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Flexible Agreement for the provision of Fostering Agency Placements
Country:
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandSector:
Health and social work servicesDeadline:
3 May 2031AI Summary
The procurement seeks to establish a Flexible Agreement for the provision of fostering agency placements across Lancashire and its partner authorities, including Blackpool, Blackburn with Darwen and the restructured Cumbria unitary authorities. The contract will remain in effect for nine years, allowing contracting authorities to award call‑off agreements to approved independent foster care providers through a periodic evaluation process.
The agreement is divided into three distinct lots: mainstream foster care (Lot 1), which covers placements for children and young people aged 0‑4, 5‑10, 11‑15, 16 + and parent‑child placements; enhanced foster care (Lot 2), which provides placements and support services for children with enhanced needs; and step‑down foster care (Lot 3), which offers placements and support for children transitioning from residential care or those on a trajectory toward residential placement. Successful providers for Lot 1 may also be considered for Lot 2 and/or Lot 3, ensuring a streamlined entry pathway for agencies.
To join the agreement, independent providers must meet the specified criteria, submit all required documentation electronically via the council’s iSupplier portal, and undergo an evaluation in accordance with the invitation to participate. Applicants will receive an outcome notification and, if successful, will sign the Flexible Agreement. All applications must comply with stipulated insurance, financial, consortium, exclusion, reference, and quality standards. The agreement also requires providers to maintain in‑house register of households and adhere to prescribed quality and pricing criteria.
The agreement is divided into three distinct lots: mainstream foster care (Lot 1), which covers placements for children and young people aged 0‑4, 5‑10, 11‑15, 16 + and parent‑child placements; enhanced foster care (Lot 2), which provides placements and support services for children with enhanced needs; and step‑down foster care (Lot 3), which offers placements and support for children transitioning from residential care or those on a trajectory toward residential placement. Successful providers for Lot 1 may also be considered for Lot 2 and/or Lot 3, ensuring a streamlined entry pathway for agencies.
To join the agreement, independent providers must meet the specified criteria, submit all required documentation electronically via the council’s iSupplier portal, and undergo an evaluation in accordance with the invitation to participate. Applicants will receive an outcome notification and, if successful, will sign the Flexible Agreement. All applications must comply with stipulated insurance, financial, consortium, exclusion, reference, and quality standards. The agreement also requires providers to maintain in‑house register of households and adhere to prescribed quality and pricing criteria.
Description
Lancashire County Council (the Council) are leading on the procurement of an open Flexible Agreement for the Provision of Fostering Agency Placements.
Since 2019 Blackburn with Darwen Council, Blackpool Council, Cumbria County Council and Lancashire County Council (BBLC) have been collaborating as part of a Department of Education funded project to improve the sufficiency of foster care placements across the authorities. By working together, the four Contracting Bodies have developed the Flexible Agreement which this procurement intends to establish, with the aim to influence the behaviour of these agencies in order to prioritise the Children from the four Contracting Bodies within the combined authorities' geographical footprint.
The Flexible Agreement will be a list of approved Independent Foster Care Providers.
It is intended that the Flexible Agreement will remain effect for 9 years, Service Contracts can be awarded as call-off contracts as detailed within the Invitation to Participate (ITP).
This procurement procedure is considered to be subject to the Light Touch Regime under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
Providers can apply to join the Flexible Agreement, if Applicants satisfy the required criteria. The Flexible Agreement will be open for new Applications during the initial Application phase. Once the initial Application deadline has passed (see ITP for dates), Providers can apply to join every three years throughout the term. (See the Council's eTendering portal iSupplier and ITP for dates). Following an evaluation process, applicants will receive an outcome notification. Successful Applicants will be required to sign a Flexible Agreement and will be appointed as a provider.
Lancashire County Council's Flexible Agreement may be used by Contracting Authorities listed below and any successor council as defined in The Local Government (Structural Changes) (Transfer of Functions, Property, Rights and Liabilities) Regulations 2008 to the Contracting Authorities.
• Cumbria County Council
• Blackpool Council
• Blackburn with Darwen Council
Please note that Cumbria County Council is currently undergoing a local government reorganisation and Government has announced that Cumbria County Council is to be replaced by two unitary authorities with effect form 01 April 2023. Therefore, Cumbria County Council will be entitled to novate the Flexible Agreement for the provision of Fostering Agency Placements to any successor council.
The Flexible Agreement will be split into the following Lots:
• Lot 1 Mainstream Foster Care
• Lot 2 Enhanced Foster Care
• Lot 3 Step Down Foster Care
Applicants must be successful in Lot 1 to be eligible for Lot 2 and/or Lot 3.
Estimated total value up to £375,000,000 - £415,000,000.
See invitation to participate for full requirements, particularly in regard to requirements concerning: insurance, financial ratios, consortia requirements, mandatory and discretionary exclusion criteria, references, past performance/experience, registered households and quality and price criteria.
How to Apply
To participate and join the Flexible Agreement, please read all documents listed below. Applicants must complete all the required documents (as stated in the ITP) and must be returned via the iSupplier portal: www.lancashire.gov.uk/isupplier under RFQ 15314114.
All aspects (documents/attachments/responses) of the application can and must be submitted via the iSupplier portal. The Council will not accept email or hard copy/paper applications in relation to this process and you must submit your application electronically via the iSupplier portal.
