Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
London Borough of Ealing
14-16 Uxbridge Road, London
London
W5 2HL
Contact
Preeti Virk
Telephone
+44 2088256097
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI - London
National registration number
226 6700 70
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://wla.esourcingportal.com/
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://wla.esourcingportal.com/
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at
https://wla.esourcingportal.com/
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
Cross Authority DPV Children's Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs)
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Authorities seek to commission good quality foster care placements that meet needs of Children, through the DPV for registered IFA’s. The IFA’s will offer a variety of high-quality foster care homes that provide stability and effective safeguarding.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1,600,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI - London
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Contracting Authorities seek to commission good quality foster care Placements that meet the needs of the Children, through the DPV for registered IFA’s. The IFA’s will offer a variety of high-quality foster care homes that provide stability, effective safeguarding and meet the individual Children and young people’s needs and outcomes which will be identified in the Child’s Care Plan/Pathway Plan.
Foster care homes for our Children and young people will be required for all areas across London and the Home counties with the aim of keeping Children close to their communities.
All Placements and Services provided shall comply with all relevant Laws, Regulations and subsequent changes, which form the regulatory framework for fostering services. As a minimum this includes:
- Children’s Act 1989
- Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011
- Care Planning and Fostering (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2015
- the Care Standards Act 2000 (CSA) for the conduct of fostering services.
- Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing form care – January 2014.
- National Minimum Standards (NMS) for Fostering Services (2011).
- The Care Matters initiative, the Children and Young Persons Act 2008, the Care Leavers
- Staying Put: arrangements for Care Leavers aged 18 and above to stay on with their former Foster Carers.
We seek stable and high-quality foster care homes for Children that value, support and encourage them to grow and develop as individuals. In addition to promoting their health and general well-being the Provider needs to be committed to ensuring that their Foster Carers recognise the importance of the educational achievement of Children in Care and work with Contracting Authorities in raising their academic attainment.
The commissioning of this DPV seeks to achieve the following service objectives:
a) Improved Placement stability supported by effective and appropriate matching of Children and Foster Carers, ensuring that risks are clearly identified, enabling fostered Children to have a secure continuous family base which promotes family time, feel loved and able to enjoy their lives.
b) To have access to a wide range of Foster Carer homes from registered, good quality IFA’s enabling our sufficiency requirements to be met
c) To improve collaboration and partnership working with relevant stakeholders so that the Child, their needs, and outcomes are at the centre of the work.
d) The voice of the Child is heard and listened to ensuring appropriate consultation and participation in decision making where appropriate.
e) Effective and efficient communication to support finding loving homes for our Children.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £1,600,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 April 2024
End date
31 March 2028
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.2.13) 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
Restricted procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the setting up of a dynamic purchasing system
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
1 November 2023
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
2 October 2023
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
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
London Borough of Ealing
14-16 Uxbridge Road, London
London
W5 2HL
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
London Borough of Ealing
14-16 Uxbridge Road, London
London
W5 2HL
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
London Borough of Ealing
14-16 Uxbridge Road, London
London
W5 2HL
Country
United Kingdom