---
title: "External Foster Care Services Framework Re-opening - Prospective Providers"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04b473"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04b473"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b473.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b473.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2024-12-06"
---

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

Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04b473

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## Summary

Essex County Council, working alongside Southend City Council, is reopening the framework agreement for External Foster Care Services. This procurement process falls under the category of 'Social work and related services', identified by CPV code 85300000. The procurement is organised into four lots tailored towards various care needs, with independent foster agencies (IFAs) encouraged to apply. The opportunity is open to multiple providers through an open procedure and the tender update deadline is now extended to 16th December 2024. The framework agreement outlines placement procedures and provider obligations under independent placement contracts. Services will be provided for customers primarily in the UKH3 region, encompassing Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea.

This tender offers significant opportunities for IFAs looking to expand their service offerings and establish long-term relationships with local government authorities. Eligible businesses, particularly those with experience in providing foster care to children with varying levels of need, can bid for up to four lots, each catering to different support requirements. This framework agreement allows new IFAs to enter a competitive market and secure independent contracts, promising business growth and consistent demand for high-quality social work services. The procurement process emphasises technical quality, social value, and price, making it suitable for well-rounded providers committed to fostering excellence in care.

## 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/039469-2024 |
| 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 | 6 Dec 2024 |
| Submission deadline | 6 Dec 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

- 6 Dec 2024 at 15:13 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039469-2024
- 6 Nov 2024 at 16:28 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035980-2024

## 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-04b473. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b473.json.