Engagement Event & Feedback Request - Children and Adult Advocacy Services for Oxfordshire

This is notification of a pre-procurement engagement event, and the opportunity to influence the specifications for future services. Oxfordshire County Council has a statutory responsibility for the delivery of advocacy (and independent visiting for children) services for both children and adults.

The existing services being delivered are highly valued and considered to be effective in terms of the support they provide. Children's advocacy services are currently delivered in-house, and Adults advocacy services are delivered through an external contract which is coming to the end of its natural term.

Therefore, the authority needs to re-commission its future advocacy services and intends to combine both the children and adults' elements in to one tendered contract, with two lots. This should ensure services are more closely aligned to improve clarity around eligibility and referral processes and provide a better experience for service users.

As we will need to re-write our specification to reflect some of our new requirements, we are inviting advocacy providers to comment on the draft specifications, and to share any views and suggestions which may be helpful to the process. The two draft specifications are attached to the ProContract Proactis portal ( https://procontract.due-north.com/Register) and you can upload your comments, and submit additional questions for us to consider at our forthcoming engagement event (see below).

Provider Workshop Details: 15 October 2018 - 13:30-15:00. Arrival from 13:15.

Location: Grand Jury room - Sign in at main reception - Oxfordshire County Council, County Hall, New Road, Oxford, OX1 1ND [https://goo.gl/maps/gsxQdLgzMr22] As places are limited each organisation is limited to two representatives. Booking should be made through the Portal as per instructions.

Please note that the authority will take in to consideration comments and suggestions from multiple stakeholders during the pre-tender period, and therefore the final specifications and tendering process are subject to change and may not reflect the views of all discussions. This engagement is not part of a formal tender exercise. The new tender will be advertised on the ProContract Proactis portal https://procontract.due-north.com/Register separately.