---
title: "External Foster Care Services Framework Re-opening - Prospective Providers"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04ac30"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04ac30"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04ac30.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04ac30.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2024-10-15"
---

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

Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04ac30

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## Summary

Essex County Council and Southend City Council are re-opening the framework agreement for External Foster Care Services. This multi-provider framework targets the "General public services" industry, classified under CPV code 75110000, and aims to provide various placements for children or young people. The procurement is currently at the "tenderUpdate" stage with a significant event, a Virtual Engagement Event, scheduled for Wednesday, 23 October 2024, to engage existing and prospective providers. The framework encompasses four planned lots: Standard Support Placements, Enhanced Support Placements, Intensive Support Placements, and Parent and Child Placements, with services to be provided primarily within the UKH3 region, including Chelmsford and Southend.

This tender represents a substantial opportunity for Independent Foster Agencies (IFAs) seeking to expand their service offerings within the public sector. By securing a position in this framework, IFAs can access a potential market without any initial commitment from the buyers, allowing flexibility and the chance to secure future individual placement agreements. Businesses specialising in social work, mental health support, and care for children with disabilities will find this opportunity particularly aligned with their expertise, enabling them to leverage their strengths and provide crucial services within a structured and sustainable framework. The total estimated value of this procurement is £39.2 million, presenting a sizeable opportunity for growth and revenue generation.

## 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/033166-2024 |
| 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, Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 15 Oct 2024 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 1 Nov 2024 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £39,200,000 |
| 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 | TLH36 Heart of Essex |
| Local authority | Chelmsford |
| Electoral ward | Moulsham and Central |
| Westminster constituency | Chelmsford |
| Delivery location | TLH3 Essex |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 75 - Administration, defence and social security services
- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 75110000 - General public services
- 85300000 - Social work and related services

## Release History

- 15 Oct 2024 at 13:42 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033166-2024
- 15 Oct 2024 at 12:47 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/033146-2024

## Notice URLs

- http://www.procontract.due-north.com
- http://www.southend.gov.uk
- 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-04ac30. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04ac30.json.