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West Midlands Independent Fostering Agency Framework

Coventry City Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

26 May 2026 at 09:33

Award Notice
Tender

17 Oct 2025 at 12:13

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The West Midlands Independent Fostering Agency Framework is a public procurement initiative led by Coventry City Council. The framework, valued at £2.75 billion, is focused on the provision of foster care services across the West Midlands region, classified under social work and related services. The initial tender process commenced with a notice published on 17th October 2025, with the award stage completed by 26th May 2026. The framework is accessible to 14 West Midland Local Authorities and Children's Trusts and serves as the primary means of sourcing foster care homes from the independent market. This framework is set for an initial term of four years from 27th August 2024, with possibilities for extension for two increments of three years each through mutual agreement. The procurement process followed an open procedure method, aimed at ensuring quality placements through stringent award criteria focusing on quality and cost.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in foster care services, fostering agency management, or related sectors. Small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as larger organisations like Lotus Foster Care Ltd, Progress Children's Services Limited, and ST. CHRISTOPHERS FELLOWSHIP, have already been involved as suppliers, indicating a market receptive to varied business scales. Organisations with robust capabilities in providing standard, enhanced, specialist, or parent and child foster care stand to benefit from competing for opportunities within this framework. Due to its extensive duration and regional focus, businesses with a strategic interest in the West Midlands area will find this framework particularly lucrative, as over 80% of placements were historically made through its predecessor, reaffirming its critical role in the regional foster care strategy.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

West Midlands Independent Fostering Agency Framework

Notice Description

This framework is for the provision of foster care services across the West Midlands region. Coventry City Council is the lead local authority for this regional framework, which can be accessed by the 14 West Midland Local Authorities/Trusts. The West Midlands Regional Independent Fostering Agency Framework remains the primary means by which foster care homes are sourced in the region from the independent market. Over 80% of placements were made via the previous framework. Therefore this framework is central to the West Midlands Local Authorities and Children's Trusts' strategy for securing sufficient foster homes to meet need in the coming years. The initial term of the Framework is for the period of 4 years from commencement but may be extended, by mutual agreement by 2 increments of 3 years. This Contract Award Notice is in relation to the framework re-opening published on 17th October 2025.

Lot Information

Standard Foster Care placements

Lot 1 is for the provision of Standard Foster Care placements

Options: The initial term of the Framework is for the period of 4 years from commencement but may be extended, by mutual agreement by 2 increments of 3 years

Renewal: This Framework commenced on the 27th August 2024. The initial term of the Framework is for the period of 4 years from commencement but may be extended, by mutual agreement by 2 increments of 3 years.

Enhanced Foster Care

Lot 2 is for the provision of Enhanced Foster Care placements

Options: The initial term of the Framework is for the period of 4 years from commencement but may be extended, by mutual agreement by 2 increments of 3 years

Renewal: This Framework commenced on the 27th August 2024. The initial term of the Framework is for the period of 4 years from commencement but may be extended, by mutual agreement by 2 increments of 3 years.

Specialist Foster Care

Lot 3 is for the provision of Specialist Foster Care placements

Options: The initial term of the Framework is for the period of 4 years from commencement but may be extended, by mutual agreement by 2 increments of 3 years

Renewal: This Framework commenced on the 27th August 2024. The initial term of the Framework is for the period of 4 years from commencement but may be extended, by mutual agreement by 2 increments of 3 years.

Parent and Child Foster Care

Lot 4 is for the provision of Parent and Child Foster Care placements

Options: The initial term of the Framework is for the period of 4 years from commencement but may be extended, by mutual agreement by 2 increments of 3 years

Renewal: This Framework commenced on the 27th August 2024. The initial term of the Framework is for the period of 4 years from commencement but may be extended, by mutual agreement by 2 increments of 3 years.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05cebb
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/048432-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85300000 - Social work and related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,750,000,000 £1B-£10B
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£2,750,000,000 £1B-£10B

Notice Dates

Publication Date
26 May 20263 months ago
Submission Deadline
21 Nov 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
19 Dec 20258 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Coventry 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
COVENTRY
Postcode
CV1 5RR
Postcode Area
Coventry
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG3 West Midlands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG33 Coventry
Delivery Location
TLG33 Coventry
Local Authority
Coventry
Electoral Ward
St Michael's
Westminster Constituency
Coventry South

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
3
Supplier Names

Lotus Foster Care Ltd

Progress Children's Services Limited

ST.CHRISTOPHERS FELLOWSHIP

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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