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Delivery of Regulation 44 Visits

Trafford Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

15 Oct 2026 at 10:42

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Trafford Council intends to procure independent Regulation 44 visits and reporting for its children’s residential services. The work is a children’s welfare service, covering visits to residential settings and the associated reporting. Delivery is in the United Kingdom; the council is based in Manchester. The procurement is planned as a single lot, and the council has indicated that the service is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises. Providers in children’s residential care oversight, independent visiting or safeguarding assurance may find the service relevant, particularly where they can deliver visits and produce clear reports across a council’s residential provision.

This process is at the planning stage: Trafford Council is preparing for a future procurement and has not invited tenders. It expects the contract to run from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028. Providers are asked to complete a soft market testing document and submit it through The Chest by 5 November 2026. This is market engagement, not a bid deadline. The procurement is planned as one lot under the light-touch services regime. The council has not set out a procurement procedure, contract value, or evaluation criteria at this stage. The market-testing exercise is intended to inform the future procurement; any eventual competition and its terms will follow later.

The work is likely to suit providers with the people and systems to carry out independent visits to children’s residential services and prepare reliable written reports. Relevant experience in children’s welfare, residential care, safeguarding or quality assurance would help suppliers understand the service context and identify matters that need attention. The council has identified the work as suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises, so smaller specialist providers and mission-led organisations may be well placed to prepare. The requested market-testing response gives providers a chance to contribute to the council’s thinking before the procurement is designed. Suppliers should consider whether they can deliver consistent visiting and reporting across the service and use the engagement to communicate their approach and relevant capabilities.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Delivery of Regulation 44 Visits

Notice Description

Trafford Council is seeking to engage the market ahead of a future procurement opportunity for the provision of independent Regulation 44 visits and reporting across its children's residential services.

Planning Information

Providers to complete a soft market testing document and submit this Via the Chest.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-07883d
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097335-2026
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

85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
15 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 1 Apr 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
Trafford 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
MANCHESTER
Postcode
M32 0TH
Postcode Area
Manchester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD34 Greater Manchester South West
Delivery Location
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Local Authority
Trafford
Electoral Ward
Gorse Hill & Cornbrook
Westminster Constituency
Stretford and Urmston

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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