Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Essex County Council
County Hall, Market Road
Chelmsford
CM1 1QH
Contact
Ms Tabitha Allen
Telephone
+44 333
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH3 - Essex
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.1) Name and addresses
Southend City Council
Southend-on-Sea
Contact
Nadine Raenke
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH3 - Essex
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
External Foster Care Services Framework Re-opening - Existing Providers
Reference number
DN699556
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Essex County Council and Southend City Council are re-opening the framework agreement for External Foster Care Services. This Framework Agreement sets out the procedure for Placements, the terms and conditions for the provision of the Services and the obligations of a Provider under this Framework Agreement.
Existing IFAs, who are currently on the framework agreement, will be required to confirm either that there has been no change to its tender response or to confirm what changes have occurred since its tender response (including any changes to pricing – the Council may, at its sole discretion, place a maximum cap on any annual re-pricing which may be linked to the Consumer Price Index) and any changes will be subject to evaluation in accordance with the published criteria. Existing IFAs also have the opportunity to enter lots they are not currently apart of.
It is important to note that despite entering the framework agreement, the Customers shall have no obligation to make placements with any particular IFA under this Framework Agreement and this Framework Agreement is not a commitment or guarantee from the Customers to procure any Services or any specific volume of Services from any particular IFA. Instead, the Customers shall only be committed under the terms of a valid and binding Individual Placement Agreement formed pursuant to this Framework Agreement. Each Individual Placement Agreement shall be an independent contract in its own right and therefore shall survive termination or expiry of this Framework Agreement with the relevant provisions of this Framework Agreement surviving as necessary until the expiry or earlier termination of any such Individual Placement Agreements.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Standard Support Placements
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Placements for children or young people where they have a low to medium level of need.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Technical (Quality) / Weighting: 60
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
End date
20 November 2026
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues
Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Enhanced Support Placements
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Placements for children or young people where they have a medium to high level of need e.g. history of placement breakdowns, mental health needs, mild to moderate disabilities.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Technical (Quality) / Weighting: 60
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
End date
20 November 2026
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues
Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Intensive Support Placements
Lot No
3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Placements for children or young people where they have significant levels of need, e.g. complex health needs or disabilities, excluded from school, significant substance misuse.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Technical (Quality) / Weighting: 60
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
End date
20 November 2026
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues
Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Parent and Child Placements
Lot No
4
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH3 - Essex
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Where the placement is for a parent and child, or parent with two or more children or two parents and a child or two parents with two or more children together. These include cases where there is a need for continuing assessment and on-going support.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality (Technical) / Weighting: 60
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
End date
20 November 2026
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues
Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with a single operator
In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 4 years:
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2022/S 000-019156
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
7 February 2024
Local time
5:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
3 January 2024
Local time
8:30pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Essex County Council
County Hall, Market Road
Chelmsford
CM1
Country
United Kingdom