Managing temporary accommodation end-to-end

Description

Summary of the work To develop tools to support residents accessing and living in temporary accommodation; and development of the housing register. Expected Contract Length 6-9 months Latest start date Monday 22 February 2021 Budget Range This procurement is to the total value of £300,000 over the period in order to provide maximum possible flexibility but we expect the core tools for managing temporary accommodation and the housing register to cost £150-200,000. Why the Work is Being Done The Council is developing a suite of user-centred cloud-native applications in support of its redesign of benefits and housing needs. We have already developed a suite of tools to support residents in seeking housing advice and options as well as reusable components, including a document upload and evidence store. Now we need to develop technology solutions to support residents getting access to temporary accommodation and joining the housing register to ensure that our approach is consistent with the new local lettings policy, currently being consulted on. Problem to Be Solved Users need to be able to: - Understand the property needs of residents - Identify and book people in to temporary accommodation - Calculate and manage the payment to landlords - apply for and join the housing register In addition, users will need to create a rent account, manage their rent account and check the housing waiting list. These components are either developed or are being developed by other workstreams. These processes were previously managed on Universal Housing and a bespoke landlord payment database. Who Are the Users As a resident I want to know what’s happening so that I can plan my living arrangements As a resident, I want a clear offer so that I feel confident in the decision that’s being made As a TA team member I want to allocate Temporary Accommodation efficiently As someone who wants settled accommodation in Hackney I need to know what I qualify for so that I can get clear information about my options. As someone on the housing register I want to know the likelihood of getting social housing so that I can develop a plan for me and my family As an advocate for someone at risk of homelessness (councillor, lawyer, family member) I want to know whether they qualify to join the housing register so that I can give them good advice As the administrator of the housing register I want to know that the application is valid so that social housing goes to people who most need it As the administrator of the housing register I have visibility of an application from start to finish so that I have confidence that people are getting the right outcome Early Market Engagement The service redesign project was led by FutureGov Work Already Done We have a map of the current process: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10YyoY_g9St1qQLSY0NzkvvzaZ2c8nkZ1Cn2ru-Ftu-I/edit?usp=sharing A summary of products in development to support benefits and housing needs https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1TwGsXofH8RYurdO2QiB_MIdJycDvyoGSXGANBACEz8g/edit#slide=id.g7f56f26af2_0_0 My Rent Account (currently for housing tenants) https://docs.google.com/document/d/112L4-TBJDLNptzsAT_7QftgMZszmnvXNzTmwiCYvpp4/edit A range of technical approaches and standards set out: https://hackit.org.uk Existing Team The team will need to be fully resourced by the successful bidder. We expect to provide input on the data schema, API standards, security and user insights as well as managing coordination with adjacent work in housing services. Current Phase Live Skills & Experience • Demonstrate an understanding of the user needs associated with the management of social housing • Demonstrate a track-record of user-centred design and Agile approaches to delivery • Experience of developing applications to meet a government Service Standard • Have experience of working with .NET core, Docker, AWS and Terraform • Have experience of developing ‘in the open’ - using tools such as Github • Have experience of designing and developing minimum viable solutions • Have experience of designing to meet the public sector accessibility guidelines • Demonstrate how they have worked collaboratively in a multi-vendor environment Nice to Haves • Demonstrate an understanding of Hackney’s approach to technology and data • Demonstrate how they provide opportunities for apprentices Work Location Hackney Council offices in Mare Street, E8 Working Arrangments This work can be done remotely but will require fortnightly reporting (eg via show & tells) to involve key stakeholders and regular engagement with practitioners through video conferences. We will provide access to key systems to project team members where required. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 5 Proposal Criteria • Understanding of the brief • Clarity of the approach • Experience from a similar project • Team structure, including skills, experiences and relevance of individuals • Identification of risks and plan to mitigate them • Blended day rates of the team Cultural Fit Criteria • Work as a team with our organisation and other suppliers • Be transparent and collaborative when making decisions • Share knowledge and experience with team members and the wider service • Hackney Council is a diverse organisation, reflecting the diversity of our borough. Describe how you would successfully work as a team with Hackney and other suppliers in a diverse environment. Payment Approach Time and materials Assessment Method Presentation Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 60% Cultural fit 5% Price 35% Questions from Suppliers No questions have been answered yet.