Decision details

Reasons for decision: The Kent-wide contract for community hot meals delivery was awarded in 2006 and has already been extended 4 times. Advice is that this contract must now be re-tendered.

     The existing contract is linked to volume. The decline in numbers of people requiring the service has led to KCC being charged more as unit cost was linked to set volumes. It was therefore decided to tender for a contract in which KCC will pay a unit price per meal and this would not be linked to set volumes.           

The Community hot meals delivery service supports Kent County Council’s vision to:

•        Tackle disadvantage

•        Reduce avoidable demand on Health & Social Care services

•        Focus on improving lives by ensuring that every penny spent in Kent is       delivering better outcomes for Kent’s residents, communities and businesses

•        Improve people’s outcomes by increasing their independence

•        Enable adults in Kent to lead independent lives, safely in their own community

Financial Implications: The decline in the numbers of people requiring the service has led to KCC being charged for meals that have not been delivered.  The new contract will ensure that KCC only pays for meals that are delivered and will not be linked to set volumes. 

Through the negotiation of this tender, it is anticipated that this contract will produce a lower unit price per meal

Equality Implications: An equality impact assessment has found the risk to those people with protected characteristics is low.

As Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, I agree:

a) to AWARD the Kent community hot meals delivery contract to the preferred bidder identified in the exempt appendix to the accompanying report, once the negotiations described are successfully concluded; and

b) that the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, or other suitable delegated officer, undertake the necessary actions to implement this decision.