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Shortbreaks and Outreach Framework

SOUTHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 9 releases in its history.

Award

12 Oct 2026 at 14:50

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
TenderUpdate

22 May 2026 at 09:36

UK4 - Tender Notice
TenderUpdate

14 May 2026 at 18:30

UK4 - Tender Notice
TenderUpdate

21 Apr 2026 at 10:17

UK4 - Tender Notice
TenderUpdate

15 Apr 2026 at 16:10

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

03 Apr 2026 at 17:00

UK4 - Tender Notice
PlanningUpdate

19 Jan 2026 at 11:44

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

19 Jan 2026 at 10:27

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

16 Jan 2026 at 14:36

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Southampton City Council has procured a multi-provider framework for disability support and short-break services for children and young people in Southampton. It is divided into two service areas. Care support and community outreach covers personalised support at home or in the community, including personal care, delegated health tasks, communication and independence programmes, behaviour support, community access and, where needed, overnight respite. Providers must be able to deliver planned, responsive and crisis support across a range of hours. Specialist playschemes and targeted short breaks provide holiday and community activities for children with substantial or complex needs who cannot safely use mainstream provision, including children with complex health needs, autism or behaviour that challenges. Both services aim to support children’s wellbeing and development while giving families a break from caring.

The procurement has been awarded under an open procedure, with quality accounting for 100% of the evaluation. Acorn Care Solutions Ltd, Active Assistance Staff Management Ltd, Glitz Care 4Ut Ltd, Hurst Homecare, Nurse Plus & Carer Plus UK Ltd, OptimalCarePlus, Request Services, Southvale Care Ltd, Starlight Healthcare Ltd, The Rose Road Association and Sakura Care were selected for care support and outreach; the award value is £4.5 million excluding VAT. Acorn Care Solutions Ltd, Glitz Care 4Ut Ltd, Hurst Homecare, Southampton Mencap, Southvale Care Ltd, The Rose Road Association and Sakura Care were selected for specialist playschemes and short breaks; that award is £45 million excluding VAT. Both contract periods run from 1 November 2026 to 30 September 2030, with a possible two-year extension. The awards are pending; signature was scheduled for 28 October 2026.

This framework demonstrates Southampton City Council’s demand for providers able to deliver tailored disability support and respite locally, across both individual care and group-based activities. Credible competitors will need to show they can match services to assessed needs and safely support children with substantial or complex needs, including personal care, complex health requirements, autism and behaviour that challenges. For outreach, the service mix calls for capability in delegated health tasks, communication and independence-building, behaviour support, community access, and potentially overnight respite, with staffing able to cover planned, responsive and crisis support at varied hours. Playscheme providers need to deliver specialist holiday and community activities that foster social development, independence and wellbeing while providing family respite. The framework is divided into two lots, and the Council’s evaluation in this procurement was based entirely on quality.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Shortbreaks and Outreach Framework

Notice Description

Southampton City Council intends to award a multi provider Short Breaks, Outreach and Support Framework to improve access to high quality services for children and young people with disabilities aged up to 18 years. The proposed Framework will include two Lots: Lot 1 - Care Support and Community Outreach This Lot covers personalised care and support delivered in the home or community. Services will help children and young people with disabilities to develop independence, access their community, and maintain their wellbeing, while supporting family stability. The service will include personalised care and community based support, including personal care, delegated health tasks, communication and independence building programmes, behaviour support, community access and, where required, overnight respite. Providers must be able to offer planned, responsive and crisis support across a range of hours. Lot 2 - Specialist Playschemes and Targeted Short Breaks This Lot provides specialist holiday playschemes and targeted short break opportunities for children with substantial or complex needs. These are for children who cannot safely access mainstream provision due to high levels of personal care, complex health needs, autism or behaviour that challenges. Services delivered under this Lot should offer group and community-based activities that support children's social development, independence, wellbeing and enjoyment, while providing families with essential respite. The purpose of the Framework is to deliver consistent, timely, high quality and value for money support, while strengthening family resilience and improving outcomes for children and young people with disabilities. By approving providers onto a single Framework, the Council can quickly match a child's assessed needs with an appropriate supplier, reducing delays and enabling responsive, high quality support across the local area.

