--- title: "Children's External Placements Education & Tuition PDPS Reopening 1" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06148b" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06148b" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06148b.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06148b.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCIL" published: "2026-02-04" --- # Children's External Placements Education & Tuition PDPS Reopening 1 Buyer: PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCIL Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06148b [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06148b) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06148b.json) ## Summary Peterborough City Council has launched a tender for the "Children's External Placements Education & Tuition PDPS Reopening 1" under the Health and Social Work Services industry category. This procurement aims to reopen a multi-supplier "pseudo DPS", providing services across various lots including fostering agencies, residential children's homes, special education provisions, out-of-school tuition, and post-16 alternative provision. Located in Cambridgeshire, this process is currently in the tender stage with a deadline for submissions set for 4th March 2026 at 12:00 PM. The procurement follows a procedure akin to the open procedure as outlined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, with the flexibility of the Light Touch Regime for Social Services. This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses specialising in child care, education, and related support services. It is particularly well-suited for independent fostering agencies, providers of special education, and organisations offering alternative education solutions. By participating in this tender, businesses can engage in a significant public procurement process that allows for multiple suppliers, thereby fostering competition and enabling growth. Successful bidders will have the chance to establish long-term contracts, with the potential for further engagement through mini-competitions under specific lots, promoting a sustainable business model within public sector partnerships. ## Notice The procurement is to reopen a multi supplier "pseudo DPS" (referred to as "PDPS"). As the PDPS Agreement will be "pseudo PDPS", it will look and feel similar to a DPS agreement set up under Regulation 34 of the PCR. This means that the Authority envisages the PDPS will re-open at (12) twelve-month intervals (or at other intervals at the Authority's discretion) for new providers to apply or previously unsuccessful providers to re-apply. Reopening of the PDPS is solely at the discretion of the Authority. The Procurement is being run using a procedure similar to the open procedure described in Regulation 27of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended). However, the Authority reserves the right to deviate from the formalities of the open procedure given the flexibilities permitted by Regulation 76 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended) in the conduct of procurements for "Social and Other Specific Services", otherwise referred to as "Light Touch Regime" procurement * Lot 1 Independent Fostering Agencies * Lot 2 Residential Children's Homes * Lot 3 Independent Special Education Provisions/Post 16 Placements * Lot 4 Out of School Tuition * Lot 5 Post 16 Alternative Provision There is an additional Lot 6 which will comprise of mini competition stage for block contracts, Please note that only those bidders that are awarded onto Lots as detailed below will be invited to participate in mini competition * Lot 6a - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 1 Independent Fostering Agency will be invited to participate * Lot 6b - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 2 Residential Children's Homes will be invited to participate * Lot 6c - Only those successfully awarded ont Lot 3 Independent Special Education Provision will be invited to participate * Lot 6d - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 4 Out of School Tuition and Alternative Provision will be invited to participate * Lot 6e - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 5 Post 16 Education will be invited to participate Where it is appropriate to do so, Peterborough is committed to supporting children and young people to remain living and learning in their local area. It should be noted that for Independent Special Educational Provisions offering 38+ week boarding or 52 week placements, Providers will need to meet the requirements within both the Lot 3 Specification (for ISEPS) and Lot 2 Specification (for Residential Children's Homes) The definition of Partner Organisation for the purpose of this procurement will be any Educational Establishment within Peterborough as defined at: https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/schools-and-education/all-schools-colleges, or any Local Authority Council in England whether County, Unitary, District, Borough, Metropolitan, parish or community Council as defined at http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/index.htm ### Lot Information Independent Fostering Agency Lot 1 will encompass placements for children and young people in care with foster carers registered to Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs), in accordance with the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011. Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6a Competitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6a will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot. Residential Childrens Homes Lot 2 is for placements for Children and young people in care in registered, Residential Children's Homes in accordance with the Children's Home (England) Regulations 2015. Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6b Competitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6b will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot. Independent Special Education Provision Lot 3 is for both registered Independent Specialist Education Placements (ISEPS) and Post 16 Placements; for children & young people with Education, Health & Care Plans (EHCPs). Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6c Competitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6c will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot. Out of School Tuition and Alternative Provision Lot 4 relates to both Out of School Tuition and Alternative Provision for children & young people with special educational needs & disabilities. Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6d Competitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6d will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot. Post 16 Education Lot 5 relates to Post 16 Alternative Provision for young people & young adults with special educational needs & disabilities. Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6eCompetitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6e will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot. Block Contracts (Mini Competition) Mini competition stage, Please note that only those bidders that are awarded onto Lots as detailed below will be invited to participate * Lot 6a - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 1 Independent Fostering Agency will be invited to participate * Lot 6b - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 2 Residential Children's Homes will be invited to participate * Lot 6c - Only those successfully awarded ont Lot 3 Independent Special Education Provision will be invited to participate * Lot 6d - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 4 Out of School Tuition and Alternative Provision will be invited to participate * Lot 6e - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 5 Post 16 Education will be invited to participate Additional information: This lot has no value as any contracts awarded value is included in the appropriate lot value. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009975-2026 | | Notice type | Tender 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 | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 4 Feb 2026 | | Submission deadline | 4 Mar 2026 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 8 Jun 2026 - 31 Aug 2029 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | £738,162,312 | | 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 | PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCIL | | Locality | PETERBOROUGH | | Post town | Peterborough | | Postcode | PE2 8TY | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLH East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLH4 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough | | ITL 3 | TLH41 Peterborough | | Local authority | Peterborough | | Electoral ward | Fletton and Stanground | | Westminster constituency | North West Cambridgeshire | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85000000 - Health and social work services - 85100000 - Health services - 85300000 - Social work and related services - 85310000 - Social work services ## Release History - 4 Feb 2026 at 13:16 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009975-2026 - 2 Feb 2026 at 15:51 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009102-2026 ## Notice URLs - http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/index.htm - https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=8ccfd6da-4500-f111-813c-005056b64545 - https://procontract.due-north.com/Procurer/Advert/View?advertId=8ccfd6da-4500-f111-813c-005056b64545&fromAdvertEvent=True - https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/business/supplying-the-council/supply-opportunities - https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/schools-and-education/all-schools-colleges ## 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-06148b. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06148b.json.