MRC Emergency Care Provision

CLOSING TIME FOR BIDS IS 07/11/2016 11:00 HOURS. DO NOT APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE BUYER.

An emergency care benefit has been in place at the MRC since November 2014. During this time uptake has increased as the scheme has become established and employees are more at ease with using the provision.

The aim of the benefit is to allow employees to attend their workplace when they would have otherwise had to take time off when their normal care provision has broken down (for example, childminder is ill). Ultimately the employee will decide whether the options available to them are suitable.

Due to the dispersed nature of the organisation the provider must have a good network of care options across the country that are reliable. The MRC would seek to provide 6 ‘sessions’ of care provision in the first year but would like the flexibility to increase/decrease this as appropriate for the following year (to be agreed 3 months in advance).

This recognises that what defines a ‘session’ will depend on the type of care that has been requested by the employee and that the time spent at a nursery might be different to that of a child-minder. The spend related to this contract will depend upon the amount of sessions required per employee.

MRC does not guarantee any employee usage of this contract . The provider must be flexible, recognising that many instances of contact from employees will be in emergency situations when their normal care arrangements have broken down and will therefore need a quick turnaround and response.

Ability for employees to put forward their own care providers to be assessed and brought on board by the emergency provider. Detailed data gathering practices for those who employees register to ensure accurate information is gathered in one place and then provided securely to the care provider when required.

Employees must be able to contact the provider to seek assistance and make emergency care arrangements outside of the standard working week (Monday – Friday; 9-5). This must be at a minimum of between 7:30am – 7:00 pm The online profile should show employees how many sessions they have used and how many they have remaining.

Employees should have the option of paying personally for the benefit once the MRC entitlement has been exhausted ( this will require the use of secure payment systems). At a minimum the service must provide: Emergency childcare (under 16), including: Nannies, Nursery, child-minders, School Holiday Cover, School holiday clubs, Adult care/ Elder care.

All childcare and adult care providers used by the supplier will be appropriately regulated, licensed, reference checked and accredited. All care agencies will be vetted by the Care Quality commission and/or the equivalent bodies in Scotland and Wales Additional information: How to Apply: As part of the strategic alliance between UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) and Crown Commercial Service (CCS), UK SBS can use the CCS eSourcing Suite for future procurements.

If you have not yet registered on the eSourcing Suite, this can be done online at https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk by following the link 'Register for CCS eSourcing'. Please note that, to register, you must have a valid DUNS number (as provided by Dun and Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are registering, who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so.

Once you have registered on the eSourcing Suite, a registered user can express an interest for a specific procurement. This is done by emailing expressionofinterest@crowncommercial.gov.uk.

Your email must clearly state: the name and reference for the procurement you wish to register for; the name of the registered Bidder; and the name and contact details for the registered individual sending the email. Crown Commercial Service will process the email and then enable the Bidder to access the procurement online via the e-Sourcing Suite.

The registered user will receive a notification email to alert them once this has been done. The Sourcing documents can then be accessed on the eSourcing Suite at: https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk using the instructions detailed in the specification documents within Contracts Finder.

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