EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST DOCUMENT

Title / Business Crime Victim Support Service
Date/time for Quotation return:
Return to:
Enquiries to: / 8 September 2015 at 5pm
Alethea Fuller,
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner,
2nd Floor, Aqua House,
20 Lionel Street,
Birmingham B3 1AQ

Tel: 0121 626 6060

CONTENTS

Page
SECTION
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
*Part 5
*Part 6
*Part 7
Part 8 / INFORMATION
Guidance
Background
Requirements
Indicative Timetable
Selection and Evaluation
Written Proposals
Value for Money
Company Information
Insurance / 3
4
6
6
6
6
7
8
8

* Denotes the parts that require completion and submission by the proposing organisation.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Guidance for Expressions of Interest

  1. You are invited to submit toAlethea Fuller no later than8 September 2015 at 5pm,an Expression of Interest and quotation for the provision of Business Crime Victim Support Service whichis detailed below in accordance with the West Midlands Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner(OPCC)standard terms and conditions of grant funding.
  1. Only paper expressions of Interest and proposals can be received. They can be sent by post or hand delivered to:

Alethea Fuller,

Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner,

2nd Floor, Aqua House,

20 Lionel Street,

Birmingham B3 1AQ

Paperwork must be sealed in a plain envelope with the address only shown. No markings which identify the sender can be used, so stamps rather than a franking machine may be required.

  1. Providers are advised to ensure that they are fully familiar with the nature and extent of the service required. It is the responsibility of providers to obtain for themselves, at their own expense, all information necessary for the preparation of their quotation.
  1. Proposals must be submitted for the entire service as detailed below; quotations for only part of the service will be rejected.
  1. OPCC may at its own absolute discretion to extend the closing date and time specified for the receipt of quotations, or invite variations to the conditions of grant.
  1. OPCC will seek the best value for money and does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any quotation and reserves the right to accept a quotation either in whole or part for the services specified
  1. All prices shall in all cases be exclusive of VAT, which will be applied in accordance with legislation. Discounts, trade allowances of any kind must be shown separately.

Description of Requirement

1. Background

1.1Why does the Police and Crime Commissioner wish to develop a service to support the victims of business crime?

InApril 2015 the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) launchedthe new Victims Service, which will provide support and information to all victims and will make sure specialist help is provided when needed. These services will help victims to cope and recover from the impacts of crime. Victim Support will provide the initial first contact, support and information to victims, including those affected by business crime. They will make an assessment and refer victims to specialist providers where needed. The Victims Services Strategy can be found at:

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) has been working closely with West Midlands Police, the community and voluntary sector and other partner organisations across the force area and has developed aVictims Commission which is the advisory body to the PCC in respect of specialist services.

The government has also introduced a Victim’s Code which sets out the services that the public and businesses can expect from the criminal justice system.

Business Crime is a strategic priority for the Police and CrimeCommissioner and West Midlands Police, who work collaboratively to establish victim outcomes, which include reducing demand, reducing repeat victimisation, protecting and supporting victims, increased satisfaction and reducing risk. The Commissioner wishes to develop a victim support service for business and to pilot this across Birmingham. This invitation to express an interest in providing such a service is open to any organisations that work with, support, or have a good understanding of the needs of victims of business crime.

1.2Grant Value

  • A grant of up to £60,000 is available for a six month pilot project covering the area within Birmingham City Council Local Authority boundaries.
  • The feasibility of a roll out of this service to cover all 7 Local Authority areas for the West Midlands will be considered after an evaluation of the six month pilot for Birmingham.

1.2Eligibility

The OPCC welcomes applications from any organisations that work with, support, or have a good understanding of the needs of victims of business crime.

1.4How to Apply

You will need to provide us with a fully costed project proposal detailing how you propose to deliver the service during the pilot period.

  • Evidence, including feedback, of your proven ability to meet all of the service delivery proposed
  • Evidence, including feedback, of the proven ability of any other organisation working with you to deliver on their identified, specific aspect of this initiative.
  • Expenditure budget
  • Confirmation of valid insurance cover regarding negligence or breach of duty (directors, employers & public liability)

1.5Submitting an Application

Electronic copies of the application form can be found on the Police and Crime Commissioners website:

The deadline for submission of applications to Alethea Fuller is8 September 2015 at 5pm.Please note that without exceptional circumstances, applications after this date will not be considered.

Please ensure that you have fully completed all sections of your application form and have supplied all the requested supporting information. No additional supplementary papers, folders or brochures will be considered.

1.6Appraisal of Applications

Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee that the appraisal panel will fund the proposed service. All received applications will be appraised to establish the suitability of the applying organisation to receive public funds and the degree of fit with the identified commissioning and funding strategies.

The appraisal and selection process has been designed to ensure that only a project of the highest standard will be successful.Applications will be also judged on their value for money.

