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Open Light Touch Framework for the Provision of Short Breaks for Disabled Children and Young People in Devon

Devon County Council

This public procurement record has 8 releases in its history.

Award

21 Oct 2026 at 10:51

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
TenderUpdate

28 Jul 2026 at 13:04

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

20 Jul 2026 at 12:37

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

19 May 2026 at 15:23

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

16 Dec 2025 at 10:16

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
PlanningUpdate

08 Aug 2025 at 10:28

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

27 Jun 2025 at 14:37

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

27 Jun 2025 at 14:30

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Devon County Council has commissioned short breaks and targeted support for disabled children and young people across Devon. The service is divided into three strands: targeted support and short breaks for children from birth to 13; targeted support and short breaks for older adolescents aged 14 to 17; and specialist provision and short breaks for children and young people from birth to 17. The framework is intended to let the council arrange individual placements and block contracts with approved providers. Delivery is across Devon. This is health and social care work focused on inclusive activities, independence, life skills and community involvement, supporting the council’s local short-break strategy. Providers may specialise in one age group or in specialist provision for children and young people with higher support needs.

The procurement has been awarded through an open procedure, with a panel of providers appointed to each of the three lots. Awards are dated 21 October 2026. The appointed panels are Agile Workforce Services, Apple Tree Farm Services, Bright Steps Devon, CDD Healthcare Staffing, Community Equality Disability Action, Esteem Team, Exeter City Community Trust, Field Studies Council, Identity Quality Care, Impression Services, Involve Care Solutions, MyCare4U Healthcare Solutions, Network Healthcare Professionals, NextGen Young People’s Services, PGL Travel, Plymouth Argyle Football in the Community Trust, Poles Apart, Request Services, South West Intervention Services, Sport Works, Swift Care Services, The Outdoors Group and Tubers Academy for Lot 1; Lot 2 also includes Alpha Care SW, Bee Compassionate Complex Care, Creative Curiosities SW and Everest Recruitment and Services; Lot 3 also includes Access Communication Services, Aeon Nursing, Cariad Care and Orchard Saturday Club. Award values are £14.4m, £9.6m and £20m respectively. Each award records a contract period from 3 November 2026 to 11 February 2027. Quality accounted for 100% of evaluation; legal and financial capacity and technical ability were assessed for participation.

The appointed panels show demand for both community-based targeted activities and specialist short-break support, serving children across a wide age range and including older adolescents. Credible competitors will need to demonstrate strong service quality, alongside the legal and financial capacity and technical ability to meet the council’s participation requirements. The range of appointed organisations—from healthcare staffing and care providers to community, disability, outdoor, sport and youth-service organisations—indicates that relevant delivery models can vary, provided they fit the lot and meet the required standard. Suppliers should be able to deliver in Devon and support the strategy’s emphasis on inclusion, independence, life skills and community involvement. The framework uses further competitions or direct call-offs for placements and packages, so providers need the capacity to respond to individual requirements as well as block-contract opportunities.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Open Light Touch Framework for the Provision of Short Breaks for Disabled Children and Young People in Devon

Notice Description

Devon County Council (DCC) will be setting up an Open Light Touch Framework for the provision of Short Breaks for Disabled Children and Young People in Devon. This Framework will enable DCC to call-off and award individual packages and block contracts for placements to approved Framework Suppliers. The framework will comprise the following Lots: Lot 1: Targeted support and short breaks for children from birth up to 13 years Lot 2: Targeted support and short breaks for older adolescents (ages 14 to 17 years) Lot 3: Specialist provision and short breaks for children from birth up to 17 years

Lot Information

Targeted support and short breaks for children from birth up to 13 years

Renewal: The Open Light Touch Framework is anticipated to continue for a period of five (5) years unless terminated in accordance with the terms of the Framework. There is the option to extend up to a further three (3) years at the discretion of the Authority.

Targeted support and short breaks for older adolescents (ages 14-17)

Renewal: The Open Light Touch Framework is anticipated to continue for a period of five (5) years unless terminated in accordance with the terms of the Framework. There is the option to extend up to a further three (3) years at the discretion of the Authority.

Specialist provision and short breaks for children from birth up to 17 years

Renewal: The Open Light Touch Framework is anticipated to continue for a period of five (5) years unless terminated in accordance with the terms of the Framework. There is the option to extend up to a further three (3) years at the discretion of the Authority.

Planning Information

The new Devon Local Area Short Break strategy 2026-2030 sets out a clear vision for an inclusive, high quality graduated short break offer that promotes independence, life skills, and community involvement. This strategy has been developed with input from children and young people, parent carers and community partners, and builds on statutory responsibilities and co-production principles. Key changes will include a strengthened community offer, expanding universal and universal-plus activities, and the creation of a commissioned framework of providers for targeted and specialist short breaks. Devon County Council would now like to invite providers to an information event at which the latest details of our framework commissioning intentions, planned process and expected timeframes will be shared. This event will be held online via Microsoft Teams on 3rd June 2026 from 11:00 to 12:00. If you would like to attend the event please email childrenscommissioningsecure-mailbox@devon.gov.uk and a Teams invitation will be sent to you.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-055545
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099339-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£44,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£44,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£44,000,000 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Oct 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
26 Aug 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
30 Jun 2026Expired
Award Date
21 Oct 20266 days ago
Contract Period
3 Nov 2026 - 11 Feb 2027 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Devon County 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
EXETER,
Postcode
EX2 4QD
Postcode Area
Exeter
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK4 Devon
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK43 Devon CC
Delivery Location
TLK43 Devon CC
Local Authority
Exeter
Electoral Ward
Newtown and St Leonard's
Westminster Constituency
Exeter

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
31
Supplier Names

AGILE WORKFORCE SERVICES LIMITED

APPLE TREE FARM SERVICES CIC

BRIGHT STEPS DEVON CIC

CDD HEALTHCARE STAFFING LTD

COMMUNITY EQUALITY DISABILITY ACTION

ESTEEM TEAM CIC

EXETER CITY COMMUNITY TRUST

Field Studies Council

IDENTITY QUALITY CARE LTD

IMPRESSION SERVICES LTD

INVOLVE CARE SOLUTIONS LIMITED

MYCARE4U HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS LTD

NETWORK HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS LIMITED

NEXTGEN YOUNG PEOPLE'S SERVICES LTD

PGL Travel Ltd

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE FOOTBALL IN THE COMMUNITY TRUST

Poles Apart AP Ltd

Request Services Limited

South West Intervention Services

Sport Works

Swift Care Services Ltd

THE OUTDOORS GROUP LTD

TUBERS ACADEMY LTD

ALPHA CARE SW LTD

BEE COMPASSIONATE COMPLEX CARE LTD

CREATIVE CURIOSITIES SW CIC

EVEREST RECRUITMENT AND SERVICES LTD

ACCESS COMMUNICATION SERVICES LTD

AEON NURSING LTD

Cariad Care

ORCHARD SATURDAY CLUB

Further Information

Notice Documents

Notice URLs

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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