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Internal Residential Children's Homes

Thurrock Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

31 Jul 2026 at 11:38

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Thurrock Council is exploring the potential operation of residential children’s homes in three council-owned properties. The homes could provide up to six local placements for looked-after children, subject to governance, registration, procurement and final approval. This is a children’s residential care and social work services requirement, with related community, social and personal services. The buying organisation is Thurrock Council, based in Grays, and the service would support local placements in Thurrock. The scope is being developed through early market engagement and may be shaped by operational, commercial, regulatory and market considerations. Providers with experience operating residential children’s homes or delivering regulated care for looked-after children are the intended market audience.

The procurement is at the planning stage: Thurrock Council is conducting early market engagement, not inviting tenders, and has not committed to a future procurement or contract award. Suppliers are being asked to complete an online questionnaire by 21 August 2026. The council expects to publish a further notice on 1 July 2027. The planned arrangement is one lot under the light-touch services regime, with an indicative contract period from 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2033. The indicative value is £13,000,000 excluding VAT, or £15,600,000 including VAT. The scope, value, duration and final arrangements remain subject to review and approval. The lot is identified as suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

This engagement is likely to suit organisations able to operate residential children’s homes and provide safe, regulated accommodation and care for looked-after children. Relevant providers may include established children’s social care operators, specialist residential care charities, voluntary or community organisations, and smaller providers with the operational capacity to manage local homes. Preparation is likely to require a clear understanding of children’s residential care regulation, registration requirements, safeguarding, staffing, supervision and placement support. Providers should be able to demonstrate suitable premises-management, care-planning and risk-management capabilities, together with experience supporting children in care and working with a local authority. The council is seeking practical market insight on operational, commercial and regulatory considerations, so organisations able to explain viable delivery models should engage during this planning phase.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Internal Residential Children's Homes

Notice Description

Thurrock Council is undertaking early market engagement to understand provider interest in the potential operation of residential children's homes using three council-owned properties. The properties may provide up to six local placements for children looked after, subject to governance, registration, procurement and final approval. This is not a call for competition and does not commit the Council to any future procurement or contract award. Please note that the contract value, scope and duration are indicative and subject to review. The final contract arrangements may vary following market engagement and the subsequent development of service requirements, taking account of operational, commercial, regulatory and market considerations.

Planning Information

Suppliers are invited to respond to this market engagement exercise by completing the online questionnaire available through the In-tend portal: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/thurrockcouncil/aspx/ProjectManage/1700

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d89b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072632-2026
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

85 - Health and social work services

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

85310000 - Social work services

98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£13,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Jul 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Jul 20279 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2028 - 31 Mar 2033 Over 5 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
Thurrock 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
GRAYS
Postcode
RM17 6SL
Postcode Area
Romford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH3 Essex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH32 Thurrock
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Thurrock
Electoral Ward
Grays Riverside
Westminster Constituency
Thurrock

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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