Issue details

During 2019/2020, GMCA lead a review of victim services across Greater Manchester. The purpose of the review was to ensure that the commissioned services and grant fund are: aligned to the Standing Together priorities; cost effective; achieving the desired outcomes in the Victims Outcome Framework and; most importantly were supporting the needs of victims’. The outcome of the review was an agreement to undertake a recommissioning process for victim services in Greater Manchester.

Following this review, and also the conclusion of the maximum allowed 5 contracted years for the GM Victim Assessment and Referral Centre with provider Victim Support, an Invitation to Tender (ITT) was launched to recommission this service on 4th July 2022. This process resulted in notification to award a contract on 19th September 2022. It was intended for the successful provider to commence the collocated service following a mobilisation period on 1st December 2022

A legal challenge was launched by the unsuccessful bidder on 29th September 2022 resulting in a protracted standstill period. In order to reach a clear assured resolution and way forward, it was decided to restart the ITT with a new delivery timeline for the redesigned service scheduled to start in summer 2023.

As such, it is now required that the Victim Assessment and Referral Centre service provided by Victim Support be extended to operate until June 30th 2023. This is in order that a full ITT can be relaunched, with scope for any unexpected standstill, and sufficient mobilisation period for the new collocated service to transition and commence