Lot Information

Care Support and Community Outreach Service Specification with buddy service

Options: Potential for extension

Renewal: Potential for 2 years extension

Specialist Playschemes and Targeted Short Breaks

Options: Potential for extension

Renewal: Potential for 2 years extension

Planning Information

The Authority is issuing this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) statement to notify the market of an upcoming procurement opportunity for Outreach and Short Breaks services for children and young people with disabilities. Our primary objective is to engage with experienced providers, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises (VCSEs) to inform the design of a new Framework. We want to ensure that our service specifications are commercially viable, innovative, and, most importantly, capable of meeting the diverse needs of children and young people (0-25) within our region. This engagement is conducted in accordance with Sections 16 and 17 of the Procurement Act 2023. It is not a call for competition, but a collaborative fact-finding exercise to ensure a "best fit" between our requirements and market capability. 2. The Requirement: A Two-Lot Framework We intend to establish a multi-supplier framework divided into two distinct "Lots." Suppliers may apply for one or both lots, provided they meet the specific quality and safeguarding criteria. Lot 1 - Care Support and Community Outreach The aim of Lot 1 is to develop a range of providers who can deliver personalised care and support in the home or community. The outreach service will ensure that children and young people with disabilities can develop independence skills, access their community, and maintain their wellbeing at the same time the family have a break from their caring duties. Lot 2 - Specialist Playschemes and Targeted Short Breaks The goal of Lot 2 is to develop a range of specialist and targeted activities for children and young people in a variety of locations across the city. The activities will provide opportunities for children to try new skills things, develop their social skills and support their overall development whilst giving their parent carers a break from caring. 3. The Procurement Plan The Authority intends to use a Open Framework model. This is designed to be "supplier-friendly," allowing new providers to join at specific intervals throughout the framework's life (e.g., every 12 months). Estimated Contract Term: 4 years + optional 2-year extension. Pricing Model: We are seeking market feedback on sustainable hourly rates vs. "block" funding for group activities. Call-Off Mechanism: Services will be commissioned via Direct Award (for specific 1:1 matches) or Mini-Competition (for larger group-based contracts). Preliminary Market Engagement Events will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams via invite only. These individual sessions will be held on the 5th (12.00 - 14.00); Short Breaks and 10th of Feb (13.00 - 15.00); Outreach. If you are interested in attending either event, please email Scott.Goodhew@southampton.gov.uk with your company name, the name of attendees with relevant email address for the invite, and please inform us which one (or both) you would like to attend. Please be aware when responding each event will be individual based on the Lots with Short breaks on the 5th, and Outreach on the 10th. Thankyou.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0607c7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096151-2026
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

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

85 - Health and social work services

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

75200000 - Provision of services to the community

85310000 - Social work services

85312000 - Social work services without accommodation

85320000 - Social services

98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£4,500,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£4,500,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£49,500,000 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
12 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
19 Jun 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
12 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
1 Nov 2026 - 30 Sep 2030 3-4 years
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
SOUTHAMPTON 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
SOUTHAMPTON
Postcode
SO14 7LY
Postcode Area
Southampton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ32 Southampton
Delivery Location
TLJ32 Southampton
Local Authority
Southampton
Electoral Ward
Bargate
Westminster Constituency
Southampton Itchen

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
12
Supplier Names

Acorn Care Solutions Ltd

ACTIVE ASSISTANCE, Staff Management Lt

Glitz care 4Ut Ltd

Hurst Homecare

Nurse Plus & Carer Plus UK Ltd

OptimalCarePlus Limited

Request Services Limited

Southvale Care Limited

Starlight Healthcare

The Rose Road Association

SAKURA CARE LTD

SOUTHAMPTON MENCAP

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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