--- title: "WCC Market Testing - Short Term Emergency Placements (STEPS) & Bail and Remand Intensive Care & Support (BRICS)" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-055139" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-055139" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055139.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055139.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "WARWICKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL" published: "2025-06-20" --- # WCC Market Testing - Short Term Emergency Placements (STEPS) & Bail and Remand Intensive Care & Support (BRICS) Buyer: WARWICKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-055139 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-055139) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055139.json) ## Summary The procurement process, initiated by Warwickshire County Council, invites suppliers for the "WCC Market Testing - Short Term Emergency Placements (STEPS) & Bail and Remand Intensive Care & Support (BRICS)" project. It falls under the services industry category focused on community, social, and personal services, specifically designed to support the Youth Justice Service with emergency foster care placements. The main location for this procurement is the UKG region. With the process currently at the planning stage, interested parties are urged to participate in preliminary market engagement, responding to the market testing questionnaire by 7th July 2025. The council seeks services starting from 1st April 2026, continuing until 31st March 2031, highlighting its proactive approach in addressing youth care needs ahead of the 2026 contract commencement. The tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses specialised in providing emergency foster care services and innovative solutions for youth care. Companies that can offer flexible, short-term care arrangements for children with complex needs or are at risk of remand will find this contract aligns well with their expertise. The estimated value offers substantial financial growth, with a total procurement budget of £250,193,750. Competitive bids that incorporate novel approaches, consistent with both the STEPS and BRICS models, stand a strong chance of success. Providers capable of enhancing stability in foster care placements or delivering alternative models existing in other regions are particularly encouraged to participate. ## Notice The BRICS service is designed to provide the Warwickshire Youth Justice Service with beds to those children and young people on bail from the criminal courts who are unable to return home. These placements are not time limited; their duration depends on the court process. As the Warwickshire Youth Justice Service is reliant on the court's decisions, placements are often required by 12pm on the same day. The STEPS service provides emergency intensive foster care placements for up to 28 days. These are intended for young people ages 10 and above who require urgent care due to placement breakdowns or other emergency situations. The service allows for proper planning and identification of longer-term solutions. As an emergency service, placements are required at short notice, typically on the same day. After the placement ends, a carer is entitled to a two-day break before the next placement starts. WCC, like other authorities nationally, is experiencing challenges with placing young people with complex needs in stable foster placements. The STEPs model, which was adopted in 2020, has helped alleviate these challenges by providing a short-term intensive foster placement that gives the young person stability and positive outcomes. As with the STEPS service, the BRICS service has played a vital role in supporting children at risk of remand offering an alternative to custody. The current block contract comes to an end 31/03/2026 and WCC needs to consider options for the commencement of a new service from 01/04/2026. WCC would like to engage with providers to explore and work with providers that could offer short emergency foster care placements, children who are at risk of remand and those with complex needs outlined above. We also seek feedback from providers on what they know of other models in other parts of the country including any innovative approaches or services that encourage stability in foster care placements. ### Planning Information You can find the market testing information and documentation via CSW-Jets under Reference WCC - 22946. The Council would be grateful if you could complete sections 6 and 7 of the market testing questionnaire and respond by the 07/07/2025. You should submit your completed questionnaire via CWS-JETS. Contact Details: If you have any questions regarding this Market testing exercise, then please submit them by upload via CSW jets by 12 Noon on 27th June 2025. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034182-2025 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | 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 | 20 Jun 2025 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 7 Jul 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2031 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £250,193,750 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | WARWICKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL | | Locality | WARWICK | | Post town | Coventry | | Postcode | CV34 4SA | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) | | ITL 2 | TLG1 Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire | | ITL 3 | TLG13 Warwickshire CC | | Local authority | Warwick | | Electoral ward | Warwick Saltisford | | Westminster constituency | Warwick and Leamington | | Delivery location | TLG West Midlands (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 98 - Other community, social and personal services ### Codes - 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services ## Release History - 20 Jun 2025 at 15:36 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034182-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034182-2025 20th June 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## 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-055139. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055139.json.