to produce a methodology capable of
assessing how current management and staff measure
up to the agreed standard.
· Ability to make appropriate policy recommendations
based uponresearch findings.
· Excellent written and oral communication skills.
· Ability to liaise with a wide range of officers,
provider organisations, representative bodies and
individual provider organisations.
Project
Two - Development of a distribution formula for Supporting
People revenue funding <Top>
Timetable: Commission by June 2000; interim outputs
by December 2001; final outputs by December 2002.
Research contact: Andrew Parfitt, tel: (020) 7944
3273,
email: andrew_parfitt@detr.gsi.gov.uk
Objectives
The main objective is to develop a transparent and
robust formula for thedistribution of central government
revenue funding for Supporting People to social
services, housing and probation services at a more
locallevel. In order to derive the formula, the study
will require the development of defensible indicators
of Supporting People need and effective mechanisms
for the collection of local statistical data on the
costs of provision.
Scope
The study will concern the arrangements for Supporting
People from 2003/04. Although the overall policy
framework is as set out in the consultation paper
of December 1998, discussions are continuing on many
of the more detailed aspects of implementation.
Consequently the approach adopted will need to have
the flexibility to incorporate alternative assumptions
on issues such as the overall level of funding, the
principles governing the distribution between different
client groups and the choice of delivery mechanisms.
The research falls into three parts:
Needs indicators
The aim is to identify defensible indicators of variations
in the distribution of need at a local level. As an
interim stage, a range of potential options for needs
indicators will be developed, with the preferred indicator
being identified following discussion with government
and other relevant parties.
Of particular importance will be to distinguish the
needs which are funded through Supporting People,
those which are funded through other sources such
as charities and contributions from the recipients
themselves, and those which remain unmet (whether
through people receiving no services at all, or at
a lower level than they could potentially benefit
from).
In developing the indicators, the study will liaise
closely and draw upon the outputs of the ongoing Audit
of Sector, as well as carrying out a thorough review
of other existing research. Where gaps are identified,
for instance in the needs of particular client groups,
some primary research may be required.
Costs data
Data on the costs of provision will initially also
be drawn from the Sector Audit, and a thorough review
of other existing research. But, in liaison with government
statisticians, a new statistical return will be developed
for completion at the local level, jointly, by social
services, housing and probation services. The first
set of returns will be collected in September2001,
followed by a second set in September 2002, so as
to inform the outputs of the study. The returns will
strike a balance between comprehensiveness and ease
of completion. They will be designed for ongoing collection
after the end of the study, with the capability of
being modified to reflect changing circumstances.
Distribution formula
The distribution formula will draw on the needs indicators
and costs data. Its development will require liaison
with government statisticians, economists and finance
specialists and will draw on experience of local government
finance and the allocation of funding for social housing.
The formula will strike a balance between accuracy
and simplicity. Its methodology will be defensible
and readily explicable to non-specialists. The formula
will be capable of being readily modified to reflect
the ongoing development of policy in aspects such
as the total volume of resources and its distribution
between client groups.
A particular issue will be the appropriate geographical
scale at which funds are allocated by the formula.
This will be addressed in liaison with government
officials, in the light of evolving policy requirements.
Outputs
The outputs will be a series of reports to government;
a spreadsheet model of the distribution formula, the
needs indicators and costs data; and a new statistical
return on costs. The consultants will be expected
to present their findings to a range of different
audiences, including local authorities, specialist
advisers and officials within DETR and other government
departments.
Skills
A range of skills will be needed, making the project
particularly suitable for a consortia of research
organisations.
They include:
· ability to develop understanding of the policy
context:
· flexibility to respond to ongoing policy development;
· relevant expertise in needs assessment, data
collection and analysis;
· appropriate expertise in statistics, economics,
finance and social policy;
· excellent oral and written skills.
Project
Three - Monitoring and evaluation of preparations
for implementation of Supporting People <Top>
This project has a number of stages. The preferred
option would be for a lead contractor to be involved
in both stages outlined below (1 and 2), perhaps adding
to the research team as the project expands from looking
at the few early preparation areas to a larger number
of areas involved in first phase implementation.
Stage 1 - Monitoring and evaluation of early preparation
areas
Timetable: Commission by May 2000; complete by April
2002.
Research contact: Jan White, tel: (020) 7944 3107,
email: jan_white@detr.gsi.gov.uk
The project will involve:
Close involvement in the preparatory activities of
up to six local authorities, geographically spread
across England. This will include different types
of authority - county authorities and their relevant
districts, and the full range of types of unitary
authorities. Each local authority will have a local
Project Manager co-ordinating the preparatory activity
with whom the researcher will liaise. These local
project managers are being funded jointly by the Housing
Corporation, the DETR and Anchor Trust. The purpose
of the study is to provide DETR with an insight into
the issues arising across the range of areas, and
an awareness of issues where authorities will need
guidance.
