Contract(s) for The supply of Goods and Services for CEC Emergency AssistanCE Scheme

Emergency Assistance is a scheme that was introduced by Cheshire East Council following the changes to the Social Fund by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from April 2013. The scheme is designed to prioritise support to protect the most vulnerable, i.e. those residents of Cheshire East who are in genuine need.

Any award under the scheme is intended: ? To support vulnerable people facing immediate hardship, following a crisis or disaster; ?

To prevent homelessness, in conjunction with support from the Housing Options Team to keep families together and safeguard vulnerable people. Alternatively support may be required to assist vulnerable people to return to or remain in the community or to ease exceptional pressure on families.

The scheme is non-cash based with support provided by the provision of goods, (primarily re-cycled or reconditioned white goods and furniture) or services (including general welfare advice and signposting) and is available to those in receipt of state benefits (or low paid work in exceptional cases). The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SME's).

For the avoidance of doubt, the contracting authority points out that no weight will be attached to whether or not an economic operator is an SME in selecting economic operators to submit tenders or in assessing the most economically advantageous tender. Cheshire East Borough, this will be split into the following Lots: 1.

Crewe and Nantwich, and 2. Macclesfield, Congleton and surrounding areas.