The Provision of Independent Fostering Agency Services

Fourteen (14) local authorities: Southampton City Council, Portsmouth City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Bournemouth Borough Council, Dorset Council, Isle of Wight Council, Poole Borough Council, Surrey County Council, Reading Borough Council, Slough Children’s Services Trust, Wokingham Borough Council, Bracknell Forest Council, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and West Berkshire Council, (thereby referred to as The Councils) are working together to improve placement choice and quality for the children and young people they look after. In order to improve placement choice and quality, the Councils wish to work in partnership with a number of providers who can demonstrate that they have the ability to deliver high quality independent foster care services, and work in partnership to ensure a range of placements are available based within or near the Councils boundaries. Estimated total value is £200million - £400million. This procurement is being run pursuant to Regulations 74, 75 & 76 of Chapter 3 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015. In respect of each Lot, the procured services will be provided under a multi-provider framework agreement with a term of four (4) years. Annually during the Framework Agreement Term, providers of fostering services similar to, or the same as the Services who are not Framework Providers including those that have previously applied and failed to become a Framework Provider will be given a further opportunity to obtain a place on the fostering framework arrangements of which this Framework Agreement forms a part. The Purchasers will advertise this opportunity before the second and third anniversaries of the Commencement Date and will place the advertisements in Southampton City Council’s E-tendering portal – Curtis Fitch, the Official Journal of European Union (OJEU) and Contract Finder.