Scope
Description
Southampton City Council intends to establish a multi provider Short Breaks, Outreach and Support Framework to improve access to high quality services for children and young people with disabilities aged up to 18 years.
Before commencing the procurement, the Council is issuing this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) to invite interested providers to attend online market engagement consultation events. These sessions will offer an overview of the planned Framework, specification requirements, proposed Lots, and the anticipated procurement timetable. They will also give providers the opportunity to give feedback and ask questions.
The proposed Framework will include two Lots:
Lot 1 - Care Support and Community Outreach
This Lot covers personalised care and support delivered in the home or community. Services will help children and young people with disabilities to develop independence, access their community, and maintain their wellbeing, while supporting family stability. The service will include personalised care and community based support, including personal care, delegated health tasks, communication and independence building programmes, behaviour support, community access and, where required, overnight respite. Providers must be able to offer planned, responsive and crisis support across a range of hours.
Lot 2 - Specialist Playschemes and Targeted Short Breaks
This Lot provides specialist holiday playschemes and targeted short break opportunities for children with substantial or complex needs. These are for children who cannot safely access mainstream provision due to high levels of personal care, complex health needs, autism or behaviour that challenges. Services delivered under this Lot should offer group and community-based activities that support children's social development, independence, wellbeing and enjoyment, while providing families with essential respite.
The purpose of the Framework is to deliver consistent, timely, high quality and value for money support, while strengthening family resilience and improving outcomes for children and young people with disabilities.
By approving providers onto a single Framework, the Council can quickly match a child's assessed needs with an appropriate supplier, reducing delays and enabling responsive, high quality support across the local area.
Full details of the online market engagement events and how to register will be published alongside this PME.
Commercial tool
Establishes a framework
Total value (estimated)
- £4,500,000 excluding VAT
- £5,400,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2030
- Possible extension to 30 September 2032
- 6 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 75200000 - Provision of services to the community
- 85312000 - Social work services without accommodation
- 85320000 - Social services
- 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services
Contract locations
- UKJ - South East (England)
Engagement
Engagement deadline
28 February 2026
Engagement process description
The Authority is issuing this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) statement to notify the market of an upcoming procurement opportunity for Outreach and Short Breaks services for children and young people with disabilities.
Our primary objective is to engage with experienced providers, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises (VCSEs) to inform the design of a new Framework. We want to ensure that our service specifications are commercially viable, innovative, and, most importantly, capable of meeting the diverse needs of children and young people (0-25) within our region.
This engagement is conducted in accordance with Sections 16 and 17 of the Procurement Act 2023. It is not a call for competition, but a collaborative fact-finding exercise to ensure a "best fit" between our requirements and market capability.
2. The Requirement: A Two-Lot Framework
We intend to establish a multi-supplier framework divided into two distinct "Lots." Suppliers may apply for one or both lots, provided they meet the specific quality and safeguarding criteria.
Lot 1 - Care Support and Community Outreach
The aim of Lot 1 is to develop a range of providers who can deliver personalised care and support in the home or community. The outreach service will ensure that children and young people with disabilities can develop independence skills, access their community, and maintain their wellbeing at the same time the family have a break from their caring duties.
Lot 2 - Specialist Playschemes and Targeted Short Breaks
The goal of Lot 2 is to develop a range of specialist and targeted activities for children and young people in a variety of locations across the city. The activities will provide opportunities for children to try new skills things, develop their social skills and support their overall development whilst giving their parent carers a break from caring.
3. The Procurement Plan
The Authority intends to use a Open Framework model. This is designed to be "supplier-friendly," allowing new providers to join at specific intervals throughout the framework's life (e.g., every 12 months).
Estimated Contract Term: 4 years + optional 2-year extension.
Pricing Model: We are seeking market feedback on sustainable hourly rates vs. "block" funding for group activities.
Call-Off Mechanism: Services will be commissioned via Direct Award (for specific 1:1 matches) or Mini-Competition (for larger group-based contracts).
Preliminary Market Engagement Events will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams via invite only. These individual sessions will be held on the 5th (12.00 - 14.00) and 10th of Feb (13.00 - 15.00) with one regarding Outbreaks and one being Short Breaks,
If you are interested in attending either event, please email Procurement@southampton.gov.uk with your company name, the name of attendees with relevant email address for the invite, and please inform us which one (or both) you would like to attend.
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Contracting authority
Southampton City Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PCGN-2413-RBTX
Civic Centre, Civic Centre Road
Southampton
SO14 7LY
United Kingdom
Region: UKJ32 - Southampton
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government