---
title: "Independent Critical Friend Service (Challenge and Scrutiny Reviewer)"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-e7d25e00-787e-4cac-91cc-8fca13320545"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-e7d25e00-787e-4cac-91cc-8fca13320545"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-e7d25e00-787e-4cac-91cc-8fca13320545.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-e7d25e00-787e-4cac-91cc-8fca13320545.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "HARTLEPOOL BOROUGH COUNCIL"
published: "2019-10-18"
---

# Independent Critical Friend Service (Challenge and Scrutiny Reviewer)

Buyer: HARTLEPOOL BOROUGH COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-e7d25e00-787e-4cac-91cc-8fca13320545

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-e7d25e00-787e-4cac-91cc-8fca13320545)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-e7d25e00-787e-4cac-91cc-8fca13320545.json)

## Summary

The Hartlepool Borough Council is initiating a procurement process titled "Independent Critical Friend Service (Challenge and Scrutiny Reviewer)." This tender falls under the category of business services, specifically regarding law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing, and security. Located in Hartlepool, North East England, the current procurement stage is complete, with the tender period having closed on 28th June 2019. The contract is set to commence on 1st August 2019 and will run for a duration of four years, concluding on 31st July 2023. The procurement method used is an open procedure, allowing various qualified suppliers to participate.

This tender presents a valuable opportunity for businesses specialising in consultancy and scrutiny services, particularly those experienced in public sector work related to safeguarding practices. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, or social enterprises (VCSEs) are encouraged to get involved, as they are deemed suitable participants. By joining the preferred provider list, qualifying firms can gain access to potential contracts for specific review activities aimed at improving multi-agency services for children and families within the safeguarding system.

## Notice

The Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSSCP) is seeking to work with suitably qualified and experienced individuals who can offer challenge and scrutiny on multi-agency practice and service delivery across the whole safeguarding system, in the role of an 'Independent Critical Friend'. The role of the 'Critical Friend' will be to conduct 'deep dive' scrutiny reviews of themes identified by the Partnership; assessing the effectiveness of the help being provided to children and families and providing assurance in judging the effectiveness of services to protect children. Those who pass an initial procurement process will be invited to join a preferred provider list and may be selected to undertake specific review activities around an identified issue or theme, based on their background and experience. No form of exclusivity or volume guarantee has been granted by the Local Authority for Services from the Provider and the Local Authority is at all times entitled to enter into other contracts and agreements with other Providers for the provision of any of the Services. The provider list will remain valid form 1st August 2019 for a period of up to 4 years subject to satisfactory performance and funding being available. Individuals wishing to register an interest and download the procurement documents, should apply via the ProContract e-tendering portal https://procontract.due-north.com All completed documentation to apply to be on the selected provider list must be returned via the ProContract e-tendering portal only and by no later than 2pm on Friday, 28th June 2019

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/285d1b8c-f271-42e9-a2dd-e49b64e9877b |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure (below threshold) |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 18 Oct 2019 |
| Submission deadline | 28 Jun 2019 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 4 Aug 2019 |
| Contract period | 5 Aug 2019 - 5 Aug 2023 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | HARTLEPOOL BOROUGH COUNCIL |
| Locality | HARTLEPOOL |
| Post town | Cleveland |
| Postcode | TS24 8AY |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC3 Tees Valley |
| ITL 3 | TLC31 Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees |
| Local authority | Hartlepool |
| Electoral ward | Victoria |
| Westminster constituency | Hartlepool |
| Delivery location | TLC North East (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 7 |
| Supplier names | CHERRYL PHAROAH CONSULTANCY; CHOICES & VOICES CAREW; MICHAEL BATTY CONSULTANCY; MJC SAFEGUARDING CONSULTANCY; RPC OUTCOMES; S FINCH; UNUSUAL SOLUTIONS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 80 - Education and training services
- 85 - Health and social work services
- 98 - Other community, social and personal services

### Codes

- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
- 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

## Release History

- 18 Oct 2019 at 15:08 - AwardUpdate - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/285d1b8c-f271-42e9-a2dd-e49b64e9877b
- 7 Oct 2019 at 12:11 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/285d1b8c-f271-42e9-a2dd-e49b64e9877b
- 7 Jun 2019 at 10:29 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/699b3e06-1a58-49ea-ac22-36a20967be43

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/285d1b8c-f271-42e9-a2dd-e49b64e9877b
  18th October 2019 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/699b3e06-1a58-49ea-ac22-36a20967be43
  7th June 2019 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder

## Notice URLs

- https://procontract.due-north.com

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-e7d25e00-787e-4cac-91cc-8fca13320545. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-e7d25e00-787e-4cac-91cc-8fca13320545.json.