1.7Notification of Decisions

All applicants will be informed of the decision within 2 weeks of the deadline date, in respect of their application and will have the opportunity to receive feedback on their submission. In the event of applicants wishing to raise concerns about the process/make a formal complaint, this should be submitted in writing to OPCC where it will be responded to by an investigation officer independent of the appraisal panel.

1.8What Happens Next?

When we receive your completed application,we will send you an acknowledgement by email. Please ensure that you receive an email as this will be your confirmation of receipt. Your application will be forwarded to an appraisal panel who will consider it. A decision will be made as to whether the application is supported or not. Applicants will be informed of the outcome in writing.

Successful applicants will be sent an offer letter and a copy of the conditions of grant funding. The conditions of funding section must be signed and returned to OPCC before the commencement of your service.

2.Requirements

2.1To provide support services to businesses that have been a victim of business crime in line with the Victims Code. To proactively make businesses within Birmingham City Council Local Authority area aware that victim support and business crime prevention services exist for the pilot period of six months.

3.Indicative Timetable

3.1It is envisaged that the following timetable will apply:

Phase / Date
Submission of the Invitation to Quotation / 8 September 2015
Evaluation / 11 September 2105
Formal Decision / 15 September 2015
Award of Funding for successful proposal / 18 September 2015
Mobilisation Meeting / w/c 21 September 2015
Start Date of the Project / 28 September 2015
4.Selection and Evaluation

4.1The evaluation of proposals will be made by an assessment panel.

5.Written Proposals

General

5.1Organisations providing proposals must respond to and provide relevant information with

regard to all matters set out below. The responses and information MUST be submitted as part of the process. Failure to provide such information may result in the proposal being rejected.

Compliance with Proposals

5.2In providing the proposal, the provider shall comply with the contents orany amendments agreed with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Material Misrepresentation

5.3The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner shall rely on the information provided by the organisation. A material misrepresentation contained therein shall constitute a material breach of the conditions.

Organisation Proposals

5.4The organisation shall provide full and comprehensive statements in response to the

requests as set out below, giving details on how it is intended to organise, manage, resource and

operate the pilot project. The following minimum information should be provided:

AExperience

Describe your organisation’s experience in providing support to businesses in relation to business crime and crime prevention. This should include including your principles and service model and how your organisation links in with other projects, partners or services in the area.

BDelivery

A detailed description of how your organisation proposes to deliver services which support and respond to the needs of businesses that are/have beena victim of crime, in line with the Victims Code. It should include:

  • The key activities to be funded
  • The relevant experience and qualifications of the people who will undertake the work
  • How you would market your services to businesses
  • How your services will prevent businesses becoming a victim of crime
  • Staffing and governance structure and where this service would fit into your organisation
  • How the service for victims of business crime would meet the needs of Birmingham’s diverse population

CRisk management

Describe the steps that you would take to initiate this service for victims of business crime.Describe how your proposed service for victims of business crime could respond to and manage the risks that victims face. Include an exit strategy that could be enacted if the need is identified.

DEvaluation

How you propose to demonstrate the outputs and outcomes for the service during the pilot period.

6.Value for Money

6.1How many businesses in Birmingham would you plan to have contact with over the course of the six month pilot and what influences this estimate? Please be mindful that this service needs to be available to businesses whether they have reported the crime to the police or not.

Payment by BACS

6.2OPCC implements payments electronically by BACS and should your proposal be accepted, you will be paid by BACS. Therefore, please provide the following information:

Name and address of Bank or Building Society:
Bank/Building Society sort code:
Bank/Building Society account number:
7Company Information
1 / BASIC DETAILS OF YOUR ORGANISATION
1.1 / Name of your organisation
1.2 / Company Address:
Post Code:
1.3 / Contact name for enquiries about this proposal
1.4 / Job Title:
1.5 / Telephone number:
1.6 / E-mail address: (if available)
1.7 / Website address (if any):
1.8 / Company Registration number (if this applies):

If we need additional information about your company/organisation we will contact you.

8. Insurance

8.1This section will be evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis.

The Minimum Requirements for this service is:

  1. £2 million Public Liability Insurance is required in respect of each and every claim.
  2. Employers Liability Insurance is required in accordance with statutory requirements in respect of each and every claim.

The Organisation should have this level of insurance in place at the time of presenting your proposal or agree to obtain it prior to receiving the grant.

YOUR SUBMISSION MAY BE REJECTED IF YOU DO NOT COMPLY WITH THIS REQUIREMENT

Please Note: Copy Certification of the required minimum levels of insurance cover will be a requirement to be satisfied prior to entering into the funding agreement.

1 / Does the Organisation have the minimum levels of insurance in place at the time of submitting this proposal? / Yes No
2 / The successful organisation agrees to obtain minimum levels of insurance prior to grant funding being awarded. / Yes No
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