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Bidders Information Event: Best Start in Life

Bradford Children & Families Trust

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

24 Aug 2026 at 18:01

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Bradford Children & Families Trust intends to commission services supporting children, young people and families across the Bradford Metropolitan District. The programme is designed to improve outcomes in the early years and help children begin school ready to learn, in line with the Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies guidance. The scope covers two service areas: parenting support; and parent-infant relationships together with perinatal, or parent-infant, mental health support. This is a public-sector health and social care services requirement, including social services, social work and related support. The Trust is wholly owned by Bradford Council and provides children’s social care services through a community interest company structure. The work is intended for delivery across Bradford.

This process is at the planning stage: the Trust has announced an intention to procure and there is no invitation to tender yet. It expects to use a light-touch services procedure for an above-threshold requirement. The planned contract is divided into two lots: Parenting Support, and Parent-Infant Relationships and Perinatal Mental Health. The estimated value is £6,139,800 excluding VAT, or £7,367,760 including VAT. The initial contract period is expected to run from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2029, with a possible extension or renewal to 31 March 2033. Following market engagement on 27 July 2026, the Trust plans an online bidders’ information event on 14 September 2026, from 10:30 to 11:30, via Microsoft Teams. Expressions of interest for that event are requested through the EU Supply portal.

The planned commissioning will suit organisations delivering practical family support, parenting programmes, early-years services, parent-infant relationship work and perinatal mental health support. Relevant providers are likely to include children’s social care specialists, health and social work organisations, family support charities, community interest companies and other voluntary, community or social enterprises. The buyer has indicated that both small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises are suitable for the requirement. Businesses should prepare evidence of their ability to support children and families across Bradford, deliver high-quality and innovative services, and contribute to improved early-years outcomes. Organisations with complementary expertise may wish to consider collaboration across the two service areas when the procurement reaches the market.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Bidders Information Event: Best Start in Life

Notice Description

As set out in the notice published on 3 July 2026, Bradford Children and Families Trust (BCFT) has been established as a community interest company limited by guarantee and is wholly owned by Bradford Council. The Trust provides a long-term, sustainable platform to drive improved performance and deliver high-quality, innovative social care services for children, young people, and families across the Bradford Metropolitan District. In 2025, the Government announced the Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life programme, building on the previous Family Hubs Start for Life programme. The strategy highlights the importance of supporting children and families throughout the early years, helping to lay the foundations for future success. This includes a commitment to ensuring that 75% of children achieve a Good Level of Development (GLD) in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile assessment by 2028 and begin school ready to learn. The Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies: Guidance for Local Authorities informs the core funded services that are within the scope of this commissioning activity. These services will be commissioned across the following two lots: * Lot 1: Parenting Support * Lot 2: Parent-Infant Relationships and Perinatal (Parent-Infant) Mental Health. Feedback from the market engagement event held on 27 July 2026 has helped inform our approach. A further Bidders Information Event will be held online as follows: Date: Monday 14 September 2026 Time: 10:30am to 11:30am Format: Microsoft Teams. To express an interest in attending, please register for the event via the EU Supply portal.

Planning Information

https://uk.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=108523&TID=100113583&B=

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06eb04
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080581-2026
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

CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

85300000 - Social work and related services

85310000 - Social work services

85320000 - Social services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£6,139,800 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Aug 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
14 Sep 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2029 2-3 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
Bradford Children & Families Trust
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BRADFORD
Postcode
BD5 0QL
Postcode Area
Bradford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLE4 West Yorkshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLE41 Bradford
Delivery Location
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Local Authority
Bradford
Electoral Ward
City
Westminster Constituency
Bradford West

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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