Planning

Soft Market Test for School Admissions Choice Advice Service (CAS)

LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

24 Dec 2024 at 10:36

Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Leicester City Council is planning a procurement process for the School Admissions Choice Advice Service (CAS), classified under health and social work services. This service aims to provide information and advice to families and carers regarding mainstream school admissions. The process is currently at the planning stage, with an engagement end date set for 24 March 2025. The tender's total value is estimated at £257,500, and it targets services delivered within England, United Kingdom. The council is conducting a soft market test to gauge interest and gather feedback from potential providers before finalising the service model and specification.

This tender presents an excellent opportunity for businesses, particularly SMEs and VCSEs, specialising in educational support services or family advisory roles. Engaging in this process allows businesses to influence the future shape of the service and position themselves as potential providers when the formal tender is released. The service seeks to assist vulnerable families, making it suitable for organisations with a strong community focus and experience in handling school admissions and appeals processes. Participation in this planning stage can help businesses gain valuable insights and prepare for a more competitive bid when the procurement process advances.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Soft Market Test for School Admissions Choice Advice Service (CAS)

Notice Description

THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION Leicester City Council is considering commissioning a School Admissions Choice Advice Service (CAS). This will be to provide information and advice to families and carers. Historically this service has been commissioned alongside our Special Educational Needs & Disability Information Advice Support Service SENDIASS, and the contract is now due for retender. The CAS service is a non-statutory area which will now be looked at independently. There will be a decision to either bring this service in house, maintain the service, or end this service. The key aim of this service is for vulnerable families to be supported with making an informed application for a place at a mainstream school and / or with being represented at an admission appeal. Commissioners are keen to understand the market interest in providing a service that will be able to make an application for a mainstream school on the parents / carers behalf along with providing families with easy-to-understand information on schools in the area, the likelihood of gaining a place, the admission process and their right of appeal. As part of the decision-making process, the authority is undertaking a soft market test. This gives potential providers and other stakeholders the opportunity to express their interests and feed in their views about the potential service model and specification principles. The commissioners will use the information to appraise options and further develop the potential specification. This process does not constitute a formal tender or other competitive bidding process and will not result in the letting of a Contract. The authority is using this process solely to test the market to gather information and ascertain the level of interest in this particular service. There are therefore no formal criteria which we will use to judge your responses, and it is not our intention to provide any feedback.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-8a2b6867-a1c3-4790-8df1-96a94e451158
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/75d6d6db-ff6d-4e6a-abca-9af4a9986fbb
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Not specified
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£257,500 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Dec 20241 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
24 Mar 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LEICESTER
Postcode
LE1 1FZ
Post Town
Leicester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF21 Leicester
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Leicester
Electoral Ward
Castle
Westminster Constituency
Leicester South

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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