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The Fosterline Service

Department for Education

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

28 Aug 2026 at 15:03

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education is exploring a national Fosterline service providing free, independent advice to current and prospective foster carers. The existing service includes a helpline, website and webchat, with individualised support for ongoing issues and detailed tax and benefits advice. Its purpose is to help foster families remain together during crises, reduce placement breakdown and avoid associated costs. This is a public-sector support and advice service, classified as helpdesk and support services (CPV 72253000). Delivery is intended across England, covering the North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East and South West. The Department for Education is the buying organisation.

The process is at planning stage and is an early market engagement exercise, not an invitation to tender. An online engagement event is planned for 10 September 2026, from 13:00 to 14:00, for interested organisations to contribute. The buyer expects a subsequent notice on 1 November 2026. Any procedure, contract value and term references are expressly illustrative and may change; the current indicative value is £0. The planned contract period is 1 January 2027 to 28 December 2028, with a possible extension reaching 31 December 2029. There is one planned lot. The service is treated as a light-touch service, and the lot is marked suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

This engagement is relevant to organisations able to design, operate or improve a national support service for current and prospective foster carers. Useful capabilities include managing a helpline, website and webchat together; providing independent, individualised advice; and handling sensitive enquiries about ongoing fostering issues, tax and benefits. Providers should understand how timely support can help foster families through crises, reduce placement breakdown and protect continuity of care. Organisations with experience supporting foster carers or families, and those able to deliver advice consistently across England, are likely to be well placed. The planned lot is identified as suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises, so smaller specialist providers may wish to prepare for the later procurement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

The Fosterline Service

Notice Description

This is a notice seeking early engagement from interested parties in relation to the Department for Education Fosterline Service Please note that all references to procedure, value and term length are purely illustrative and subject to change. The event will describe the existing set of national Fosterline services offering free, independent advice to current and prospective foster carers and the proposed service moving forward The current service offers individualised services for current or prospective foster carers requiring help with ongoing issues or detailed tax and benefits advice. The services aim to support foster families to stay together during times of crisis, reducing placement breakdown, and avoiding costs associated with this. The service is currently composed of a helpline service, website and webchat function. Please note that this notice is for early market engagement and exploratory purposes and is not a call for competition hence the PS0 value indicated at this point. The Department reserves the right not to enter any formal processes or agreements. Accordingly, the authority will not be liable for any bid cost, expenditure, work, or effort incurred by a provider in acting based on this notice.

Planning Information

An online market engagement event will be held for interested parties to contribute on September 10th between 13:00 – 14:00 Please visit Department for education eSourcing portal Jaggaer to register via the View Opportunities section and to obtain a link to attend the online event https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html (scroll to view opportunities) The SSQ will remain open after the market engagement event to allow organisations who initially miss this notice or the event, to register an interest prior to any procurement opportunity being advertised

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06eeb8
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082254-2026
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

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

CPV Codes

72253000 - Helpdesk and support services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Nov 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Jan 2027 - 28 Dec 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
Postcode Area
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
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
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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