Planning

Framework for Alternative Provision

  • Westmorland and Furness Council

UK2: Preliminary market engagement notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-043886

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-0556cd (view related notices)

Published 29 July 2025, 2:05pm



Scope

Description

1. The key Service Aim is to support the Council's priorities identified in the Council plan | Westmorland and Furness Council).

Service Vision

2. The vision for the service is to ensure that all children, regardless of circumstance or setting, receive a good education. The service therefore is committed to ensuring all alternative provision commissioned for a child or young person in Westmorland and Furness is of good quality, registered where appropriate, and delivered by high quality staff with suitable training, experience and safeguarding checks.

3. All alternative provision that is commissioned must be suitable to a child or young person's age, ability and aptitude and any special educational needs (SEN) they may have.

4. All children and young people will make good progress against outcomes, identified prior to the start of a placement with a Provider and will have access to meaningful qualifications. This will mean they are equipped to progress onto the next stage in their educational career and are enabled to participate and contribute positively to society in the future.

5. Placements into alternative provision will always be made with the child or young person's reintegration back into mainstream education or move onto a sustained post-16 destination in mind.

6. The placement of a child or young person with a Provider is consistent with the efficient use of resources.

Service Description

7. The following Services are in scope of this specification:

Lot 1: Alternative Provision where the provider is registered with Ofsted (or an equivalent body). This may include providers who are registered with Ofsted, but the category of their registration does not include learners to whom they are offering alternative provision.

Lot 2: Alternative Provision where the provider is not registered with Ofsted (or an equivalent body)

Lot 3: Alternative Provision for pupils with medical conditions that prevent their attendance at school.

The Framework will be managed with providers being placed on either Provider List A or B. The criteria for being on each list is as follows:

• List A is for Registered Providers and therefore those applying to Lot 1 would be placed on this list. It is also possible those applying for Lot 3 could also be a registered provider and be placed on List A.

List B is for Providers who are unregistered whether applying for Lot 2 and or Lot 3.

Commercial tool

Establishes a framework

Total value (estimated)

  • £115,000,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028
  • Possible extension to 31 December 2030
  • 5 years

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 80000000 - Education and training services
  • 85000000 - Health and social work services

Contract locations

  • UKD - North West (England)

Engagement

Engagement deadline

11 July 2025

The engagement was carried out before this notice was published.

Engagement process description

mplementing an Alternative Provision Framework at Westmorland and Furness Council

Event 1: 15.00 - 16.00, Wednesday 9th July 2025

Event 2: 09.00 - 10.00, Thursday 10th July 2025

Event 3: 12.00 - 13.00, Friday 11th July 2025

Location - MS Teams

Westmorland & Furness Council is implementing an Alternative Provision Framework and are holding a series of events to seek feedback from those providers who may be interested in joining the framework.

The Council is keen to engage with Alternative Provision organisations who are based within, or close to, the Westmorland and Furness Local Authority area.

Providers are invited to attend one of the virtual events detailed above.


Participation

Particular suitability

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)


Procedure

Special regime

Light touch


Contracting authority

Westmorland and Furness Council

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PYYD-1758-YNVR

South Lakeland House

Kendal

LA9 4DQ

United Kingdom

Region: UKD12 - East Cumbria

Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government