---
title: "Early Learning and Childcare - South Lanarkshire Council Procured Service Arrangement"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000842554"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000842554"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000842554.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000842554.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "South Lanarkshire Council"
published: "2026-09-09"
---

# Early Learning and Childcare - South Lanarkshire Council Procured Service Arrangement

Buyer: South Lanarkshire Council  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000842554

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## Summary

South Lanarkshire Council is procuring an arrangement with early learning and childcare providers to deliver funded early learning and childcare placements within the South Lanarkshire geographical area. The service is intended for children whose parents or guardians choose the provider. Providers will join a Procured Service Arrangement under which the Council can place funded hours with approved settings. The requirement covers early learning and childcare provision, including care, supervision and safe activities for children. It is a public service opportunity for nurseries, early learning settings and eligible childminders able to deliver funded entitlement in South Lanarkshire. The arrangement allows additional providers to join during its term, creating an ongoing route to participate where they meet the required standards and accept the Council’s set rates.

The procurement has reached tender: the Council invited providers to submit offers through an open procedure using electronic submission. The tender deadline is 10 March 2027 at 12:00, with bids opened at that time in Hamilton. The Procured Service Arrangement runs from 1 March 2020 to 31 July 2030, stated as 3,750 days, and providers can apply to join during the term; evaluations take place on 1 March and 1 September each year. The estimated total value is £143,500,000 GBP. The arrangement has one service lot and does not allow variants or renewals. Evaluation is weighted 95% to National Standards criteria and 5% to price. Bids must remain valid for 180 days and be submitted in English.

This opportunity suits established early learning and childcare providers, including nurseries, other childcare settings and childminders, that can deliver funded hours safely and consistently. Providers must meet the National Standard, applicable law, guidance, Council procedures and the Council’s set rates. Relevant staff must hold, or be working towards within the permitted registration period, the benchmark qualification for their early learning and childcare role; childminders have equivalent qualification requirements. Applicants need SSSC registration details, a Protection of Vulnerable Groups declaration and a Food Safety and Hygiene Certificate. Businesses should have documented, regularly reviewed health and safety management, accident-recording and risk-assessment arrangements, including assessments for excursions, care, supervision and child safety. Required insurance includes £10 million employers’ liability and £5 million public liability cover.

## Notice

The choice of the provider will be selected by the parent/guardian of the child therefore the council is utilising an innovative Procured Service Arrangement (PSA) under the Light Touch Rules contained in Regulations 74-76 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Providers of ELC are invited to join the PSA by submitting a tender to the Council. They will be appointed to the PSA if they can successfully demonstrate that they meet the National Standard, the Law, applicable guidance, and the Council's procedural requirements and accept the Rates which have been set by the Council in relation to the delivery of funded hours. The PSA will allow providers to be added over its 10 year term.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

South Lanarkshire Council ("the Council") is seeking to establish a Procured Service Arrangement (PSA) to ensure the delivery of funded ELC placements within the Council's geographic area.. The duration is from 01/03/2020 to 31/07/2030. . This notice is alerting the market that Phase 16 of this PSA is now open for application within a new project in PCS-T. The previous PCS-T project was 22253, from today all applications should be made to Project 22253 in PCS-T.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP564160 |
| Notice type | OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| 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 | 9 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 10 Mar 2027 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | PSA term will be just over 10 years, bidders can apply at any time to join the PSA. Evaluations will take place from the 1st of March and the 1st of September each year. |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £143,500,000 |
| 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 | South Lanarkshire Council |
| Locality | HAMILTON |
| Postcode area | Motherwell |
| Postcode | ML3 0AA |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM9 Southern Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM95 South Lanarkshire |
| Local authority | South Lanarkshire |
| Electoral ward | Hamilton North and East |
| Westminster constituency | Hamilton and Clyde Valley |
| Delivery location | TLM95 South Lanarkshire |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 80 - Education and training services

### Codes

- 80110000 - Pre-school education services

## Release History

- 9 Sep 2026 at 01:00 - Tender - OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP564160

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP564160
  Early Learning and Childcare - South Lanarkshire Council Procured Service Arrangement - The choice of the provider will be selected by the parent/guardian of the child therefore the council is utilising an innovative Procured Service Arrangement (PSA) under the Light Touch Rules contained in Regulations 74-76 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Providers of ELC are invited to join the PSA by submitting a tender to the Council. They will be appointed to the PSA if they can successfully demonstrate that they meet the National Standard, the Law, applicable guidance, and the Council's procedural requirements and accept the Rates which have been set by the Council in relation to the delivery of funded hours. The PSA will allow providers to be added over its 10 year term.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343
- http://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000842554
- https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.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-r6ebe6-0000842554. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000842554.json.