Planning

Independent Fostering

  • Hertfordshire County Council
  • Central Bedfordshire Council
  • Bedford Borough Council
  • Luton Council

F01: Prior information notice (prior information only)

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-006298

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-043d3f

Published 27 February 2024, 4:09pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Hertfordshire County Council

PEGS LANE

HERTFORD

SG138DQ

Email

strategic.procurement@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKH23 - Hertfordshire

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk

one.1) Name and addresses

Central Bedfordshire Council

Chicksands, Shefford

Email

shelley.cummings@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKH2 - Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/

one.1) Name and addresses

Bedford Borough Council

Bedford

Email

shelley.cummings@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKH24 - Bedford

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.bedford.gov.uk/

one.1) Name and addresses

Luton Council

Luton

Email

shelley.cummings@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKH21 - Luton

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://m.luton.gov.uk/

one.2) Information about joint procurement

The contract involves joint procurement

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

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

Independent Fostering

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 85300000 - Social work and related services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Independent Fostering Agency - Approved Provider List Opportunity

Hertfordshire County Council along with Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedford Borough Council and Luton Council as strategic partners, will be opening up an opportunity for IFAs to join their Approved Provider List (APL) when this is recommissioned in 2045/25 and be part of a committed and trusted suite of providers that offer homes to our looked after children.

We are looking to invite applications in Autumn of 2024 and are currently in the process of consulting internal stakeholders, agencies and children on a remodelled specification.

We would like to invite interested providers to a virtual Provider Engagement Event on Tuesday 19th March at 2pm - 3pm.

Agenda

- Needs across the area

- Sharing of the draft specification for comment or feedback

- Opportunity for providers to give their views, feedback and to ask questions around joining an Approved Provider List

Please contact Shelley Cummings at shelley.cummings@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk to confirm your attendance or with any queries. An MS Teams link will be forwarded to all those who confirm attendance.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKH2 - Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Independent Fostering Agency - Approved Provider List Opportunity

Hertfordshire County Council along with Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedford Borough Council and Luton Council as strategic partners, will be opening up an opportunity for IFAs to join their Approved Provider List (APL) when this is recommissioned in 2045/25 and be part of a committed and trusted suite of providers that offer homes to our looked after children.

We are looking to invite applications in Autumn of 2024 and are currently in the process of consulting internal stakeholders, agencies and children on a remodelled specification.

We would like to invite interested providers to a virtual Provider Engagement Event on Tuesday 19th March at 2pm - 3pm.

Agenda:

- Needs across the area

- Sharing of the draft specification for comment or feedback

- Opportunity for providers to give their views, feedback and to ask questions around joining an Approved Provider List

Please contact Shelley Cummings at shelley.cummings@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk to confirm your attendance or with any queries. An MS Teams link will be forwarded to all those who confirm attendance.

two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice

1 September 2024


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

The Council's will consider the feedback received to help inform options and further decision making. For the avoidance of doubt, this stage of the project is not part of a formal procurement process and the Council's are not committing, at this stage, to carrying out such a process.

Participation or non-participation in the PPME shall not prevent any supplier participating in a potential future procurement, nor is it intended that any information supplied as part of the PPME shall place any supplier at an advantage in a potential procurement process.

Participation in this event will be at each organisation's own cost. No expense in responding to this market engagement will be reimbursed by the Councils.