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Independent assurance of Children in Care financial position

Lincolnshire County Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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22 Sep 2026 at 14:51

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Lincolnshire County Council commissioned independent assurance of its Children in Care financial position and forecasting. The work covers reviewing the council’s financial position, assessing forecasts, and identifying opportunities to manage rising numbers of residential care placements and their associated costs. This is a financial consultancy service for local government and children’s social care, rather than the provision of care placements themselves. The buyer is Lincolnshire County Council, based in Lincoln, and the requirement concerns the council’s Children in Care financial arrangements. The service was awarded to Public Alchemy Ltd, a London-based small and medium-sized enterprise. Suppliers with experience in public-sector financial assurance, forecasting and analysis of children’s social care expenditure would find the requirement most relevant.

The procurement is complete and the contract is active. Lincolnshire County Council used a direct award below the relevant threshold, without competition. The contract was awarded to Public Alchemy Ltd on 7 September 2026 and signed on the same date. Its contract period runs from 7 September 2026 to 9 October 2026. The awarded contract value is £68,040 gross. There was one completed lot covering the full requirement. The award relates to financial consultancy services for independent assurance of the Children in Care financial position, forecasting and residential placement costs. The recorded tender status is complete, while the award and contract status are active, indicating that the selected supplier is undertaking the agreed work.

Although this contract has already been awarded, it provides a clear indication of Lincolnshire County Council’s need for specialist financial scrutiny of Children in Care services. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need to assess financial positions and forecasts independently, analyse the drivers of residential care placement numbers and costs, and identify practical opportunities for cost management. Relevant capability would include financial consultancy, assurance, forecasting and clear analysis for a public-sector client. Experience relating to children’s social care expenditure and the financial pressures created by residential placements would strengthen a supplier’s position. The award to a small and medium-sized enterprise also shows that the work can be delivered by a focused specialist consultancy rather than only by a large professional-services firm.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Independent assurance of Children in Care financial position

Notice Description

Independent assurance on the Council's Children in Care (CiC) financial position and forecasting, and to identify opportunities to manage rising residential care placement numbers and the cost of such placements

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0777b6
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089717-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

CPV Codes

66171000 - Financial consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£68,040 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
7 Sep 2026 - 9 Oct 2026 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Lincolnshire County 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
LINCOLN
Postcode
LN1 1YL
Postcode Area
Lincoln
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF3 Lincolnshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF30 Lincolnshire CC
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Lincoln
Electoral Ward
Carholme
Westminster Constituency
Lincoln

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Public Alchemy Ltd

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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