Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

National Data Dashboard for Children's Social Care Placements

DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

04 Aug 2026 at 09:35

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process for a "National Data Dashboard for Children's Social Care Placements" has been spearheaded by the Department for Education, a central government public authority located in London, United Kingdom. This tender falls under the industry category of IT services and welfare services for children and young people. The process has reached the award stage, with a contract scheduled to run from 17th August 2026 to 31st March 2029. Social Finance Limited has been appointed as the supplier through a direct award procurement method. This decision is supported by the rationale that Social Finance holds exclusive intellectual property rights integral to the project, which involves enhancing and scaling an existing platform operating in approximately 62 local authorities.

This tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses involved in IT services, data analytics, and child welfare sectors. Companies with expertise in software development, data management, and the provision of IT support could be well-positioned to collaborate on various aspects of this expansive project. The national scaling of the dashboard and its integration with other assessment tools provide an excellent prospect for businesses to showcase their capabilities in delivering secure, scalable, and impactful data solutions tailored to public sector needs. Such projects not only foster growth for participating businesses by enhancing their public sector portfolios but also contribute to the broader societal goal of improving social care services for children.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

National Data Dashboard for Children's Social Care Placements

Notice Description

A three-year contract to extend, enhance, and scale nationally an existing children's social care placements data dashboard, which is already operational and used by approximately 62 local authorities. Delivery will build upon the existing Social Finance platform infrastructure and will align with the rollout of Regional Care Cooperatives. The maximum contract value is PS2,865,473 inclusive of irrecoverable VAT. The contract will fund the following services: - Operation and maintenance of the existing data platform as a secure, scalable software-as-a-service. - Phased onboarding of all local authorities in England onto the platform. - Development and delivery of expanded data collection capabilities. - Development of analytical dashboards for local authorities, Regional Care Cooperatives, DfE and Ofsted. - Provision of APIs and data access to support DfE and Ofsted use. - Preparatory work for integration with complementary needs assessment and benchmarking tools (e.g. CANS, BERRI, CareCubed), and for future forecasting and scenario modelling capabilities. - Work in connection with the transfer of intellectual property rights to DfE and long-term platform sustainability.

Procurement Information

The contract will be awarded directly under section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023, relying on the justification at Schedule 5, paragraph 5 (single supplier - exclusive rights). The Supplier holds the intellectual property rights required to supply the services under this contract. These rights include copyright in the software codebase and technical documentation, database rights in the data architecture and configuration, and proprietary rights in the analytical models and algorithms developed for the Dashboard. This contract is for the enhancement and national scaling of an existing, live platform that is already in operational use by c. 62 local authorities. The services cannot reasonably be separated from the existing platform: they require direct access to and modification of the codebase, data models, and system configuration that Supplier owns. Procuring a replacement platform from an alternative supplier would deliver different services (a new-build platform) that would require: (i) a full competitive procurement; (ii) platform design, build, testing and implementation; (iii) re-establishment of local authority data integrations; (iv) disruption to the local authorities currently using the existing system; and (v) delay of at least 18 months to the national rollout required to meet policy objectives. In the Authority's assessment, this would not constitute a reasonable alternative to the enhancement of the existing platform, since it entails a different approach with different outcomes, extended timescales and greater risk.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06dab9
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/073518-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£2,387,894 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Aug 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
4 Aug 2026Yesterday
Contract Period
16 Aug 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 2-3 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
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

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

SOCIAL FINANCE

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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. 

