---
title: "External Foster Care Services Framework Re-opening - Prospective Providers"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-03517d"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-03517d"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03517d.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03517d.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2024-01-03"
---

# External Foster Care Services Framework Re-opening - Prospective Providers

Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-03517d

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## Summary

The Essex County Council and Southend City Council have re-opened a framework agreement for External Foster Care Services. The procurement includes four lots for different types of support placements with a contract period ending on November 20, 2026. The tender closes on February 7, 2024. The procurement method is an open procedure, and electronic submission is required.

This tender offers opportunities for Independent Foster Agencies to provide services according to the framework agreement. Businesses in the social work and related services industry, particularly those experienced in providing foster care services, are well-suited to compete. Essex County Council, acting as the buyer, seeks providers who can deliver high-quality placements for children and young people with different levels of need, promoting social value in their services.

## Notice

Essex County Council and Southend City Council are re-opening the framework agreement for External Foster Care Services. This Framework Agreement sets out the procedure for Placements, the terms and conditions for the provision of the Services and the obligations of a Provider under this Framework Agreement. Independent Foster Agencies (IFAs), who are not currently on the framework agreement, have the opportunity to enter up to 4 lots on a multi-provider framework agreement to provide Services to those customers who, if required, will make foster care placements in accordance with this Framework Agreement. It is important to note that despite entering the framework agreement, the Customers shall have no obligation to make placements with any particular IFA under this Framework Agreement and this Framework Agreement is not a commitment or guarantee from the Customers to procure any Services or any specific volume of Services from any particular IFA. Instead, the Customers shall only be committed under the terms of a valid and binding Individual Placement Agreement formed pursuant to this Framework Agreement. Each Individual Placement Agreement shall be an independent contract in its own right and therefore shall survive termination or expiry of this Framework Agreement with the relevant provisions of this Framework Agreement surviving as necessary until the expiry or earlier termination of any such Individual Placement Agreements.

### Lot Information

Standard Support Placements

Placements for children or young people where they have a low to medium level of need.

Enhanced Support Placements

Placements for children or young people where they have a medium to high level of need e.g. history of placement breakdowns, mental health needs, mild to moderate disabilities.

Intensive Support Placements

Placements for children or young people where they have significant levels of need, e.g. complex health needs or disabilities, excluded from school, significant substance misuse.

Parent and Child Placements

Where the placement is for a parent and child, or parent with two or more children or two parents and a child or two parents with two or more children together. These include cases where there is a need for continuing assessment and on-going support.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000174-2024 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 3 Jan 2024 |
| Submission deadline | 7 Feb 2024 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| 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 | Active |
| Lots status | Active |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL |
| Additional buyers | SOUTHEND CITY 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 | TLH3 Essex |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85300000 - Social work and related services

## Release History

- 3 Jan 2024 at 19:47 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000174-2024
- 3 Jan 2024 at 19:41 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000173-2024
- 13 Jul 2022 at 11:57 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/019156-2022

## Notice URLs

- http://www.procontract.due-north.com
- http://www.southend.gov.uk
- https://www.essex.gov.uk/

## 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-h6vhtk-03517d. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03517d.json.