PCD 1601 Procurement of a provider to convene children and young adults to co-produce a new system vision for London youth justice system

PCD 1601 Procurement of a provider to convene children and young adults to co-produce a new system vision for London youth justice system

MOPAC play an important role in convening partners in the Youth Justice System to facilitate improvements to the system that sit across partnership agencies. To ensure that this work impacts on long-term change and to encourage active engagement from across the system, MOPAC have convened partners to start designing a shared ‘vision’ for youth justice in London, which will include agreeing shared outcomes, understanding and focus. To ensure that the ‘vision’ is shaped by the needs and experiences of children and young adults with experience of the youth justice system, this decision asks for approval to procure a provider to convene a group of 8-10 children and young adults to co-develop and co-produce a shared youth justice system vision for London. 

This work has a maximum value of £15,000 over its lifetime and the contract will allow for up to 6 months of delivery. Procurement will involve an Invitation to Quote open to at least 3 providers, full evaluation and moderation will take place to choose the successful provider. 

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve funding for engagement with children and young adults to co-produce the Youth Justice System Vision at a total financial commitment of £15,000 in 2024/25. 

2. Approve the carry forward of £15,000 from 2023/24 budget to fund this work in 2024/25. 

3. Approve the commencement of a competitive procurement process where at least 3 providers will be invited to quote to convene a group of children and young adults with experience of the youth justice system.  

4. Approve the award of contract for a provider to convene a group of children and young adults with experience of the youth justice system following a competitive procurement process. 

5. Delegate to the Director of Commissioning and Partnerships to award contract to a provider to covene a forum of children and young adults to co-produce a new vision for the London youth justice system 

PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE TO THE DMPC 

1. Introduction and background  

1. There is a commitment in the Police and Crime Plan that ‘MOPAC will work with partners within the youth justice system to support and develop youth justice services across London, focusing on the needs of – and the risks posed by – those involved in violence’.  

2. The Police and Crime Plan (PCP) also states that ‘MOPAC will look to take a Child First approach in all of our work with children and young people…and we will encourage partner agencies to do the same’. 

3. MOPAC have been working with London Youth Justice (YJ) partners to think about how a co-produced ‘vision’ for the youth justice system could facilitate systemic improvements. This follows a series of workshops that MOPAC has convened over the last 18 months aimed at tackling key systemic issues in youth justice. 

4. We have had feedback from partners, that the product of the work should be something that can be read and understood by children and their families. Partners also agreed that the work should be shaped by and designed with children and young adults (CYA) with first hand experience of the youth justice system. To enable this MOPAC will convene workshops with a CYA group to co-develop the product. 

2. Issues for consideration 

1. City Hall (the VRU and GLA) have successful existing forums enabling children and young adult (CYA) engagement. Through discussion with the youth engagement leads at the VRU it was agreed that a specialist group with experience of the youth justice system will add value to this work. This Decision therefore proposes procuring a provider to deliver the engagement with CYA to co-produce the YJ shared system vision. This is vital to ensuring that a shared YJ system vision is co-designed and produced throughout the process.  

2. The contract for this work will be for a maximum of £15,000. The successful provider will be asked to recruit a group of CYA with experience of the criminal justice system, provide training and support to prepare them for a series of workshops to develop and produce the system vision product. The contract value will also include payment at London Living Wage for the children and young adults who take part. The provider will also be required to offer follow-up support and signposting for the children and young adults. 

3. The provider will be asked to utilise existing forums of CYA with experience of the youth justice system where possible. 

3. Financial Comments  

1. The total budget requirement for this work totals £15,000 in 2024/25.  

2. The programme will be funded from within the Gangs Consistent Service 2023/24 budget and so carry forward of £15,000 is being requested as part of this decision. 

4. Legal Comments  

1. MOPAC’s general powers are set out in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act  2011 (the 2011 Act). Section 3(6) of the 2011 Act provides that MOPAC must “secure  the maintenance of the metropolitan police service and secure that the metropolitan  police service is efficient and effective.” Under Schedule 3, paragraph 7 MOPAC has  wide incidental powers to “do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive  or incidental to, the exercise of the functions of the Office.” Paragraph 7(2) (a) provides that this includes entering into contracts and other agreements.  

2. Paragraph 6.1 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Director of Commissioning and Partnerships has delegated authority to approve the award of contracts below a value of £50,000.  

3. Legal advice has not been provided and there are no legal implications expected 

5. Commercial Issues 

1. An invitation to quote will be sent to a minimum of three providers. Quotes will be evaluated by at least two evaluators and a moderation session will be undertaken. 

2. In order to achieve value for money all submissions will include a separate pricing template. Scoring will consist of 80% awarded for quality and 20% for price. 

3. A Contract between MOPAC and the successful provider will be issued and accepted by signature by both parties, using MOPAC’s standard Short Form Contract. 

6. Public Health Approach   

1. This proposal is consistent with a public health approach by ensuring that CYA who have been involved in the justice system shape the final system vision product, meaning that it will be informed first-hand by children and young adults.  

2. The VRU will be invited to review and input into the ITQ due to their expertise in youth engagement. 

7. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.   

8. Equality Comments  

1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.  

2. The Provider will be required to complete an equalities impact assessment and outline mitigations to be put in place to prevent any detrimental impact on any protected characteristic.  

9. Background/supporting papers 

Appendix 1 - Note to Procurement Grants and Oversight Board