Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) for One-Stop Shop(s) and Joined up Advocacy

Descriptions

In Hertfordshire, under the current commissioning arrangements, we have multiple services supporting survivors of different forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) at different risk levels. At present, if someone is subjected to domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and stalking, they could be supported by an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (“IDVA”) for the domestic abuse, an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (“ISVA”) for the sexual abuse, and an Independent Stalking Advice Caseworker (“ISAC”) for the stalking, as well as possibly other community outreach support services. Their support service could also change as their risk levels change. This can be understandably overwhelming and confusing for survivors and result in them having to tell their experience over and over again. There is also likely to be some duplication of work that is happening across those services. As risk is dynamic and due to the intersecting nature of VAWG, consideration is being given to the possibility of creating one VAWG advocacy service known as Joined Up Advocacy. This would connect all risk levels and forms of VAWG under one contract. Consequently, within the Joined-Up Advocacy service, one of the current areas that is being scoped is in regard to the role of an Independent Gender Violence Advisor (“IGVA”) who could provide support to all risk levels, all genders, and multiple forms of VAWG. The expectation is that the Joined-Up Advocacy service would be a county wide service that would act as a One Front Door for those accessing support from the One Stop Shop. The Council is carrying out PME in relation to this project. The Council will consider the feedback received to help inform the Council’s options, requirements and further decision making. For the avoidance of doubt, this stage of the project is not part of a formal procurement process and the Council is not committing, at this stage, to carrying out such a process. Participation or non-participation in the PME shall not prevent any supplier participating in a potential future procurement, nor is it intended that any information supplied as part of the PME shall place any supplier at an advantage in a potential procurement process. Please make sure that you have submitted your Supplier Questionnaire following the instructions within the PME documentation and e-tendering system. The Council will not be held accountable for any errors made by an organisation in submitting their Supplier Questionnaire.