All instructions on how to apply to join the Flexible Agreement, evaluation criteria terms and conditions and documents to be returned can be found on following webpage: https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/tenders-and-procurement/tenders/flexible-agreement-for-the-provision-of-fostering-agency-placements/
Ocid: ocds-h6vhtk-030b4b
Contract location: UKC2
Communication: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/isupplier
Conditions for opening of tenders: 2031-05-05T10:00:00+01:00
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: En
This is a recurrent procurement: No
Submission address and any special instructions: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/isupplier
Lot number: 1
Description: Lot 1 Standard Foster Care. The provision of foster care placements for children and young people aged 0-4, 5-10, 11-15, 16+ and Parent and Child placements
This contract is subject to renewal: No
Information about options. Options: No
Variants will be accepted: not allowed
Lot number: 2
Description: Lot 2 Enhanced Foster Care. The provision of foster care placements and support services for children and young people with enhanced needs
This contract is subject to renewal: No
Information about options. Options: No
Variants will be accepted: not allowed
Lot number: 3
Description: Lot 3 Step Down into Foster Care. The provision of foster care placements and support services for children and young people who are placed within Residential Care or on a trajectory to be placed within Residential Care.
This contract is subject to renewal: No
Information about options. Options: No
Variants will be accepted: not allowed
Since 2019 Blackburn with Darwen Council, Blackpool Council, Cumbria County Council and Lancashire County Council (BBLC) have been collaborating as part of a Department of Education funded project to improve the sufficiency of foster care placements across the authorities. By working together, the four Contracting Bodies have developed the Flexible Agreement which this procurement intends to establish, with the aim to influence the behaviour of these agencies in order to prioritise the Children from the four Contracting Bodies within the combined authorities' geographical footprint.
The Flexible Agreement will be a list of approved Independent Foster Care Providers.
It is intended that the Flexible Agreement will remain effect for 9 years, Service Contracts can be awarded as call-off contracts as detailed within the Invitation to Participate (ITP).
This procurement procedure is considered to be subject to the Light Touch Regime under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
Providers can apply to join the Flexible Agreement, if Applicants satisfy the required criteria. The Flexible Agreement will be open for new Applications during the initial Application phase. Once the initial Application deadline has passed (see ITP for dates), Providers can apply to join every three years throughout the term. (See the Council's eTendering portal iSupplier and ITP for dates). Following an evaluation process, applicants will receive an outcome notification. Successful Applicants will be required to sign a Flexible Agreement and will be appointed as a provider.
Lancashire County Council's Flexible Agreement may be used by Contracting Authorities listed below and any successor council as defined in The Local Government (Structural Changes) (Transfer of Functions, Property, Rights and Liabilities) Regulations 2008 to the Contracting Authorities.
• Cumbria County Council
• Blackpool Council
• Blackburn with Darwen Council
Please note that Cumbria County Council is currently undergoing a local government reorganisation and Government has announced that Cumbria County Council is to be replaced by two unitary authorities with effect form 01 April 2023. Therefore, Cumbria County Council will be entitled to novate the Flexible Agreement for the provision of Fostering Agency Placements to any successor council.
The Flexible Agreement will be split into the following Lots:
• Lot 1 Mainstream Foster Care
• Lot 2 Enhanced Foster Care
• Lot 3 Step Down Foster Care
Applicants must be successful in Lot 1 to be eligible for Lot 2 and/or Lot 3.
Estimated total value up to £375,000,000 - £415,000,000.
See invitation to participate for full requirements, particularly in regard to requirements concerning: insurance, financial ratios, consortia requirements, mandatory and discretionary exclusion criteria, references, past performance/experience, registered households and quality and price criteria.
How to Apply
To participate and join the Flexible Agreement, please read all documents listed below. Applicants must complete all the required documents (as stated in the ITP) and must be returned via the iSupplier portal: www.lancashire.gov.uk/isupplier under RFQ 15314114.
All aspects (documents/attachments/responses) of the application can and must be submitted via the iSupplier portal. The Council will not accept email or hard copy/paper applications in relation to this process and you must submit your application electronically via the iSupplier portal.
All instructions on how to apply to join the Flexible Agreement, evaluation criteria terms and conditions and documents to be returned can be found on following webpage: https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/tenders-and-procurement/tenders/flexible-agreement-for-the-provision-of-fostering-agency-placements/
Ocid: ocds-h6vhtk-030b4b
Contract location: UKC2
Communication: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/isupplier
Conditions for opening of tenders: 2031-05-05T10:00:00+01:00
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: En
This is a recurrent procurement: No
Submission address and any special instructions: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/isupplier
Lot number: 1
Description: Lot 1 Standard Foster Care. The provision of foster care placements for children and young people aged 0-4, 5-10, 11-15, 16+ and Parent and Child placements
This contract is subject to renewal: No
Information about options. Options: No
Variants will be accepted: not allowed
Lot number: 2
Description: Lot 2 Enhanced Foster Care. The provision of foster care placements and support services for children and young people with enhanced needs
This contract is subject to renewal: No
Information about options. Options: No
Variants will be accepted: not allowed
Lot number: 3
Description: Lot 3 Step Down into Foster Care. The provision of foster care placements and support services for children and young people who are placed within Residential Care or on a trajectory to be placed within Residential Care.
This contract is subject to renewal: No
Information about options. Options: No
Variants will be accepted: not allowed
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