Provision of the Facilitated Departure Service at Home Office Bridging Accommodation

Description

The Authority is responsible for over 21,000 individuals who have been brought to the United Kingdom from Afghanistan. This includes British Nationals and their families, Afghan nationals who loyally served the UK as well as others identified as particularly at risk, such as campaigners for women's rights, human rights defenders, Chevening scholars, journalists, judges and members of the LGBT+ community. The Authority is currently providing temporary bridging accommodation for around 8,500 individuals resettling in the UK under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) or Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) schemes, whilst they await suitable settled accommodation. It is estimated that the Contract will be let by April/May 2023. It is anticipated the Authority shall require this Service for six (6) months with an option to extend if needed. Lot 1: The Authority seeks a Service Provider to provide a Facilitated Departure Service (private bailiff service) across a number of locations within England, Wales, and Scotland. The Service is to facilitate the departure of guests from temporary bridging accommodation when requested to do so by the Authority. The Service Provider shall interact and work collaboratively with the Authority, the Accommodation Provider, the Security Provider, the wraparound Support Provider and the Responsible Person onsite from the Authority in discharging their deliverables. The project aims to provide a mechanism to enable the removal of individuals from Home Office provided accommodation where they have been served a period of notice to make their own accommodation arrangements and leave the accommodation provided but have failed to do so. The contract for occupancy is between the Authority and the Accommodation Provider and the Authority understands that there is no need to obtain a high court writ.