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Evaluation of the Families First Partnership programme contract award

Department for Education

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

22 Sep 2026 at 14:48

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education procured an independent evaluation of the Families First Partnership programme, a national whole-system reform programme focused on strengthening early help, improving multi-agency safeguarding and reducing the number of children entering care. The evaluation is intended to assess delivery, impact and value for money, provide robust evidence of the programme’s effectiveness, support accountability for public investment, and inform future policy, service delivery and spending decisions. This is a research services requirement, classified under CPV 73110000. Delivery covers the United Kingdom and a wide international area, including the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Europe, British Overseas Territories and the rest of the world. The opportunity was identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The procurement is complete and was awarded to I.F.F RESEARCH LIMITED. The award date was 4 August 2026, for £809,665.25 including the stated currency of GBP, with a contract period from 4 August 2026 to 31 December 2035. The tender submission deadline was 20 July 2026 at 23:59. The Department for Education used a selective call-off from the RM6126 CCS Research & Insights Marketplace dynamic purchasing system. The successful supplier will provide the evaluation over the full contract period. The stated purpose requires robust, independent assessment of Families First Partnership delivery, impact and value for money, with findings used for accountability and future decisions. The contract award is active and the tender status is complete.

This award demonstrates demand for large-scale public policy evaluation focused on children’s services, early help, safeguarding and care outcomes. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need strong research and evaluation capability, including the ability to design and deliver independent assessments of complex, national, whole-system programmes. Relevant strengths include mixed-methods research, impact evaluation, value-for-money analysis, evidence synthesis and the production of findings that can support ministerial policy, operational delivery and spending decisions. Suppliers would also need to work across multiple agencies and jurisdictions, understand children’s social care and safeguarding practice, and manage a long-running programme of evidence collection and reporting. The buyer’s use of a research and insights dynamic purchasing system indicates that access to the relevant marketplace route is commercially important.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Evaluation of the Families First Partnership programme contract award

Notice Description

This procurement used the RM6126 CCS Research & Insights Marketplace DPS. The Families First Partnership (FFP) programme is a national, whole-system reform programme aimed at strengthening early help, improving multi-agency safeguarding practice, and reducing the number of children entering care. A robust evaluation is required to generate robust, independent evidence on FFP delivery, impact and Value for Money. The evaluation will provide accountability for investment and inform future policy, delivery and spending decisions. Additional information: Redacted contract

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-c0586182-591f-4a6c-a949-c8ba2a7cf0ef
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/8cb5dbae-0edf-4bd3-a0b6-612c91cf269a
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Dynamic
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Call-off from a dynamic purchasing system
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73110000 - Research services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£809,665 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£809,665 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
4 Aug 20262 months ago
Contract Period
4 Aug 2026 - 31 Dec 2035 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Department for Education
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1P 3BT
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

IFF Research

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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