Planning

RCC and Fostering Hubs Delivery Partner Preliminary Market Engagement Notice

DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

27 Mar 2026 at 11:28

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education is in the planning stage of a procurement process titled "RCC and Fostering Hubs Delivery Partner Preliminary Market Engagement Notice", focusing on the services category within the central government sector. The process is aimed at supporting the establishment and operation of Regional Care Cooperatives and the expanded Fostering Recruitment and Retention Programme across England. A preliminary market engagement session is scheduled for 2nd April 2026, with interested parties invited to register their interest via email. This procurement aligns under legal basis UKPGA 2023/54 and anticipates full commencement in July 2026 through March 2028, with key milestones and further notices expected by 20th April 2026.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses specialising in consultancy, legal, and management services. Entities with expertise in business services, particularly those with capabilities in law, marketing, and recruitment, are well-suited to respond. The process is favourable for both SMEs and VCSEs, potentially involving approximately 100 local authorities as participants. By competing in the tender, businesses can engage in strengthening RCCs' commercial capabilities and fostering hubs. The ultimate goal is to build lasting capability to ensure every local authority becomes part of a Regional Care Cooperative, fostering potential partnerships and growth in strategic alignment and integrated local service delivery.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

RCC and Fostering Hubs Delivery Partner Preliminary Market Engagement Notice

Notice Description

Prior Information Notice - Regional Care Cooperatives and Fostering Recruitment & Retention Programme The Department for Education intends to procure a Delivery Partner to support the establishment and early operation of up to six new Regional Care Cooperatives (RCCs) and to deliver the expanded Fostering Recruitment and Retention Programme. This contract is intended to run from June 2026 to 31 March 2028 (final timelines will be set out in the tendering documentation), with activity delivered across England through a mix of virtual and in person engagement. This notice is being issued to inform the market of the forthcoming opportunity and of preliminary market engagement; a full contract notice and information regarding engagement with the market will follow. Regional Care Cooperatives Every child deserves safe, high-quality care close to home. Regional care cooperatives (RCCs) will help make this a reality by transforming the approach local areas take to commissioning and providing homes for children in care. Further background on RCCs and the policy intent behind this reform can be found here: Regional care cooperatives policy statement - GOV.UK The Delivery Partner will provide structured coaching, facilitation, and technical expertise to support regions through the RCC staged progression model--Foundation and Development--so that they are prepared to transition into Delivery, as set out in the RCC Design Specification Guidance here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-to-set-up-a-regional-care-cooperative. This will include support for: * diagnostics, planning and governance * co design and development of sufficiency strategies * market shaping approaches * adoption of the national common data model * establishment of core regional functions for sustainable forecasting and commissioning As part of its market engagement activity, the Department is also seeking to understand the breadth of legal and commercial expertise available to support RCCs. This includes suppliers capable of providing legally robust, directly accountable advice on organisational and governance structures, pooled and shared budget arrangements, joint decision making frameworks, and commissioning responsibilities alongside the other support set out in this PIN. The Delivery Partner will also be expected to strengthen RCCs' commercial capability--supporting regions to develop and apply commercial strategies, analyse and model block and soft block contracting arrangements, improve negotiation confidence, and align commercial decisions with sufficiency planning. All support should be designed to build long term capability within RCCs. Fostering Recruitment and Retention Programme The Department is also seeking a Delivery Partner to support the next phase of the Fostering Recruitment and Retention Programme, delivered under the same contract as the RCC support package. In this expanded phase, Fostering Hubs will progress beyond initial applicant engagement to manage the entire recruitment and approval process, creating a more integrated and end to end model of recruiting, assessing, and supporting foster carers. The programme contributes to the Department's ambition to secure homes for 10,000 more children by 2029. Fostering Hubs guidance and application forms can be found here Fostering Programme: New Hubs Expression of Interest - GOV-UK Find a grant. The Delivery Partner will provide subject matter expertise in fostering recruitment and retention, alongside support to hubs in establishing performance monitoring and reporting mechanisms, delivering change management, and offering troubleshooting support as programme and/or LA level issues emerge. Support may include stakeholder relationship facilitation, HR related assistance, and co production of assessing social worker practice models. For new hubs, the Delivery Partner will provide challenge, independent oversight, and practical support through design and implementation. All support should be designed to build long term capability within hubs. It is anticipated that the Delivery Partner will work with approximately 100 participating LAs across new and existing hubs. The successful organisation will be expected to ensure strategic alignment between RCCs and Fostering Hubs, working closely with RCC leadership where established, and supporting areas to integrate hubs into RCCs as the system evolves. The long term vision is for every local authority to be part of an RCC.

Planning Information

A preliminary market engagement session is being conducted on Thursday 2nd April at 1pm. Please email Commissioning.CSC@education.gov.uk. if you would like to register your interest in attending.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06764c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/028421-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Mar 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
20 Apr 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
19 Jul 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
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
Post Town
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

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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