--- title: "Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) for Fostering and Adoption 24.27" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-ba4ef9fc-540c-4d34-abed-1b977ad46a0d" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-ba4ef9fc-540c-4d34-abed-1b977ad46a0d" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-ba4ef9fc-540c-4d34-abed-1b977ad46a0d.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-ba4ef9fc-540c-4d34-abed-1b977ad46a0d.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION" published: "2023-06-15" --- # Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) for Fostering and Adoption 24.27 Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-ba4ef9fc-540c-4d34-abed-1b977ad46a0d [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-ba4ef9fc-540c-4d34-abed-1b977ad46a0d) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-ba4ef9fc-540c-4d34-abed-1b977ad46a0d.json) ## Summary The Department for Education is planning a procurement process for an Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) for Fostering and Adoption service under the CPV category of Health and social work services. The procurement will take place in the UK with an estimated contract value of £600,000-735,000. The process is currently in the planning stage, and the deadline for future engagement is set for 29th June 2023. The procurement method is marked as a tender. The IRM service aims to provide an impartial route for applicants to challenge decisions made by fostering and adoption services, offering opportunities for business growth in this specialised sector. The Department for Education is actively engaging with the sector to seek feedback and is open to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) to participate. The procurement process includes market engagement sessions and one-on-one meetings, offering potential suppliers the chance to understand the service requirements and provide feedback. The initial market engagement session is scheduled for 30th June, with follow-up sessions and a feedback questionnaire to be circulated. Businesses in the health and social work services sector, particularly those with expertise in fostering and adoption services or statutory review processes, are well-suited to compete in this open tender opportunity. ## Notice Title: Independent Review Mechanism for fostering and adoption Type of contract: Service Short Description: This PIN is for market engagement only. It does not signify the commencement of any procurement process and does not constitute any commitment by the Department for Education. If the Department for Education decides to commence any procurement process as contemplated by this notice, a separate notice will be published at the relevant time. The requirements and values set out below may be subject to change. The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) provides an essential statutory service to prospective and existing foster parents, adopters, and adult adoptees. The main function of the IRM is to offer an objective and independent route for applicants to request a review of decisions made by fostering and adoption services about their approval status and access to their records. The service offered by the IRM is unique within the sector and enables applicants to have their case heard by an independent panel of children's social care experts. We will be holding a market engagement session to discuss our draft specification including the statutory requirements, indicative timeline, costing model, intended procurement process including the likely procurement asks within the tender documents. The departments intention is to seek feedback from the sector through 1-2-1 engagement sessions on Friday 30th June. These will be allocated on a first come first service basis. Following this market engagement session, we will be circulating a feedback questionnaire seeking your input on timelines, costing and contract mobilisation period. To confirm your attendance and receive the draft documents please email Beth.Lord@education.gov.uk. Estimated Contract Value: PS600,000-735,000 for the total contract period including the optional extension (2 years +1 year optional extension) Information about lots: n/a Place of performance: UK Description of the procurement: The IRM is provided for in regulations and as a result, some elements of its delivery are prescribed in legislation. The service was introduced in 2005 through secondary legislation, under Sections 9 and 12 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 . The purpose was to offer prospective adopters an opportunity to have decisions (Qualifying Determinations) reviewed by an independent panel if they had not been approved to adopt by their local authority or agency and were unhappy with the decision. The Independent Review of Determinations (Adoption and Fostering) Regulations 2009 expanded the original remit to provide a similar service to prospective and existing foster parents who are deemed ineligible to foster, or who face changes to their approvals; and to adult adoptees wishing to review historic decisions made about accessing their birth records. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/3ab4ffe1-aa3f-4b33-ba4a-1fad3f38668e | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning, Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 15 Jun 2023 | | Submission deadline | 14 Feb 2023 | | Future notice date | 29 Jun 2023 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Mar 2024 - 31 Mar 2027 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £730,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | | Locality | SHEFFIELD | | Post town | Sheffield | | Postcode | S1 2FJ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber | | ITL 2 | TLE3 South Yorkshire | | ITL 3 | TLE32 Sheffield | | Local authority | Sheffield | | Electoral ward | City | | Westminster constituency | Sheffield Central | | Delivery location | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85000000 - Health and social work services ## Release History - 15 Jun 2023 at 15:31 - Planning - Planned Procurement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/3ab4ffe1-aa3f-4b33-ba4a-1fad3f38668e - 25 Jan 2023 at 11:36 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/30f7641b-6cc7-4413-a718-225aed3a7f8b ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/3ab4ffe1-aa3f-4b33-ba4a-1fad3f38668e 15th June 2023 - Future opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/30f7641b-6cc7-4413-a718-225aed3a7f8b 25th January 2023 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/179d421c-a0cf-405f-a5e1-edec08b6ef90 n/a - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/38/section/12 Adoption and Children Act 2002 - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/395/made The Independent Review of Determinations (Adoption and Fostering) Regulations 2009 - http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/independent-review-mechanism Further information about the IRM ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. 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