Official UK procurement notice
Adoption and Kinship Specialist Support Services
Authority: Essex County Council (Local council)·Consortium: 2 public authorities
What is being bought3 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionEssex County Council and Suffolk County Council is seeking to procure a new framework for the provision of Adoption and Kinship Specialist Support Services. Local Authorities have a statutory duty to provide these services as outlined in the Children and Families Act 2014, and in the Kinship Care Statutory Guidance published in October 2024. The framework will meet this duty by providing adoptive and kinship families access to therapeutic services, assessment services and training to assist both children and adults to deal with the long-term effects of abuse, and trauma across Essex County Council and Suffolk County Council. The framework will be for an initial period of three (3) years and there will be an option to extend the framework for up to one year.
The framework will have the following 3 Lots to support adoptive and kinship order families:
- Lot 1 Training - To enable parent/carers to develop their skills to support their children effectively meet their full potential.
- Lot 2 Therapeutic Intervention- To address emotional and behavioural challenges for children and their families stemming from negative early life experiences.
- Lot 3 Specialist Assessments- To assess and identify a child's support needs that will enable the and subsequent planning to meet those needs.
The contracting authority is Essex County Council and any Successor Body meaning one or more entities which assumes any of the Council's functions (as applicable) as a result of Local Government Reform (LGR). Such successor body or bodies may be, without limitation, a local authority, a combined authority, a combined county authority, a strategic authority or any other status determined pursuant to the Devolution and LGR Legislation.
CPV: Health and social work services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Open framework
- Call-offs
- every call-off is a further competition among the appointed suppliers
- Bids received
- 17 bids on the busiest of 3 lots · 11 suppliers appointed
- Framework period
- 3 yrs · up to 4 yrs from 1 Jul 2026
- Buyer regions
- UKH14, UKH3
Who may buy through it
Suffolk County Council - Any successor to this organisation
Published description of the framework
When a service is required, a competitive call-off process will be undertaken within the relevant lot or sub-lot to identify the provider best suited to meet the family's specific needs.
This Framework is not intended to operate as an Open Framework as defined in s49 of the Procurement Act 2023. However, the Council may elect to re-open the Framework to new entrants as detailed in the tender documentation where, in the Council's reasonable opinion additional capacity is required to meet the local demand.
Lots and requirements (3)Procurement structure
3 lots · all with a published value · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1TrainingAwardedRenewalPublished value£768,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #2Therapeutic InterventionAwardedRenewalPublished value£3,696,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #3Specialist AssessmentsAwardedRenewalPublished value£336,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published award criteria (1)
- Quality: As detailed in the tender documents.
- “Adoption and Kinship Specialist Support Services” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: each call-off is a further competition, so the pricing contest starts after appointment.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Light touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- Suffolk County Council - Any successor to this organisation
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 26 Jun 2025, 15:21 BST
- Last source update
- 24 Jul 2026, 14:52 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 30 Apr 2026
- Authority reference
F009PA- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-010627- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05545dFind a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 9 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
26 Jun 2025 → 6 Aug 2026 · 9 dates- Planning notice published26 Jun 2025, 15:21 BST
- Market engagement318 days ago12 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
Essex County Council invites you to attend a market engagement event to update you on the future of adoption and kinship specialist support services.
Date: 08/12/2025
Time: 10:30 - 12
Location: Microsoft Teams
In this session we will:
- Share details of the upcoming procurement process and the new framework structure
- Explain the changes and adaptations we've introduced to improve service delivery and flexibility
- Gather feedback to refine our requirements
To reserve a place or express interest if you are unable to attend, please confirm on behalf of your organisation by emailing Isabelle.clarke@essex.gov.uk and jake.berridge@essex.gov.uk with the following details:
- Organisation name
- Name(s) of attendee(s)
- Contact email address
RSVP by Friday 5th December at 12 noon.
We look forward to your participation and valuable input.
- Tender notice published264 days ago5 Feb 2026, 15:58 GMT
- Admission / appointment period ends232 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown9 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by179 days ago30 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts118 days ago1 Jul 2026, 00:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent95 days ago24 Jul 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published95 days ago24 Jul 2026, 14:52 BST
- Standstill ends81 days ago6 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
Notice history
11 events · 5 releases on Find a Tender · since 26 Jun 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published26 Jun 2025, 15:21 BSTUK2
- Preliminary market engagement notice published27 Nov 2025, 15:41 GMTUK2
- Preliminary market engagement notice published27 Nov 2025, 15:48 GMTUK2
- Tender notice published5 Feb 2026, 15:58 GMTUK4
- Published value published: £4,800,0005 Feb 2026, 15:58 GMT
- Status changed to active5 Feb 2026, 15:58 GMT
- Procurement method changed5 Feb 2026, 15:58 GMT
- Deadline published: 9 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT5 Feb 2026, 15:58 GMT
- Contract award notice published24 Jul 2026, 14:52 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete24 Jul 2026, 14:52 BST
- Contract signature expected19 Aug 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Published amendments (1)
RSVP date changed from by Monday 1st December at 12 noon. to RSVP by Friday 5th December at 12 noon to allow for more response time.
Routine re-releases (5)
- 2025-11: 1 release · 27 Nov 2025
- 2025-06: 1 release · 26 Jun 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 · Training1 award | |||
| Families EmpoweredSME, Jump Start CentreSME, Kids InspireVCSE1 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2029 · up to 31 Aug 2030Extensions: The Authority may, at its sole discretion, extend the Term by a further period or periods of up to twelve (12) months (the "Extension Periods") | £768,000 | 24 Jul 2026standstill to 6 Aug 2026 | Standstill |
| Lot 2 · Therapeutic Intervention1 award | |||
| ACE MUSIC THERAPY CICSMEVCSE, Apricot Centre CICSME, Barnardo's, Families EmpoweredSME, J4L ASSOCIATES LIMITED, Jump Start CentreSME +5 more1 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2029 · up to 31 Aug 2030Extensions: The Authority may, at its sole discretion, extend the Term by a further period or periods of up to twelve (12) months (the "Extension Periods") | £3,696,000 | 24 Jul 2026standstill to 6 Aug 2026 | Standstill |
| Lot 3 · Specialist Assessments1 award | |||
| Apricot Centre CICSME, Jump Start CentreSME, Kids InspireVCSE, Mind Right Limited, SenSI LimitedSME1 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2029 · up to 31 Aug 2030Extensions: The Authority may, at its sole discretion, extend the Term by a further period or periods of up to twelve (12) months (the "Extension Periods") | £336,000 | 24 Jul 2026 | Awarded |
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Training | 9final-stage tenders | 8 | 1 | — |
| 2 · Therapeutic Intervention | 17final-stage tenders | 16 | 5 | — |
| 3 · Specialist Assessments | 7final-stage tenders | 7 | 2 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
2 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- Suffolk County CouncilContracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government
Framework contractors & participating bidders
11 commercial parties on the notice- ACE MUSIC THERAPY CICFramework contractor
- APRICOT CENTRE CICFramework contractor
- BARNARDO'SFramework contractor
- FAMILIES EMPOWERED LIMITEDFramework contractor
- J4L ASSOCIATES LIMITEDFramework contractor
- JUMP START CENTRE LIMITEDFramework contractor
- KIDS INSPIREFramework contractor
- Lindsay Wood Play Therapist & Child & Family WorkerFramework contractor
- MIND RIGHT LIMITEDFramework contractor
- N-GAGE THERAPEUTIC CARE LTDFramework contractor
- SENSI LIMITEDFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications (7)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender