Board Report - Provision of a Professional Independent Advocacy Service for Adults
Renfrewshire Council · 23 April 2026
Back to Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board — 23 April 2026 and its agenda
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Finance, Resource and Customer Services Policy Board On: 23 April 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: The Director of Finance and Resources and the Chief Officer Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (RHSCP) ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Contract Authorisation Report for Provision of a Professional Independent Advocacy Service for Adults (RC-CPU-25-063) ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek the approval of the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board to enter into a Contract for Provision of a Professional Independent Advocacy Service for Adults with The Advocacy Project (Scotland). 1.2 The recommendation to award this Contract follows a procurement exercise which was conducted as an Open Procedure for an above Threshold contract in accordance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) 2015 Regulations 2015, as amended, Social and Other Specific Services and the Renfrewshire Council’s Standing Orders Relating to Contracts. 1.3 A Contract Strategy was approved by the Chief Officer (RHSCP) and the Chief Finance Officer (RHSCP) on 01 August 2025 and Strategic Category Manager on 31 July 2025. 1.4 A recommendation for award of this contract was presented to the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board on 20 November 2025, the Contract was awarded 16 December 2025, however, that service provider terminated the contract on 27 January 2026, prior to the Commencement Date. As the remaining tenderer submissions offers were still available for acceptance the Corporate Procurement Unit have prepared this new recommendation. ___________________________________________________________________
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PUBLIC 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board: 2.1 Authorises the Head of Corporate Governance to award a Contract for the Provision of a Professional Independent Advocacy Service for Adults, reference RC-CPU-25-063, to The Advocacy Project (Scotland) (Scottish Charity Number SC020564); 2.2 Authorises up to a maximum approved contract value of £761,130 excluding VAT; 2.3 Note that the maximum approved contract value includes additional funding for Alcohol and Drugs focused advocacy up to a value of £140,000 (£35,000/annum), from Scottish Government. This will be confirmed annually but is NOT guaranteed for the duration of the Contract; 2.4 Authorises the award of a Contract for a period of 3 years with the Council option to extend for up to a further 12 months on 1 occasion. The extension will be at the sole discretion of the Council; 2.5 Notes that the anticipated Commencement Date for the Contract is 01 October 2026 to accommodate transitional requirements, including TUPE; and 2.6 Notes that the Contract awarded following the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board on 20 November 2025 for this Contract for Professional Independent Advocacy Service for Adults was terminated by the Provider. _______________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Council has a current contract for the Professional Independent Advocacy Service for Adults, which was due to expire on 31 March 2026. Following an Open Tender procedure for a replacement contract, a recommendation was presented to the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board on 20 November 2025 and approved for Commencement on 01 April 2026. However, the recommended Tenderer terminated the Contract on 27 January 2026, due to a change in circumstances. 3.2 To ensure continuity of the Service, an interim contract has been put in place with the incumbent provider until 31 October 2026 until this longer term contract can be approved and implemented. 3.3 Under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, NHS Boards and Local Authorities have a duty to fund independent
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PUBLIC advocacy. The Contract provides a Service which plays an important role in supporting adults living in the Renfrewshire Council area to have their views heard and considered by the people who are involved in decision making that will affect their lives. 3.4 A Contract Notice was published on the Find a Tender Service via the Public Contracts Scotland website on 01 August 2025. The Invitation to Tender was also published and available on this date from Public Contracts Scotland – Tender. The Tender Deadline was 12 noon on 15 September 2025. There were 3 Tender Submissions received. 