Scope
Reference
CS26629
Description
Hampshire County Council's Children Services Directorate is seeking to commission a range of IFA (independent fostering agencies) to support our looked after children cohort.
The new framework will as a minimum include fostering arrangements for;
- Standard Foster Placements including Respite
- Parent & Child Foster Placements
- Children with Complex/Challenging Behaviours
- Children with Disabilities/Complex Healthcare Needs
- Separated Children
This list is not exhaustive and the framework will be flexible to capture additional fostering requirements that may emerge.
The Framework is being established as a light touch framework using the flexibilities allowed under the Procurement Act 2023. The Framework will be open for the initial period as set out in paragraph 4.1. Following the initial award it will then be reopened in January 2026 and remain open for the initial term.
The Council will run call offs to establish which suppliers can meet the different fostering arrangements before making individual placements to suppliers who have been awarded call off contracts. Further details can be seen in Annex 2 - Framework Overview
Providers who have been accepted onto the Framework and wish to add additional registered branches/offices during the life of the contract can amend and resubmit their Framework questionnaire to include these.
The priority of any arrangements will be to secure Hampshire placements for Hampshire children and Young People to support with their education, training, contact, and in order to maintain other existing support networks such as friends and other family members.
Commercial tool
Establishes a framework
Total value (estimated)
- £203,000,000 excluding VAT
- £203,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 9 January 2026 to 8 January 2030
- Possible extension to 8 January 2034
- 8 years
Description of possible extension:
There is 1 contract extension with a maximum duration of 4 years and 0 month, and a value ex VAT of £ 105,000,000
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
Contract locations
- UKJ3 - Hampshire and Isle of Wight
- UKJ - South East (England)
Framework
Maximum number of suppliers
Unlimited
Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers
0%
Framework operation description
The Council will establish the framework as an overarching vehicle and will then run either multiple call offs or one lotted call off for the 5 service areas. All suppliers who meet the criteria will be awarded a call off contract, the numbers will not be limited.
Suppliers that are successful at call off will then be eligible to see referrals for the services which they have applied for. The criteria the Council will follow when making a placement is still to be finalised and will be included in the strategy for the call off.
Award method when using the framework
Either with or without competition
Contracting authorities that may use the framework
Establishing party only
Submission
Enquiry deadline
10 November 2025, 5:00pm
Tender submission deadline
24 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)
5 January 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Quality criterion 1 (Lot 0) | Suppliers must have an Ofsted rating of Good or Outstanding |
Quality |
Weighting description
The Award stage for being admitted onto the Framework is pass/fail.
Other information
Payment terms
Payment terms will be set out in the call off documentation.
Description of risks to contract performance
Local Government Reorganisation
The government's English Devolution White Paper, Power and Partnership: Foundations for Growth, published on 16 December 2024, states that 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. LGR will impact the County of Hampshire as it currently operates a two-tier Local Government structure.
It is anticipated, that during the life of this framework, the LGR process will progress potentially impacting this framework. Impacts may include, but are not limited to, modifications such as a novation of the legal entity being contracted with, significant increases and/or decreases in the volume of services required due to the change in size of the Contracting Authority. Although any contract scope changes should broadly relate to the nature of the existing scope, new services of a related nature may be required that were not previously included.
Could be made to join regional cooperative
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regional-care-co-operatives-pathfinder-areas/regional-care-cooperatives-rccs-pathfinder-regions .Current collaborative framework ends 31/3/26 with a 2 year extension. The likelihood of this risk materialising is unknown at this stage. Hampshire did not join the SE RCC. To mitigate the risk the approval to spend has been drafted to be based on placements made/ contracts entered into so would still apply if we joined a RCC
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
Contact name: Strategic Procurement
Email: strategic.procurement@hants.gov.uk
Website: https://www.hants.gov.uk
Region: UKJ36 - Central Hampshire
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government