---
title: "Framework Agreement Re-opening - External Foster Care Services"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-041785"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-041785"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-041785.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-041785.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2023-11-10"
---

# Framework Agreement Re-opening - External Foster Care Services

Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-041785

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## Summary

The Essex County Council and Southend City Council are re-opening a framework agreement for External Foster Care Services. The agreement includes four lots offering different types of support placements for children and young people, with a term of four years from November 21, 2022, to November 20, 2026. Independent Foster Agencies not currently on the framework have the opportunity to enter up to 4 lots. The buying organization is Essex County Council, located in Chelmsford, UK, and the tender is in the planning stage as of November 10, 2023.

This tender for External Foster Care Services presents an opportunity for Independent Foster Agencies to provide various levels of support placements to children and young people in Essex County and Southend City. Businesses involved in social work and related services, particularly those with experience in foster care support, are well-suited to compete. The framework agreement, with annual openings for providers, offers a platform for business growth by accessing a steady stream of potential placements within the specified categories over the contract period.

## 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. Existing IFAs, who are currently on the framework agreement, will be required to confirm either that there has been no change to its tender response or to confirm what changes have occurred since its tender response (including any changes to pricing - the Council may, at its sole discretion, place a maximum cap on any annual re-pricing which may be linked to the Consumer Price Index) and any changes will be subject to evaluation in accordance with the published criteria. Existing IFAs also have the opportunity to enter lots they are not currently apart of. 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

Lot 1

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

Renewal: The framework has a term of four (4) years from the commencement date (21st November 2022) to the expiry date (20th November 2026), unless the Council exercises it's right to terminate this Framework Agreement at any time by giving three months' written notice to the Providers. The Council will open the framework annually on or around the anniversary of the Commencement Date. Such opening process shall be conducted in such manner with the same content but not necessarily the same time periods as the original Invitation to Tender.

Lot 2

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.

Renewal: The framework has a term of four (4) years from the commencement date (21st November 2022) to the expiry date (20th November 2026), unless the Council exercises it's right to terminate this Framework Agreement at any time by giving three months' written notice to the Providers. The Council will open the framework annually on or around the anniversary of the Commencement Date. Such opening process shall be conducted in such manner with the same content but not necessarily the same time periods as the original Invitation to Tender.

Lot 3

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

Renewal: The framework has a term of four (4) years from the commencement date (21st November 2022) to the expiry date (20th November 2026), unless the Council exercises it's right to terminate this Framework Agreement at any time by giving three months' written notice to the Providers. The Council will open the framework annually on or around the anniversary of the Commencement Date. Such opening process shall be conducted in such manner with the same content but not necessarily the same time periods as the original Invitation to Tender.

Lot 4

Parent and Child Placements: Placement for a parent and child(ren), or two parents and a child(ren). These placements are for when there is an assessed need for continuing assessment and on-going support.

Renewal: The framework has a term of four (4) years from the commencement date (21st November 2022) to the expiry date (20th November 2026), unless the Council exercises it's right to terminate this Framework Agreement at any time by giving three months' written notice to the Providers. The Council will open the framework annually on or around the anniversary of the Commencement Date. Such opening process shall be conducted in such manner with the same content but not necessarily the same time periods as the original Invitation to Tender.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033362-2023 |
| Notice type | Planning Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 10 Nov 2023 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 24 Nov 2023 |
| 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 | Planned |
| Lots status | Planned |
| 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 | TLH31 Southend-on-Sea |
| Local authority | Southend-on-Sea |
| Electoral ward | Victoria |
| Westminster constituency | Southend East and Rochford |
| Delivery location | TLH3 Essex |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85300000 - Social work and related services

## Release History

- 10 Nov 2023 at 16:50 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033362-2023

## Notice URLs

- 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-041785. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-041785.json.