DfC Printed Material

The Department for Communities (DfC) provides services through a network of thirty-six Jobs and Benefits Offices. It has centralised benefit offices in Belfast, a pension centre in Carlisle House, Londonderry as well as a number of support branches. It is responsible for the management of Social Security benefits, providing advice, information and help to the public and employers on the whole range of benefits and other services. The DfC requires a single Contractor to provide a Service for the provision of printed material to support the operation of the following business areas within DfC: • Working Age Services Directorate; • Pensions, Disability, Benefit Security and Debt Directorate; • Guidance, Learning and Development Branch; • Debt Management; • Benefit Fraud and Compliance; • Finance Change; • Universal Credit; • Make the Call Wraparound Service; • Standards Assurance Unit; and • Pension Centre. The contract has 1 main area: • Print materials and delivery of them to a specified location in Northern Ireland and/or Great Britain A single supplier will be appointed the Prime Contractor and will be responsible for managing and delivering the entire service. However, suppliers may utilise sub-Contractors to provide certain components as they see fit. DfC printed material forms the basis of the various communications and instructions issued both within the DFC and externally to its customers. It is the main avenue through which customers apply for Social Security benefits. Legislation dictates that the DFC has to have a supply of its printed material available in a specific format by a specific date in specified outlets, including outlets in Great Britain (GB). The distribution of printed material within the DfC is demand led and therefore difficult to forecast. This means it is necessary to store forms for quick distribution to business areas. There are also occasions when a Government initiative is launched which results in an abnormal and urgent demand for the supply of printed material. In contrast, other Government initiatives may lead to the removal of the need for certain materials such as application forms which could move wholly or partially on-line. There can be no guarantee of printed material volumes or continuity of a particular form. Neither CPD nor the DfC can give any guarantee as to the volume of work commissioned during the contract period.