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-06dab9-2026-08-04T10:35:41+01:00",
    "date": "2026-08-04T10:35:41+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06dab9",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PDZG-3487-DPVD",
            "name": "Department for Education",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PDZG-3487-DPVD"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Sanctuary Buildings, 20 Great Smith Street",
                "locality": "London",
                "postalCode": "SW1P3BT",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKI32"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "Nicholas.BUDGE@education.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "publicAuthorityCentralGovernment",
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "description": "Public authority - central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-COH-06402143",
            "name": "Social Finance Limited",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-COH",
                "id": "06402143"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "3rd Floor, Colechurch House, London Bridge Walk",
                "locality": "London",
                "postalCode": "SE1 2SX",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKI44"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "info@socialfinance.org.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "supplier"
            ],
            "details": {
                "scale": "sme",
                "vcse": false
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PDZG-3487-DPVD",
        "name": "Department for Education"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-06dab9",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "National Data Dashboard for Children's Social Care Placements",
        "description": "A three-year contract to extend, enhance, and scale nationally an existing children's social care placements data dashboard, which is already operational and used by approximately 62 local authorities. Delivery will build upon the existing Social Finance platform infrastructure and will align with the rollout of Regional Care Cooperatives. The maximum contract value is PS2,865,473 inclusive of irrecoverable VAT. The contract will fund the following services: - Operation and maintenance of the existing data platform as a secure, scalable software-as-a-service. - Phased onboarding of all local authorities in England onto the platform. - Development and delivery of expanded data collection capabilities. - Development of analytical dashboards for local authorities, Regional Care Cooperatives, DfE and Ofsted. - Provision of APIs and data access to support DfE and Ofsted use. - Preparatory work for integration with complementary needs assessment and benchmarking tools (e.g. CANS, BERRI, CareCubed), and for future forecasting and scenario modelling capabilities. - Work in connection with the transfer of intellectual property rights to DfE and long-term platform sustainability.",
        "status": "complete",
        "procurementMethod": "direct",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Direct award",
        "procurementMethodRationale": "The contract will be awarded directly under section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023, relying on the justification at Schedule 5, paragraph 5 (single supplier - exclusive rights). The Supplier holds the intellectual property rights required to supply the services under this contract. These rights include copyright in the software codebase and technical documentation, database rights in the data architecture and configuration, and proprietary rights in the analytical models and algorithms developed for the Dashboard. This contract is for the enhancement and national scaling of an existing, live platform that is already in operational use by c. 62 local authorities. The services cannot reasonably be separated from the existing platform: they require direct access to and modification of the codebase, data models, and system configuration that Supplier owns. Procuring a replacement platform from an alternative supplier would deliver different services (a new-build platform) that would require: (i) a full competitive procurement; (ii) platform design, build, testing and implementation; (iii) re-establishment of local authority data integrations; (iv) disruption to the local authorities currently using the existing system; and (v) delay of at least 18 months to the national rollout required to meet policy objectives. In the Authority's assessment, this would not constitute a reasonable alternative to the enhancement of the existing platform, since it entails a different approach with different outcomes, extended timescales and greater risk.",
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "status": "complete"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "conflictOfInterest",
                "documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
                "description": "Not published"
            }
        ],
        "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
            {
                "id": "singleSuppliersIntellectualPropertyExclusiveRights"
            }
        ]
    },
    "awards": [
        {
            "id": "1",
            "status": "pending",
            "value": {
                "amountGross": 2865473,
                "amount": 2387894,
                "currency": "GBP"
            },
            "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
            "aboveThreshold": true,
            "suppliers": [
                {
                    "id": "GB-COH-06402143",
                    "name": "Social Finance Limited"
                }
            ],
            "items": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "additionalClassifications": [
                        {
                            "scheme": "CPV",
                            "id": "85311300",
                            "description": "Welfare services for children and young people"
                        },
                        {
                            "scheme": "CPV",
                            "id": "72000000",
                            "description": "IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support"
                        }
                    ],
                    "relatedLot": "1"
                }
            ],
            "contractPeriod": {
                "startDate": "2026-08-17T00:00:00+01:00",
                "endDate": "2029-03-31T23:59:59+01:00"
            },
            "relatedLots": [
                "1"
            ],
            "documents": [
                {
                    "id": "073518-2026",
                    "documentType": "awardNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK5",
                    "description": "Transparency notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/073518-2026",
                    "datePublished": "2026-08-04T10:35:41+01:00",
                    "format": "text/html"
                }
            ],
            "milestones": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "type": "futureSignatureDate",
                    "dueDate": "2026-08-17T23:59:59+01:00",
                    "status": "scheduled"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "language": "en"
}