BHCC Adults Community Support and Supported Living Light Touch Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) Admission Round 4

Brighton and Hove City Council is inviting applications from providers to join its Adults Community Support and Supported Living Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), which is now open for its fourth admission round.

The opportunity covers community support and supported living services for adults with a range of needs, including learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, acquired brain injuries, physical disabilities and substance misuse. The DPS has an estimated total value of £240,000,000 excluding VAT over its full potential duration of up to 10 years.

Service Summary

The DPS aims to expand the range of community support and supported living services available to adults with eligible social care needs across Brighton and Hove.

The Council intends to attract new providers, increase choice and develop a more diverse care market. Services will take a person-centred, strengths-based and outcomes-focused approach, supporting individuals to achieve their agreed goals and maintain greater independence.

The DPS is divided into two main service lots: Community Support and Supported Living, each covering six categories of support needs.

Service Lots

The DPS is divided into two lots, with a total of 12 sub-lots:

Lot 1 – Community Support: £30,000,000

• Lot 1.1 – Adults with Learning Disabilities and who may also be autistic.
• Lot 1.2 – Adults with Mental Health needs.
• Lot 1.3 – Adults who are Neurodivergent and who may also be autistic.
• Lot 1.4 – Adults with Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI).
• Lot 1.5 – Adults with Physical Disabilities and/or sensory needs.
• Lot 1.6 – Adults with Substance Misuse and eligible Care Act needs.

Community Support provides person-centred support without accommodation forming part of the service. Individuals may live independently or with family or others.

Lot 2 – Supported Living: £210,000,000

• Lot 2.1 – Adults with Learning Disabilities and who may also be autistic.
• Lot 2.2 – Adults with Mental Health needs.
• Lot 2.3 – Adults who are Neurodivergent and who may also be autistic.
• Lot 2.4 – Adults with Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI).
• Lot 2.5 – Adults with Physical Disabilities and/or sensory needs.
• Lot 2.6 – Adults with Substance Misuse and eligible Care Act needs.

Supported Living provides care and support alongside an individual tenancy or licence agreement. Providers may be required to source suitable accommodation, depending on the individual placement requirements.

Providers can apply for one or multiple lots and sub-lots.

Service Requirements

Providers admitted to the DPS must be able to deliver person-centred, strengths-based and outcomes-focused support that reflects each individual’s assessed needs, aims and goals.

For Lot 1, Community Support providers must:

• Deliver support to adults across the specified categories of need.
• Provide support without accommodation forming part of the service.
• Work towards outcomes agreed with each individual.
• Offer flexible support that promotes independence and meets eligible Care Act needs.

For Lot 2, Supported Living providers must:

• Deliver support alongside an individual tenancy or licence agreement.
• Provide a safe, secure and stable living environment.
• Offer support models suited to individual needs, which may include shared care and 24-hour staffing.
• Arrange suitable accommodation where required, meeting the standards set out in the specification.
• Use person-centred and strengths-based approaches to achieve agreed outcomes.

The Council also intends to expand the use of Individual Service Funds (ISFs), allowing individuals greater flexibility in how their personal budgets are used to meet their support needs.

Contract Information

• Buyer: Brighton and Hove City Council
• Deadline: 4 December 2026, 12:00pm
• Contract Value: £240,000,000 (excluding VAT)
• Lot 1 Value: £30,000,000 (excluding VAT)
• Lot 2 Value: £210,000,000 (excluding VAT)
• DPS Established: 4 March 2024
• Initial DPS End Date: 3 March 2029
• Potential Extension: Additional 3 years plus 2 years
• Round 4 Duration: 23 months, ending 3 March 2029
• Tender Reference: BHCC – 039286
• Contract Location: Brighton and Hove (UKJ21)
• Tender Link: https://sell2.in-tend.co.uk/seshared/home
• Procedure: Open procedure under the Light Touch Regime
• Framework Capacity: No limit on the number of providers admitted.

Supplier Requirements

The opportunity is open to interested organisations and consortia with relevant experience in delivering community support and supported living services.

Providers must:

• Complete the Pass/Fail Selection Questionnaire (SQ).
• Meet the minimum admission requirements set out in the tender documents.
• Successfully pass the quality evaluation.
• Demonstrate their ability to meet the relevant service specification and individual support requirements.

Providers may apply for one or multiple lots and sub-lots.

There is no guarantee of work or service volumes through admission to the DPS. Providers admitted to the system are not obligated to bid for individual commissioning opportunities.

TUPE may apply at the Commissioning Stage, with further details provided in the relevant tender documents.

Evaluation Criteria

The Admission Stage will be assessed on 100% Quality, with no price weighting.

For Lot 1, Community Support, pricing information will be requested at the Admission Stage but will not be scored. Submitted pricing will be binding until 31 March 2028 and may be used for direct awards.

At the Commissioning Stage, individual opportunities will be evaluated on Quality and Price. Providers may be invited to participate through either direct awards or mini-competitions.

Commercial Relevance

This DPS offers opportunities for domiciliary care providers, supported living organisations and specialist adult social care providers working with people with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, acquired brain injuries, physical disabilities and substance misuse needs. Providers can apply to relevant sub-lots that match their services and expand their access to future commissioning opportunities across Brighton and Hove.

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