Pre Market Engagement: Community Accommodation Service Tier 3 (CAS3)

Community Accommodation Service Tier 3 (CAS3) is a provision funded by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and overseen in Manchester by the Greater Manchester Probation Service and Manchester City Council, to provide short-term accommodation and support for people who are threatened with homelessness upon their release from prison or approved premises, for up to 84 days. The CAS3 provision emphasises the prevention of homelessness and the reduction in reoffending.

Manchester City Council is seeking to engage with existing and potential providers of support and accommodation services to understand the market's capabilities in providing short-term support and accommodation for people who have recently left custody. It is anticipated that any future service model would adopt a trauma-informed approach, recognising the diverse experiences and support needs of people leaving custody.

The proposed model is intended to provide access to accommodation alongside person-centred support to address homelessness, improve wellbeing, increase independence and support positive move-on outcomes. The proposed service is expected to operate collaboratively with statutory and voluntary sector partners, including Probation, local authorities, Greater Manchester Police and other relevant agencies, to support effective risk assessment, risk management and information sharing.

At this stage, the Council is considering a model that may include separate accommodation and support elements. To inform this approach, the Council is seeking feedback from the market regarding capacity, deliverability and potential service design considerations.

The accommodation element could include a minimum of 66 lettable self-contained single-sex units and/or compliant single-sex shared accommodation, available for occupation by CAS3 residents for up to 84 nights per placement. The support element could involve the provision of a floating support service delivered by a dedicated team of support workers.

Such support may focus on helping individuals to secure and sustain accommodation, improve stability and resilience, access appropriate services and support successful resettlement outcomes. The information contained within this notice is for market engagement purposes only and does not constitute a commitment by Manchester City Council to undertake a procurement process or award any contract.