{ "tag": [ "compiled" ], "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-05d40e-2026-04-28T14:27:46+01:00", "date": "2026-04-28T14:27:46+01:00", "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05d40e", "initiationType": "tender", "parties": [ { "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "name": "Essex County Council", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-PPON", "id": "PWVM-4844-NRQH" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "County Hall, Market Road", "locality": "Chelmsford", "postalCode": "CM1 1QH", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKH36" }, "contactPoint": { "email": "sarah.ross@essex.gov.uk" }, "roles": [ "buyer" ], "details": { "classifications": [ { "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment", "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE", "description": "Public authority - sub-central government" } ] } } ], "buyer": { "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "name": "Essex County Council" }, "planning": { "milestones": [ { "id": "engagement", "type": "engagement", "description": "Essex County Council are working towards a model where EHCPs are written internally, however there are peak times in the academic year where the number of plans (new and amendments) exceed the internal capacity. There is therefore no guarantee of numbers under this contract and the resource needs to be flexible to meet demand. We are intending to run a series of drop in market engagement sessions with suitably experienced organisations to support our requirement moving forward. We would like to hear from organisations interested in this requirement and who are able to demonstrate the following relevant experience: * Understand the Essex process for initiating assessments, undertaking assessments and drafting EHCPs http://www.essexlocaloffer.org.uk/ * Write EHCPs for individual children and young people using information contained in a variety of report formats * EHCPs must comply with the requirements within the SEN Code of Practice https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398815/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf * Account needs to be taken of any guidance provided by the Department for Education or Essex County Council * Appoint and manage appropriately experienced and qualified staff to write the EHCPs * Ensure that there is sufficiency of trained staff to meet and deliver to Local Authority requirements and that there will be a continuous service delivery. * Ensure strict compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and all updates. Please send your expression of interest to harvey.neary@essex.gov.uk who will share a microsoft forms to be complete in time for the drop in sessions", "dueDate": "2025-11-26T23:59:59Z", "status": "scheduled" } ], "documents": [ { "id": "068501-2025", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068501-2025", "datePublished": "2025-10-27T11:47:04Z", "format": "text/html" }, { "id": "073072-2025", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/073072-2025", "datePublished": "2025-11-12T10:59:25Z", "format": "text/html" } ] }, "tender": { "id": "DN812242", "legalBasis": { "id": "2023/54", "scheme": "UKPGA", "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" }, "title": "F002PA - Education Healthcare Plan Writing", "description": "Essex County Council (\"the Council\") is seeking to commission an external provider to prepare Education Healthcare Plans (EHCP) to enable the Council to fulfil its statutory duties under the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice. Please be advised that whilst the Council is working towards a model where EHCPs are written internally, this procurement is also designed to facilitate the Council's ability to meet the demand for EHCPs during peak times in the academic year where the number of plans (new and amendments) exceed the internal capacity. Therefore, there is no guarantee of numbers under this contract and the resource needs to be flexible to meet demand. However, please note that further details regarding the current and projected demand for EHCPs is provided within the service specification which has been published as part of the tender documents. The successful bidder will be required to prepare EHCPs for children and young people (0-25) with significant special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The EHCPs will detail the young person's: * Needs across education, health, and care * The young person's support requirements and desired outcomes The EHCPs will ensure that eligible children and young people receive coordinated, tailored support and help to secure resources for specialist provision. Please be advised that as a minimum, the EHCPs must be prepared in line with the following principles: * Fully comply with the Essex process for initiating assessments, undertaking assessments and drafting EHCPs (see: http://www.essexlocaloffer.org.uk/) * Write EHCPs for individual children and young people using information contained in a variety of report formats * EHCPs must comply with the requirements within the SEN Code of Practice