Scope
Reference
CS27035
Description
Hampshire County Council's Children Services Directorate is seeking to commission a service for High Intensity Supported Accommodation with Floating Support, for Young People aged 16-21. These High Intensity placements are for those who require short-term intensive (5 to 20 hours per week) or floating support before transitioning to independent living or lower levels of supported accommodation, such as supported lodging.
The requirement is for this service to provide short-term (maximum 12 months), person-centred and outcome-focused support, with the intention of supporting Young People to move towards more independent living. The requirement is for a service which offers both accommodation and intensive support, aimed at increasing independence and promoting engagement with education, employment or training (EET).
The contract is for an initial period of 2 years and 3 months, with two further 12 month extension opportunities to a maximum of 4 years and 3 months. The contract will start on 01 April 2026.
Hampshire County Council is seeking suitable and qualified providers for this service, to support Hampshire's Looked After Children and Separated Children aged 16-21. New services will be required in the following geographical areas;
- A - Winchester, Eastleigh and Romsey
- B - Basingstoke and Deane
- C - Havant, Fareham and Gosport
All providers will require appropriate Ofsted Registration, and to have suitable properties available in order to Tender for this opportunity. This is part of the Ofsted Inspection Framework for services for children in need of help and protection, Looked After Children (LAC) and Care Leavers. This service requires an Ofsted registered service provider to be registered for supported accommodation in a shared or group living situation in premises which are not limited to accommodating Children Looked After or Care Leavers.
The High Intensity Service will be provided in suitable accommodation settings, such as shared houses with communal living facilities. The contract is for a maximum of 24 beds with the intention that these will be split evenly across the 3 geographical areas where possible. Each bid must ensure that up to 50% of the beds are available for Separated Children.
The total contract value for Supported Accommodation and Support services, including any Floating Support, is £3,810,000. Additional rental costs may be incurred on a case-by-case basis at Housing Benefit rates, but these are pass-through payments and not guaranteed by Hampshire County Council. For further details, refer to the Pricing Schedule (Annex 2), Instructions tab.
Total value (estimated)
- £4,800,600 excluding VAT
- £4,800,600 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 April 2026 to 30 June 2028
- Possible extension to 30 June 2030
- 4 years, 3 months
Description of possible extension:
There are 2 contract extensions, detailed below:
Extension 1
Maximum duration: 1 year and 0 month
Value ex VAT: £ 1,158,948
Extension 2
Maximum duration: 1 year and 0 month
Value ex VAT: £ 1,158,948
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85311000 - Social work services with accommodation
Contract locations
- UKJ35 - South Hampshire
- UKJ36 - Central Hampshire
- UKJ37 - North Hampshire
Participation
Technical ability conditions of participation
Property for Accommodation
This service requires the provision of accommodation alongside the support package.
To be eligible to Tender, providers must:
- Have a property located within the geographical area that they are bidding for at the time of Tender submission.
- Confirm the address(es) of the property or properties included in their Tender submission.
Property Standards
Providers must confirm that all properties included in their submission:
- Meet the Decent Homes Standard as defined by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government in "A decent home: definition and guidance".
- Comply with the current statutory minimum standard for housing.
Regulation Compliance
Providers must confirm that they have the human and technical resources in place to deliver the service in full compliance with:
- The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023, which set out the required standards for supporting young people aged 16 and 17 who are in care or leaving care.
Ofsted Registration
To operate legally and deliver this service, providers must:
- Hold the appropriate Ofsted registration for Supported Accommodation, as required under the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023.
- Be subject to regular inspections to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
Submission
Enquiry deadline
5 November 2025, 5:00pm
Tender submission deadline
12 November 2025, 2:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
7 January 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price criterion 1 (Lot 0) | Price evaluation - this will be evaluated on a straight line basis. |
Price | 40.00% |
| Quality criterion 3 (Lot 0) | Q3: Ongoing Support |
Quality | 18.00% |
| Quality criterion 5 (Lot 0) | Q5: Safeguarding |
Quality | 15.00% |
| Quality criterion 4 (Lot 0) | Q4: Step Down and Transition |
Quality | 12.00% |
| Quality criterion 2 (Lot 0) | Q2: Recruitment and Staffing |
Quality | 9.00% |
| Quality criterion 1 (Lot 0) | Q1: Referrals, Placements and Onboarding |
Quality | 6.00% |
Other information
Payment terms
This is a block payment contract, for the support and accommodation element, not including rental fees. Block fees are representative of the annual price the Council is to pay to the Service Provider for the provision of the number of beds awarded as per the Contract Terms and Conditions.
The Provider shall invoice the Council for payment of the Agreement Price at the time the charges are expressed to be payable in accordance with Schedule 3 (Payment and Invoicing).
The Council shall make payment of the Agreement Price within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of a valid invoice submitted in accordance with Schedule 3 (Payment and Invoicing).
Invoices which do not meet the requirements of Schedule 3 (Payment and Invoicing) will not be settled until receipt of an accurate invoice. The Council reserves the right to return an invoice that does meet the requirements of Schedule 3 (Payment and Invoicing).
Description of risks to contract performance
Devolution/Local Government Reform
The government wants all remaining two-tier areas in England to be eventually restructured into single-tier unitary authorities and is termed Local Government Reform (LGR). This reorganisation is part of a broader devolution strategy to simplify local government structures, save public funds, and improve local accountability. It is anticipated, that during the life of this contract, the LGR process will commence and/or progress potentially impacting this contract. Impacts most likely will include, novations of the legal entities you may contract with. There are assignment clauses within the Contract Terms and Conditions that allow us to assign, novate etc. the agreements to another body.
Separated Children
Due to the variable demand for supported accommodation for separated children, and the potential reduction in alternative support services, there may be a future requirement to increase the number of beds available under this contract. The Authority reserves the right to modify the contract accordingly to meet emerging needs.
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Contracting authority
Hampshire County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PBHM-7586-PWLP
High St, The Castle
Winchester
SO23 8UJ
United Kingdom
Email: ahcprocurement@hants.gov.uk
Website: https://www.hants.gov.uk
Region: UKJ36 - Central Hampshire
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government