3.5 Following the change in circumstances of the previously recommended Tenderer and the termination of this Contract the validity of the 2 remaining Tender Submissions were confirmed and those offers extended by the remaining 2 Tenderers. A revised evaluation was conducted using those remaining bids. 3.6 Tender submissions were evaluated against a pre-determined set of selection criteria in the form of the Single Procurement Document (SPD) (Scotland) and criteria to assess capacity and capability to deliver services. These were evaluated by representatives from the Corporate Procurement Unit (CPU), RHSCP, Health and Safety, Risk and Cyber teams. All Tenderers demonstrated compliance with the minimum selection criteria set and were assessed as a pass. 3.7 Each Tender Submission was evaluated against the published award criteria of 70% Quality and 30% Price by representatives from both the CPU and the RHSCP. The Total Score achieved by each Tenderer is detailed below. Tenderer Quality (70%) Price (30%) Total Score The Advocacy Project (Scotland) 64.00% 30.00% 94.00% You First Advocacy 60.00% 29.99% 89.99% 3.8 The Tender Submission received by The Advocacy Project (Scotland) met the criteria set out in the procurement documents and was therefore deemed to be best value for money. 3.9 Community Benefits were requested as part of this procurement process. The recommended Tenderer offered the Community Benefits detailed below: Community Benefit Number Work Placement for an individual aged 14+ years of age 4 Industry Awareness Events - Schools/Invest in Renfrewshire – Employability/Further Education 4
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PUBLIC Community Benefit Number Non-financial support for a Social Enterprise within Renfrewshire 4 Non-financial support for a Community Project/Group 4 ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial - The maximum value of £761,130, excluding VAT, for the initial 3 year period plus further extension of up to a further 12 months will be met from the RHSCP Adult Services Budget. Funding up to £140,000 (£35,000/annum) from Scottish Government for Alcohol and Drugs focused advocacy will be confirmed and implemented each year, where available. 2. HR & Organisational Development - None directly arising from this report. 3. Community/Council Planning – • Place – working together to enhance wellbeing across communities - Developing local plans that reflect the voices of our communities, alongside strengthening our local partnerships, working together to deliver local priorities. • Fair – nurturing bright, happy and healthy futures for all – o Reducing inequalities in Renfrewshire, focusing on supporting our communities and empowering people to live fulfilled lives; o Working with a range of partners to support the improved health and wellbeing of our citizens. 4. Legal - This procurement was carried out in accordance with the procedures for an above Threshold Contract as permitted under part 3 Section 7 (Social and Other Specific Services) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, as amended, and the Council’s Standing Orders Relating to Contracts. The Tenderer previously recommended and awarded the Contract terminated the Contract prior to performing any Service under the Contract. The tender submissions from the remaining 2 Tenderers remained open and available for acceptance. Due to timings for this recommendation, the remaining Tenderers agreed to extend the validity period of their Tender Submissions to permit completion of this award. 5. Property/Assets – None directly arising from this report. 6. Information Technology – The Council’s Security & Compliance team evaluated the cyber security evidence submitted by the recommended
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PUBLIC and this met the Council’s minimum requirements. ICT will support the review of cyber security evidence on an annual basis. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored. 8. Health & Safety – The Corporate Health and Safety team evaluated the Health and Safety evidence submitted by the recommended Tenderer and these met the Council’s minimum requirements. 9. Procurement – The Tenderer previously recommended and awarded the Contract terminated the Contract prior to performing any Service under the Contract, the remaining 2 Tenderers agreed to extend the validity period of their Tender Submissions. This subsequent recommendation has followed procurement regulations and Renfrewshire Council Standing Orders relating to Contracts, to ensure that the Council meets its statutory requirements in respect of procurement procedures, efficiency and modern Government 10. Risk - The Council’s Risk team evaluated the insurance evidence submitted by the recommended Tenderer, and these met the Council’s minimum requirements. 11. Privacy Impact – The Council’s Information Governance Team and RHSCP conducted a data protection impact assessment as part of the procurement exercise. The recommended Tenderer will be a Data Controller and will be required to comply with the Conditions of Contract including Data Protection Conditions. 12. Climate Risk – The level of impact associated with the services was assessed using the Scottish Government Sustainability Test and is considered to be low impact. 13. Children’s Rights – None directly arising from this report. 14. Cosla Policy Position – None directly arising from this report. _______________________________________________________ List of Background Papers - none ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Shona Brydson, Senior Procurement Specialist, Corporate Procurement Unit, shona.brydson@renfrewshire.gov.uk