https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398815/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf * Account needs to be taken of any guidance provided by the Department for Education or Essex County Council * Appoint and manage appropriately experienced and qualified staff to write the EHCPs * Ensure that there is sufficiency of trained staff to meet and deliver to Local Authority requirements and that there will be a continuous service delivery. * Ensure strict compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and all updates. Please be advised that further details regarding the Council's requirements for this service will be accessible from the dedicated specification which will be published on the Council's e-tendering platform, ProContract which can be accessed via: https://procontract.due-north.com/ Please register for a user account to gain access to the tender documentation for this procurement opportunity, noting that the Council envisages that this opportunity will be published on Tuesday 28 April 2026. Explanatory notes: The contracting authority is Essex County Council and any Successor Body meaning one or more entities which assumes any of the Council's functions (as applicable) as a result of Local Government Reform (LGR). Such successor body or bodies may be, without limitation, a local authority, a combined authority, a combined county authority, a strategic authority or any other status determined pursuant to the Devolution and LGR Legislation. In addition, please note that the budgetary information within this notice is stated inclusive of VAT due to the requirements of the form and the total budget for this service is PS900,000. Similarly, please be advised that the contract for this service includes annual break clauses and the requirements are being commissioned under a 1+1+1 year term. Due to the constraints of the fields within this notice, the stated three (3) year contract duration represents the maximum contract term for this service.", "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "80340000", "description": "Special education services" } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": "UKH3", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKH3", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKH3", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" } ], "relatedLot": "1" } ], "value": { "amountGross": 900000, "amount": 960000, "currency": "GBP" }, "mainProcurementCategory": "services", "specialRegime": [ "lightTouch" ], "aboveThreshold": true, "lots": [ { "id": "1", "suitability": { "sme": true, "vcse": true }, "contractPeriod": { "startDate": "2026-08-03T00:00:00+01:00", "endDate": "2029-08-02T23:59:59+01:00" }, "status": "active", "value": { "amountGross": 900000, "currency": "GBP" }, "awardCriteria": { "criteria": [ { "type": "price", "name": "Price", "description": "As detailed in the tender documents which are accessible via ProContract: https://procontract.due-north.com/", "numbers": [ { "number": 50, "weight": "percentageExact" } ] }, { "type": "quality", "name": "Quality", "description": "As detailed in the tender documents which are accessible via ProContract: https://procontract.due-north.com/", "numbers": [ { "number": 45, "weight": "percentageExact" } ] }, { "type": "quality", "name": "Social Value", "description": "Please note that 5% of the qualitative evaluation weighting for this procurement has been assigned to Social Value. Full details of the Social Value requirements for this procurement are published within the tender documentation which is accessible via ProContract: https://procontract.due-north.com/", "numbers": [ { "number": 5, "weight": "percentageExact" } ] } ] }, "selectionCriteria": { "criteria": [ { "type": "economic", "description": "Please note that the full details regarding the conditions of participation for this procurement are detailed in the tender documents. However, for ease of reference, the successful bidder must satisfy the published evaluation criteria in relation to the following requirements: Insurance - bidders must either already hold or commit to obtain prior to the commencement of the contract, the levels of insurance cover indicated below: Employer's (Compulsory) Liability Insurance = PS5 million Public Liability Insurance = PS5 million Professional Indemnity Insurance = PS2 million E-procurement: bidders must commit to adhere to the published requirements regarding the use of electronic ordering, e-mail invoices and credit. Financial standing: bidders must complete the published financial self-certification form which will be assessed on a risk basis to determine whether any form of guarantee or bond is required. If the latter applies to the highest ranked bidder, the Council will liaise with the affected bidder to confirm the precise requirements regarding obtaining any financial guarantees or bonds prior to the contractual award." }, { "type": "technical", "description": "Please note that the full details regarding the conditions of participation for this procurement are detailed in the tender documents. However, for ease of reference, the successful bidder must satisfy the published evaluation criteria in relation to the following