The purpose of this report is to seek approval for the procurement of a Sensory Impairment Service and authority to award and enter into a contract with the successful provider. The procurement will ensure continuity of specialist support for people with sensory impairments and support the Council in meeting its statutory duties.

That: a) the procurement of a Sensory Impairment Service for adults in Herefordshire be approved

b) That the Corporate Director Community Wellbeing be authorised to award a contract for the provision of the Sensory Impairment Service for an initial term of five years from 1 February 2027 to 31 January 2032 at a total value of £595,000 (£119,000 per annum), with the option to extend for up to a further 24 months from 1 February 2032 to 31 January 2034 at an additional value of £238,000, giving a maximum total contract value of £833,000.

c) authority be delegated to the Corporate Director for Community Wellbeing to approve any subsequent operational decisions, extensions, variations and contractual matters within the approved budget and in accordance with the Council's Contract Procedure Rules.

1.     Option 1 – Do not procure a replacement service - This option is not recommended. The current contract will expire and failure to secure ongoing provision would significantly reduce the availability of specialist support for people with sensory impairments. This could lead to increased demand for statutory services, reduced independence for residents and increased risk that the Council would be unable to effectively discharge its duties under the Care Act 2014 and Equality Act 2010. 2.

2.     Option 2 – Bring the service in-house - This option has been considered but is not recommended. The current service is delivered by specialist providers with established expertise, networks and knowledge of sensory impairment. Bringing the service in-house would require the Council to recruit and retain specialist staff and establish the necessary operational infrastructure. At this time there is insufficient evidence that an in-house model would provide better outcomes or better value for money than a competitive procurement process.

3.     Recommended option - The recommended option is to undertake a competitive procurement process to secure a specialist Sensory Impairment Service that delivers quality, value for money and continuity of support for Herefordshire residents.