Framework for Fixed Price Disabled Facilities Adaptations

Somerset Independence Plus (“SIP”) deliver Home Improvement Agency Services (“HIA”) and are a part of Somerset Council.

SIP fulfils an important function in relation to prevention and early intervention and is essential to the process of providing Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG).

Disabled persons, (“Clients”) may qualify for a disabled facilities grant towards the cost of providing adaptations and facilities to enable the Client to continue to live independently.

Such grants can be provided by local councils in accordance with Part I of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002 and the Care Act 2014 that gives councils greater powers to provide discretionary assistance. Councils may give discretionary assistance in addition to mandatory disabled facilities grants provided that any assistance given must be in accordance with the council’s published policy.

Once a Client is awarded a Disabled Facilities Grant, the Client may either:

(i) elect to have the grant paid directly to them and the Client will then arrange for the Works to be undertaken by a contractor of their choosing; or

(ii) the Client can ask the Council to procure a contractor on their behalf and to apply the Clients grant directly to the payment of the contractors costs on behalf of the Client.

The Framework Agreement contemplated by this procurement exercise seeks to identify suitable contractors that the Council can use in the event that a Client requests the Council to procure services on a Client’s behalf.

Tenderers should note that notwithstanding the use of the Framework Agreement and the payment arrangements that will apply, that all resulting contracts will be between the Client and the successful contractor that undertakes the Works but will be governed by the terms and conditions of the proposed Framework Agreement. This is because relevant legislation enables a council or its authorised agent to pay grant direct to a contractor and to ensure that the contractor has completed the Works in accordance with its own criteria and to the satisfaction of the Client.