requirements: Modern slavery - bidders must confirm whether they are a relevant commercial organisation for the purposes of Modern Slavery. Equality and Diversity -bidders must confirm whether they have been subject to any finding of unlawful discrimination by an Employment Tribunal, an Employment Appeal Tribunal or any other court (or in comparable proceedings in any jurisdiction other than the UK) in the last three (3) years. If this situation applies, the bidder is required to provide a written summary of the nature and outcome of the investigation. In addition, the bidder must explain what action (if any) they have taken to prevent unlawful discrimination from reoccurring. In addition, bidders who are intending to rely on sub-contractors to deliver this service must confirm whether they hold processes to check whether the sub-contractors satisfy the specified conditions of participation regarding equality and diversity. Environmental Management - bidders must confirm whether they have been convicted of breaching environmental legislation, or had any notice served upon it, in the last three years by any environmental regulator or authority (including local authority). If this situation applies, the bidder is required to provide provide details of the conviction or notice and details of any remedial action or changes they have implemented as a result of the conviction or notices served. The Authority will not select bidder(s) that have been prosecuted or served notice under environmental legislation in the last 3 years, unless the Authority is satisfied that appropriate remedial action has been taken to prevent future occurrences/breaches. In addition, bidders who are intending to rely on sub-contractors to deliver this service must confirm whether they hold processes to check whether any of the sub-contractors have been convicted or had a notice served upon them for infringement of environmental legislation. Health and safety - bidders must self-certify that they hold a Health and Safety policy which complies with current legislative requirements. In addition, bidders must confirm whether their organisation or any of its Directors or Executive Officers been in receipt of enforcement/remedial orders in relation to the Health and Safety Executive (or equivalent body) in the last 3 years. If the latter situation applies, the affected bidder is required to provide details of any enforcement/remedial orders served and give details of any remedial action or changes to procedures they have resultantly undertaken. The Authority will exclude bidder(s) that have been in receipt of enforcement/remedial action orders unless the bidder(s) can demonstrate to the Authority's satisfaction that appropriate remedial action has been taken to prevent future occurrences or breaches. In addition, bidders who are intending to rely on sub-contractors to deliver this service must confirm whether they hold processes to check whether any of the sub-contractors hold the requisite Health and Safety policies and if they are affected by the aforementioned issues regarding Health and Safety. Where the Bidder does not meet any of these requirements regarding Modern Slavery, Equality and Diversity, Environmental Management and Health and Safety, they have the opportunity to provide details of any mitigating/remedial actions which they have undertaken to address the issues. However, unless the Bidder can demonstrate to the Council's satisfaction that appropriate remedial action has been taken to prevent future occurrences or breaches, their bid will be excluded from this tender. Information governance - bidders must complete and satisfy the published requirements of the data protection compliance questionnaire for this procurement. Safeguarding - bidders must self-certify that they hold and will continue to adhere to the specified safeguarding requirements for this procurement, including but not limited to, safeguarding responsibility within the organisation, holding a safeguarding policy and the associated review date, holding a safe recruitment policy and safeguarding training." } ] } } ], "communication": { "futureNoticeDate": "2025-11-26T23:59:59Z" }, "status": "active", "amendments": [ { "id": "073072-2025", "description": "We have moved the date of tender release to allow more time for submission over the holiday period" } ], "procurementMethod": "open", "procurementMethodDetails": "Open procedure", "coveredBy": [ "GPA" ], "submissionMethodDetails": "Electronically via the inbuilt functionality within the Council's e-sender, ProContract: https://procontract.due-north.com/", "submissionTerms": { "electronicSubmissionPolicy": "allowed", "languages": [ "en" ] }, "tenderPeriod": { "endDate": "2026-05-28T12:00:00+01:00" }, "awardPeriod": { "endDate": "2026-06-29T23:59:59+01:00" }, "documents": [ { "id": "conflictOfInterest", "documentType": "conflictOfInterest", "description": "Not published" }, { "id": "038649-2026", "documentType": "tenderNotice", "noticeType": "UK4", "description": "Tender notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/038649-2026", "datePublished": "2026-04-28T14:27:46+01:00", "format": "text/html" } ] }, "language": "en" }