Decision details

Nationally, as well as in Bristol, continued increases in demand for statutory services is putting pressure on teams and placement budgets. For those children that are taken into care, their life chances can be significantly impaired.
A re-baselined full business case for the Families First programme received internal council approval on 10th December following an initial phase of discovery work carried out by Newton Europe. This is the next step that aims to mobilise the programme at pace and scope out the programme of work that will be used to go out to open tender for the delivery phase.

Bristol City Council has agreed to spend up to £475,000 to commission Newton Europe to plan the programme of work needed so that we can make and early start to process and run the open tender process simultaneously

The alternative option considered was to run a competitive process now with mobilisation/define stage guaranteed with delivery stage added assuming good performance and an acceptable proposal.
This option was dismissed on the basis that:
-No fixed price for delivery stage. Requires strong oversight to pricing of second stage.
-Slower start to project.
-If a tender was needed for delivery stage some cons from the above process apply so may be an incentive to continue with consultant.