Invitation for Expressions of interests to assist with the provision of Traveller Accommodation

Notice to Approved Housing Bodies

Invitation for Expressions of interests to assist with the provision of Traveller Accommodation

Expressions of interest are invited from Approved Housing Bodies, having experience and a track record in the delivery of social housing, in particular accommodation for members of the Travelling Community, to work with Sligo County Council and Sligo Borough Council and members of the Travelling Community to progress accommodation issues.

Further details can be obtained from the Housing Section, Sligo Borough Council, City Hall, Quay Street, Sligo or Housing section, Sligo County Council, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo

Expressions of Interest are to be returned to Dorothy Clarke, Director of Services, Sligo County Council, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo, to arrive no later than 4pm on Friday 30th March 2012, in a sealed envelope marked “Expressions of Interest –Traveller Accommodation”

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Invitation for Expressions of interests to assist with the provision of Traveller Accommodation

The Traveller Accommodation Programme (TAP) was adopted by Sligo County Council and Sligo Borough Council in 2009 in accordance with the requirements of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998. As part of the continued implementation of the plan Expressions of Interest are invited from Approved Housing Bodies (AHB), with experience and a track record in the provision and management of social housing. It is a particular requirement that the AHB has experience in working with members of the Travelling Community.

Development of this initiative will entail approval of the Council(s) and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DoECLG) including some formal approvals.

The objective of the competition is to engage, consult and mediate with, the Traveller families as identified by the Council and reach agreement on housing options and locations. The AHB will communicate with all the relevant parties as necessary to reach an agreed solution. The deliverable is an agreed scheme(s) that may go forward for implementation. AHBs may rely on their own resources or supplement their own resources by the retention of external expertise.

Generally the AHB will be required to attend meetings with the officials of the Councils (or other relevant parties) together with meetings of the families concerned in either joint or individual format, assisting in progressing with the requirements of the Council’s statutory obligations while also taking on board issues and concerns of the families in order to bring about constructive and feasible solutions to meeting housing needs. It will involve the preparation of reports/recommendations at various stages, meeting deadlines, and preparing actions plans/reports for the resolution of accommodation issues.

Upon completion of this objective the council may, in conjunction with the DoECLG, consider various options for the construction or management of the scheme(s). Such is not part of this competition.

Minimum criteria for assessment

Applicants will be assessed against the minimum criteria set out hereunder. The criteria is pass/fail and only those applicants who achieve pass in each criterion will go forward for assessment under the qualitative assessment below.

The applicant must have Approved Housing Body status in accordance with Department of the Environment Community and Local Government’s criteria and supply written evidence of same.
The applicant must submit the following documentation:
1. Evidence turnover by way of certification by a competent professional (Statement of turnover for each of the past 3 years is required), or extract from audited accounts
2. letter from Bank dated within the past 3 months and stating without ambiguity that the applicant’s principal account is held with the bank and the that account is in good standing. (Letter must be original and refer to this competition).
Insurances – submit letter from broker/insurance company stating that applicant holds or can provide public liability insurance (€6,500,000 for any one event, max excess €5,000) and employees liability insurances (€13, 000, 000 any one incident)

Qualitative Assessment

Candidates meeting the minimum criteria above will be assessed and ranked in accordance with the qualitative criteria below. The five candidates ranked highest will be shortlisted subject to adequate standard. Marks will be awarded for the applications which best meet the criteria as set out below.

Track record and experience in working with members of the Travelling Community in the area of housing provision. Please detail experiences in the handling of comparable projects successfully with other Local authorities or similar organizations providing up to 5 clear and demonstrable examples of comparable experiences which are clearly relevant and related to the objective of this competition and having been undertaken in the past seven years. (70 %)
Management Details: The proposal must include Governance structure and Management details including personnel and qualifications of the applicant. (12.5%)
Resources – please provide average annual manpower over the past 3 years in the organization (12.5%)
Measures to ensure quality, please detail same. (5%)

Candidates who do not score at least 50% in each of the above criteria will not be shortlisted.

Queries may be forwarded to Margaret McConnell, Senior Executive Officer, at mmconn@sligococo.ie no later than 4pm on Tuesday 27th March 2012. The Council reserves the right not to respond to queries and any responses issued will be copied to all applicants for equity purposes.

Expressions of Interest are to be returned to Dorothy Clarke, Director of Services, Sligo County Council, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo, to arrive no later than 4pm on Friday 30th March 2012, in a sealed envelope marked “Expressions of Interest –Traveller Accommodation Programme”.

Published on the 12/03/2012