C0235 - A Service to deliver orientation, accommodation and support services for vulnerable Syrian Refugees

Birmingham City Council invites organisations to tender for a service to deliver orientation, accommodation and support services for vulnerable Syrian refugees following the UN estimation that as of February 2015, 12.2 million people are in need of humanitarian aid in Syria. At least 7.6 million people in Syria have had to flee their homes.

On 29 January 2014, the Home Secretary made a statement to Parliament outlining the Government’s intention to relocate to the UK some of the most vulnerable Syrian refugees, displaced to neighbouring countries by the on going conflict. This scheme has now been significantly extended and the Prime Minister announced on 7 September 2015 that the United Kingdom will accept 20,000 Syrian refugees, for the period of this Parliament, under the terms of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme.

Individual refugees relocated under the Syrian VPR scheme are identified by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). The Home Office has asked all local authorities to take at least 50 individuals.

Birmingham City Council has agreed to participate in the scheme and accept a maximum of 50 individuals. For example a parent with two children would be counted as three individuals.

These refugees will have complex needs and are likely to require a number of skills from providers to help them establish a stable and integrated life in Birmingham. It is likely that the successful provider(s) will have partnership, arrangements to allow them to tap in to a broad skill base to support this project and to give accommodation options to avoid social isolation of the refugees.

Should policy decisions change during 2015/16 owing to a deteriorating situation in Syria then potentially there will be an additional requirement as bidders will be asked to hold tenders open for 16 weeks, however any significant change will require a new tender round. The contract will run for a period of three years from Dec 2015/Jan 2016, with a potential extension of up to a further two years.