External Foster Care Services Framework Re-opening - Prospective Providers

Essex County Council and Southend City Council are re-opening the framework agreement

for External Foster Care Services. This Framework Agreement sets out the procedure for

Placements, the terms and conditions for the provision of the Services and the obligations of

a Provider under this Framework Agreement.

Independent Foster Agencies (IFAs), who are not currently on the framework agreement,

have the opportunity to enter up to 4 lots on a multi-provider framework agreement to

provide Services to those customers who, if required, will make foster care placements in

accordance with this Framework Agreement.

It is important to note that despite entering the framework agreement, the Customers shall

have no obligation to make placements with any particular IFA under this Framework

Agreement and this Framework Agreement is not a commitment or guarantee from the Customers to procure any Services or any specific volume of Services from any particular

IFA. Instead, the Customers shall only be committed under the terms of a valid and binding

Individual Placement Agreement formed pursuant to this Framework Agreement. Each

Individual Placement Agreement shall be an independent contract in its own right and

therefore shall survive termination or expiry of this Framework Agreement with the relevant

provisions of this Framework Agreement surviving as necessary until the expiry or earlier

termination of any such Individual Placement Agreements.