--- title: "Foster Carer and Supported Lodging Carer Membership and Allegations Support Services ITT" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-f4b9b3c6-26f5-494b-8d96-6fa4940e2122" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-f4b9b3c6-26f5-494b-8d96-6fa4940e2122" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f4b9b3c6-26f5-494b-8d96-6fa4940e2122.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f4b9b3c6-26f5-494b-8d96-6fa4940e2122.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL" published: "2017-03-16" --- # Foster Carer and Supported Lodging Carer Membership and Allegations Support Services ITT Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-f4b9b3c6-26f5-494b-8d96-6fa4940e2122 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-f4b9b3c6-26f5-494b-8d96-6fa4940e2122) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f4b9b3c6-26f5-494b-8d96-6fa4940e2122.json) ## Summary The Essex County Council is seeking proposals for the "Foster Carer and Supported Lodging Carer Membership and Allegations Support Services ITT". This procurement falls under the health and social work services category and is based in the South East region of the United Kingdom. The tender is currently in the active stage and submissions are due by the deadline of 24th April 2017. The contract is planned to commence on 1st August 2018 and will run for five years until 31st July 2022, with an option for a two-year extension. The estimated value of the contract is £200,000. This tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in support services for foster and lodging carers, particularly those that can offer independent legal and welfare advice, advocacy, and counselling. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations would be well-positioned to compete, as the council aims to engage qualified providers who can work collaboratively with in-house carers and promote high standards of care for children and young people. ## Notice The Authority seek to procure a suitably qualified and experienced Provider to deliver National Professional Membership and allegation support to Foster Carers and Supported Lodging Providers from 1st Aug 2017 for a period of five [5] years terminating on 31st July 2022, with a potential extension of up to a further two [2] years. Essex County Council (The Authority) currently provides high quality fostering services through The Essex Fostering Service that ensure children and young people are placed in safe, stable and first-rate in-house foster care where they are valued, supported and encouraged to grow and develop as individuals and achieve positive outcomes. This contract includes all in-house foster carers and supported lodgings carers being offered membership to a National Membership Organisation that provides access to independent support and advice which enables them to maintain a safe place for children and young people to live, thrive and achieve their full potential. Local Authorities have a statutory duty to provide access to independent advice and support to Essex foster carers and supported lodgings providers who are subject to an allegation. This element fulfils the requirement as set out in point 22.9 of the Fostering Services National Minimum Standards 2011. The Authority's Access to Resources Team 16+ (ART) form part of the overarching placement strategy for children looked after by ECC. They approve Essex (in-house) foster carers and supported lodgings carers however where it has not been possible to provide in-house foster carers Essex County Council works with Independent Fostering Agencies (IFA) to identify independent foster carers. The Authority is seeking to procure a suitably qualified and experienced Service Provider to make available a range of support services (including, but not limited to access to legal and welfare advice, information and advocacy) to all in-house foster carers, supported lodgings providers and their own children. The aims of this service will be to: * Provide advice and support to all approved ECC Foster Carers and Supported Lodgings Carers and their families when an allegation has been made concerning a standard of care or safeguarding issue: * To befriend, advise and support at a time of crisis and isolation. This service is to be extended to the Children of the Foster Carers Supported Lodgings Carers concerned including a tailored counselling service. * To provide a proactive service to all Essex Foster Carers and Supported Lodgings Carers that improves and raises the standards of care and help to prevent future issues developing. * To engage with Foster Carers and Supported Lodgings Carers to promote this service and enable them and their families to utilize the provision to its full extent. Additional information: Please note that all tender submissions must be issued via the Council's e-tendering portal, iSupplier which can be accessed via the following link: http://www.essex.gov.uk/Business-Partners/Supplying-Council/Pages/Supplier-portal.aspx The Council is unable to accept any submissions via e-mail or any other form of communication, in order to maintain equitable, transparent treatment of all candidates. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/f9ed0e9e-8e5c-4995-a031-e62a3adeedb4 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not applicable | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 16 Mar 2017 | | Submission deadline | 24 Apr 2017 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Jul 2018 - 31 Jul 2022 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £200,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL | | Locality | CHELMSFORD | | Post town | Chelmsford | | Postcode | CM1 1QH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLH East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLH3 Essex | | ITL 3 | TLH36 Heart of Essex | | Local authority | Chelmsford | | Electoral ward | Moulsham and Central | | Westminster constituency | Chelmsford | | Delivery location | TLJ South East (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85000000 - Health and social work services ## Release History - 16 Mar 2017 at 19:13 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/f9ed0e9e-8e5c-4995-a031-e62a3adeedb4 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/f9ed0e9e-8e5c-4995-a031-e62a3adeedb4 16th March 2017 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/6b2116ee-f2f0-4a07-bce1-fc2536e31834 Specification - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/e8704c94-052a-4898-9890-c2322ac0de74 Technical Response template - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/88c0dba4-601b-48a1-bdd4-468267aae6e6 Mandatory Information - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/ea42e948-49ff-4b24-938a-6e912a97c42a Price schedule - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/05d8e2aa-878c-4e7e-bd98-b1260ce0954b Contract - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/eb22b2d8-d3ba-40d1-9044-a90462c06c58 Bidder guidance - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/dcdbea30-08e8-4039-965a-9a59a681930c Performance monitoring report - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/e3de0d54-6a45-4fc3-b219-15a0afc073c0 Submission checklist ## Notice URLs - http://www.essex.gov.uk/Business-Partners/Supplying-Council/Pages/Supplier-portal.aspx - http://www.essex.gov.uk/Business-Partners/Supplying-Council/Pages/default.aspx ## 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-f4b9b3c6-26f5-494b-8d96-6fa4940e2122. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f4b9b3c6-26f5-494b-8d96-6fa4940e2122.json.