Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings, 20, Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://education.app.jaggaer.com/
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
National Workload Action Group secretariat and lead delivery partner on best practice guidance for retention and agency
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Following an open procurement, the Department for Education has appointed a suitably experienced organisation to deliver the following objectives relating to child and family social work:
1) To deliver solutions recommended by the National Workload Action Group (NWAG)and provide a secretariat role for the group
2) produce tools and resources to support Local Authorities with social worker retention; and
3) produce tools and resources to support Local Authorities in the engagement of agency social workers.
The NWAG is made up of sector and practice experts and seeks to identify and recommend solutions to reduce unnecessary workload drivers for child and family social workers so that child and family social workers have enough time to spend working directly with children and families.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £1,010,368
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 85310000 - Social work services
- 85320000 - Social services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The supplier will be responsible for delivering solutions recommended by the NWAG (either by procuring 3rd parties or performing the work directly). As part of this work the supplier will deliver a secretariat role to convene and manage the NWAG as an impartial adjudicator.
In addition to the work of the NWAG, the same supplier is required to:
- collate and/or produce tools and resources on areas that impact social worker retention to complement the Social Worker Employer Standards Health Check, areas include wellbeing, supervision and effective workforce planning systems; and
- produce tools/resources to support Local Authorities to engage agency social workers effectively and collaboratively (including, subject to consultation, to support local authorities to comply with proposed national rules on engaging agency social work resource).
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
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.1.8) 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: 2023/S 000-009656
four.2.9) Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice
The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
con_21447
Title
National Workload Action Group Secretariat and Lead Delivery Partner on Social Worker Retention and Agency Resources
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
27 July 2023
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 5
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Dartington Hall trading as Research in Practice
The Elmhirst Centre, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6EL, registered company number: 1485560, registered charity number: 279756
Devon
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,010,368
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The Buyer may, at its own discretion, extend the Contract on multiple occasions, but will not exceed a cumulative extension of 24 months post the Expiry Date.
It is anticipated, at the time of contract signature, that any extension would involve delivery of the services on a reduced scope, with focus being on activities related to the maintenance and improvement of the Deliverables that were delivered during the Initial Contract Period. The Buyer reserves the right to extend this anticipated scope at its own discretion.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court of Justice
The Strands London WC2A 2LL
London
SW1P 3BT
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The Department of Education incorporated a voluntary standstill period at the point the decision regarding the award of the contract was communicated to Tenderers.