The project will require regular attendance at, and
reporting to, a DETR/Housing Corporation/Anchor steering
group.
Outputs
· Regular reports both oral and written on the
nature of, and implications arising from, work in
the early preparation areas; discussion of issues
arising and alternative solutions.
Skills
· Understanding of the policy context.
· Understanding of the implications of Supporting
People for local social services, housing and
probation services.
· Ability to liaise with a range of officers.
· Ability to clearly identify and discuss relevant
issues.
· Good oral and written presentation skills.
Stage
2 - Monitoring and evaluation of a sample of first
phase authorities
Timetable: Commission by January 2001; complete by
October 2003.
Research contact: Jan White, tel: (020) 7944 3107,
email: jan_white@detr.gsi.gov.uk
The project will involve assessing the process of
implementation, and early stages after 'go-live' in
phased areas, if agreed, to contribute to final guidance
and directions for the national rollout of Supporting
People.
This project would run throughout the implementation
stage and cover the first few months of delivery to
generate a series of outputs, in the form of briefing
papers on emerging issues as well as contributing
to the final package of guidance and directions.
Outputs
· Regular reports both oral and written on the
nature of, and implications arising from, work in
first phase areas.
· Briefing papers on emerging issues; contributions
to final package of guidance and directions.
Skills
· Understanding of the policy context.
· Understanding of the implications of Supporting
People for local social services, housing and
probation services.
· Ability to liaise with a range of officers.
· Ability to clearly identify and discuss relevant
issues.
· Good oral and written presentation skills.
Project
Four - Readiness review in phased areas
<Top>
Timetable: Commission by October 2002; complete by
December 2002.
Research contact: Jan White, tel: (020) 7944 3107,
email: jan_white@detr.gsi.gov.uk
The project will involve reviewing the position reached
in phased areas approximately six months prior to
April 2003 'go live' and highlighting issues and areas
where further/remedial action is required. This short,
focused project will concentrate on the technical
aspects of preparing for implementation, including
assessment of the appropriateness of structures, systems
(including IT) and operational arrangements.
Outputs
· A detailed and comprehensive report to DETR
providing an assessment of the 'state of play' and
practical recommendations for further/remedial action.
Skills
· Understanding of the policy context.
· Ability to liaise with a range of officers.
· Ability to clearly identify and discuss relevant
issues.
· Assessing systems (including IT) and procedures.
GUIDANCE
FOR POTENTIAL CONTRACTORS <Top>
Expressions of Interest
Far more Expressions of Interest in projects are
received than can be included on the shortlists for
invitations to tender for any project. The information
contractors provide to support an Expression of Interest
is used to select shortlists of invitees to tender.
Invitations to Tender
Normally 3-6 organisations are invited to tender
for each project.
Formal invitations to tender include:
· the specification of the project outlining
the objectives and why it is being commissioned, and
the details expected to be provided in the tender;
· the standard contract conditions;
· the date for receipt of tenders; and
· the expected timing for the announcement of
the award of the contract.
In some cases, a pre-tender consultation exercise
is carried out in order to ascertain contractor interest
in the project and to consult on the specification
for the work.
Four weeks is the usual tendering period, although
for projects that are required urgently, a shorter
tendering period may be sometimes necessary.
Specifications will generally be output based, giving
clear guidance on the Department's requirements but
leaving it to tenderers to suggest the most appropriate
methods to achieve the objectives. In order to promote
competition and value for money, it is the Department's
normal practice not to disclose project budgets.
The letter with the invitation to tender gives the
name and number of the Department's Nominated Officer
for a project and contractors are encouraged to make
contact if they wish to discuss the specification.
Tender Documents and their assessment
A tender assessment panel will examine the tenders
for value for money. The panel has to be satisfied
that the method and programme of work meet the project's
objectives and are cost effective.
The panel will also take into account the following:
· the understanding of the issues being addressed;
· familiarity with previous relevant research;
· the experience of the research team; and
· the proposed costs and value for money.
Interviews may be held to assist with this assessment.
Normally these will involve the tenderer making a
presentation, responding to the questions of the interviewing
panel and having an opportunity to make a final statement.
Awarding
of Contracts <Top>
The assessment of tenders normally results in the
selection of a preferred tender, although the Department
is not bound to accept any tender. All of the tenderers
are informed of the outcome of this decision.
