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SCE0077- Children's Commissioning Arrangement

Leicester City Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

10 Sep 2026 at 12:03

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Leicester City Council is considering a children’s commissioning arrangement for Leicester City. The requirement is for health and social work services supporting children, delivered in Leicester. The council is exploring the potential service model and specification principles with providers and other interested stakeholders before deciding how to proceed. The planned arrangement is a single service lot and is intended to operate through a framework agreement. This is relevant to organisations that provide children’s services, commissioning support or related health and social care provision, particularly those able to work with the council to shape service requirements. The council has identified the procurement as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises.

This procurement is at the planning stage and the council has expressly stated that the current process is a soft market test, not a formal tender or call for competition. The council anticipates seeking tenders in the first quarter of 2027, with the new contract intended to begin in the third quarter of 2027. The planned contract period for the single lot is 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2035. The council’s indicative date for the next notice is 11 January 2027. Market engagement responses are scheduled by 24 September 2026. The published estimated value is £1 gross in total, in GBP. The planned arrangement is below the relevant threshold, with a framework agreement expected.

The council is seeking market input from potential providers and stakeholders with practical experience of children’s services and health or social work provision. Organisations involved in designing, commissioning or delivering services for children in Leicester should be well placed to contribute, especially where they can offer informed views on service models, outcomes and specification principles. The council has indicated that the future requirement should suit both SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises, so participation is not limited to large national providers. There are no formal response evaluation criteria at this planning stage. Businesses should use the engagement to explain their relevant delivery capability, partnership approach, local capacity and experience of supporting children, while recognising that the service scope may develop before any formal competition.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

SCE0077- Children's Commissioning Arrangement

Notice Description

THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION Leicester City Council (the Authority) are considering progressing a Children's Commissioning Arrangement for Leicester City. It is anticipated that tenders for this service would be sought in Quarter 1 of 2027, to enable a new contract to begin on Quarter 3 of 2027. As part of the commissioning process, the authority is undertaking a Soft Market Test (SMT). This gives potential providers and other stakeholders the opportunity to express their interests and feed in their views about the potential service model and specification principles. The commissioners may use the information to appraise options and further develop the specification. This process does not constitute a formal tender or other competitive bidding process and will not result in the letting of a Contract. The authority is using this process solely to test the market, gather information, and ascertain the level of interest in this particular service. There are therefore no formal criteria which we will use to judge your responses, and it is not our intention to provide any feedback. Please use the following link to access the advert: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=f87f0176-61ac-f111-813c-005056b64545

Planning Information

THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION Leicester City Council (the Authority) are considering progressing a Children’s Commissioning Arrangement for Leicester City. It is anticipated that tenders for this service would be sought in Quarter 1 of 2027, to enable a new contract to begin on Quarter 3 of 2027. As part of the commissioning process, the authority is undertaking a Soft Market Test (SMT). This gives potential providers and other stakeholders the opportunity to express their interests and feed in their views about the potential service model and specification principles. The commissioners may use the information to appraise options and further develop the specification. This process does not constitute a formal tender or other competitive bidding process and will not result in the letting of a Contract. The authority is using this process solely to test the market, gather information, and ascertain the level of interest in this particular service. There are therefore no formal criteria which we will use to judge your responses, and it is not our intention to provide any feedback. Please use the following link to access the advert: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=f87f0176-61ac-f111-813c-005056b64545

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f6b0
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085824-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
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

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Sep 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
11 Jan 20274 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Aug 2027 - 31 Jul 2035 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
Leicester City 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
LEICESTER
Postcode
LE1 1HA
Postcode Area
Leicester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF21 Leicester
Delivery Location
TLF21 Leicester
Local Authority
Leicester
Electoral Ward
Castle
Westminster Constituency
Leicester South

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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