We are looking for people to be involved in a short project *co-producing the **Retender process of local home care support.

*Co-producing is when a partnership of people, some who have Lived Experience or are Carers, working equally with the people who fund and run the services that we all use. A useful and relevant experience using everyone’s skills to share decision making from the very start to the finish, including continuous feedback

**Retender process in a nutshell = 

• The council pays for Homecare 
• Local care providers have contracts with the council to deliver the homecare
• The council want the right people delivering the best care
• The council invite local care providers to ‘bid’ for the contract moving forward 
• The council ask a series of questions to check care providers (bidders) suitability to deliver quality care and the best service
• The care providers submit their answers or their ‘bid’ 
• The council scores the bids 
• The council award the contracts to the care providers that can provide the best quality of care

We are looking for up to 8 people who receive homecare or care for someone who receives homecare or are a family member of someone who receives homecare to be involved in each of the three separate retenders in the following areas:

• Mental health
• Learning disabilities
• General homecare support for people aged 65+

So how will you be involved?

You will be part of a small working group of up to 8 people with who either receive homecare or care for someone who does.

Council contracts are based on service specifications that outline what the local need is and what the service has to deliver to meet that need.

You will review the service specifications to see if they meet the local need and outline the service that is needed.

The council set a series of questions for bidders.

You will (as a group) submit relevant questions that are important to you. Some of these questions will be placed into the councils invitation for bidders.

Bidders will answer the questions and they are then scored by the council.

You will individually score the questions you asked. The council will provide training on how to score.

You will then meet as a group and discuss your individual scores to then agree a group score which will be submitted to the council.

The council will add your scores to theirs and this will decide who gets the contracts.

You will be supported through this entire process by The SUN Network staff who can answer any questions, provide all the information you need and who also make a great cup of tea 

What’s in it for me?

You will be able to have your say on what services should look like moving forward, ensuring your voice or the voice of your loved one is heard. You can peek behind the scenes and meet council staff to understand the process that Cambridgeshire County Council go through to retender. You will be working alongside our friendly team, and will also be paid for your time.  

If you’re interested in being involved please contact Lois Sidney at lois.sidney@sunnetwork.org.uk or text/call/WhatsApp 07712 358 172

Testimonials from people involved in previous retenders