Expression of Interest Form - guidance notes

When we will accept expressions of interest (EOI)

The Council will only accept and consider EOIs submitted between 1 April to 30 June each year.

Providing supporting information

We are only allowed to base our decision on whether to accept, accept with modification or reject your expression of interest on the information we have requested in the form. This is taken from the regulations for the Community Right to Challenge, as set out in the Statutory Guidance for Community Right to Challenge. If you choose to provide other information, we will not be able to use it to make our decision.

However, you may choose to send us supporting documents to provide evidence of the information we have asked for in the form. For example, you may wish to send us a copy of your organisation’s articles of association or registration with Companies House to provide evidence that you meet the definition of a relevant body. If you would like to provide supporting material, please make reference to it when you complete the relevant part of the form.

The information which we have requested plus any supporting information will be used to make a decision on whether to accept or reject the expression of interest. If accepted, your organisation will be invited to compete in an open procurement exercise, during which your organisation (and any other organisation who wishes to compete in the procurement exercise) will be required to provide information. The information provided by potential providers during the procurement exercise will be the basis on which Bradford Council awards the contract.

Sending us your completed form

Please send the form and supporting information to crtc@bradford.gov.uk.

We are required to let you know the date by which we will make a decision on your expression of interest within 30 days of the end of the expression of interest window for the service.

Sections of the form

The notes below are provided for advice only. The Statutory Guidance for Community Right to Challenge sets out the information that must be provided in an expression of interest.

Question 1: The Lead Organisation

1 a. Please provide the name of the lead organisation submitting the expression of interest. If you are submitting an expression of interest as two or more employees of Bradford Council, please provide your names as the organisation name.

1 b. Section 81 of the Localism Act (2011) specifies the kinds of organisations/bodies who are eligible to use the Community Right to Challenge. The Statutory Guidance refers to these as Relevant Bodies, we will however refer to them as Eligible Bodies. Information about Eligible Bodies and definitions of different types of Eligible Bodies are provided in the Statutory Guidance for Community Right to Challenge.

1 c. Eligible Bodies are asked to prove that they meet the definition of an Eligible Body. Evidence that your organisation meets the definition of a Eligible Body could include your Charity Number, articles of association, registration with Companies House, registration with the Financial Services Authority etc. Further information is provided in the Statutory Guidance. You will be able to upload any supporting documents later.

The Statutory Guidance states that organisations who provide contracts for local authorities would normally be expected to be incorporated with limited liability. However, it is not essential for the Eligible Body to be incorporated by the time the expression of interest is submitted. If your expression of interest is accepted, Government suggests that the time between acceptance and the start of the procurement exercise will allow time to arrange incorporation. If you plan to do this, please explain in the answer box for Question 1c. Similarly for expressions of interest submitted by groups of Council staff, you are not required to have formalised all the arrangements for forming an employee-led structure to run the service, but you must do so by the time any procurement exercise begins. If this is the case, please explain in the answer box for question 1 c.

Question 2: Partnerships/Consortiums

As explained in the Statutory Guidance, Eligible Bodies are allowed to submit an expression of interest in partnership with one of more other organisations which are not required to meet the definition of an Eligible Body. If you are submitting the expression of interest as a consortium, you are required to provide information about all members of the consortium or partnership.

Question 3: Sub-contractors

You may be proposing to use sub-contractors to provide or assist in providing the service that the expression of interest relates to. It is not necessary for any sub-contractors you propose to use to meet the definition of an Eligible Body. Please provide information about any sub-contractor(s) you intend on using.

Question 4: Service your expression of interest relates to

Please include any information necessary to help us to understand the service you are interested in running.

Question 5: Financial information

Please provide information about your financial resources. Examples of information you may want to provide include:

• Last 3 years financial accounts (and those of the parent/holding company if applicable) 
• Business plan 
• Bank/Accountant References 
• Any guarantees from the parent organisation if applicable

This information must be provided for each member of the consortium or each subcontractor if the service is to be delivered in this way. These examples are given for advice only. The information the Council requires to assess your application will vary depending on the type of service you are proposing to provide. If the information provided under this heading is not sufficient the Council may ask you to modify your application or provide additional information.

Question 6: Capability to provide the service

The Statutory Guidance does not specify the type of information needed to prove your capability to provide the service. We suggest that you provide information that proves that by the time any procurement exercise starts, your organisation or consortium will be in a suitable position to deliver a contract on behalf of the Council. Information about capability might include:

• How you will become incorporated (if relevant) 
• Information about your organisation’s objectives 
• How you will ensure that you have in place any necessary insurances such as public liability insurance 
• How you will meet any specific requirements relating to the service you are interested in providing, for example accreditation to governing bodies 
• Information about the experience and skills of your organisation that are relevant in providing or assisting in providing the service

These examples are given for advice only - the information that each organisation wishes to provide may vary.

Information about capability to provide or assist in providing the service must also be given for all members of a partnership/consortium and each subcontractor if you propose to deliver a service in this way.

Question 7 Outcomes to be achieved in providing the service

The Statutory Guidance does not specify the type of information to be provided on the outcomes to be achieved. We suggest that you provide measurable outcomes where possible.

7 a. Relevant Authorities (including Bradford Council) are required to consider the social value of expressions of interest. We are also required by the Localism Act 2011 to consider the promotion of or improvements to the social, economic or environmental wellbeing of the authority’s area when considering expressions of interest. We are also required to consider the same factors in carrying out any subsequent procurement exercise. This obligation is also reflected in the Public Services (Social Value Act) 2012.

You should demonstrate how your provision of the service will promote or improve the social, economic or environmental wellbeing of the area. Statutory Guidance for Community Right to Challenge provides examples of social value, including improving local skills, increasing volunteering opportunities etc. However Relevant Authorities are required to balance the consideration of Social Value with procurement law applying to the award of contracts.

7 b. You also need to provide information about how your provision of the service will meet the needs of service users. The Statutory Guidance suggests that you may wish to refer to sources of information including any needs assessments carried out by the Council or surveys of service users carried out by your organisation.

Question 8: Staff engagement

This information is only required for expressions of interest from groups of Bradford Council staff. Statutory Guidance for Community Right to Challenge states that the way in which employees are engaged is best decided locally and that well-established staff engagement and governance channels could play a part. The Guidance sets out an expectation that the engagement of staff is appropriate and proportionate to the size and nature of the service and the number of employees directly affected by the expression of interest. There is no requirement for a ballot to demonstrate support for a proposal under the Community Right to Challenge.

Question 9: Contact details

Please provide contact details so that we can get in touch with you about your expression of interest and notify you of our decision. The representative(s) whose details are given should have good knowledge of the expression of interest and be able to make decisions on behalf of the Eligible Body.