Official UK procurement notice
Provision of Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (Aiming High)
Authority: Staffordshire County Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionStaffordshire County Council wishes to engage a Lead Provider to coordinate and deliver a countywide programme of Short Breaks provision for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) aged 0-17 years and their families across Staffordshire. The service must provide accessible, meaningful and enjoyable opportunities which promote inclusion, independence, confidence, wellbeing and participation in community life, whilst also providing parents and carers with meaningful breaks from their caring responsibilities. The service will comprise both a General Targeted Offer and an Enhanced Targeted Offer to ensure support is proportionate to differing levels of need.
The objective of this service is to provide a range of Short Break activities across Staffordshire which Children and Young People with SEND can enjoy as independently as possible. Providers will be required to deliver activities and opportunities which:
- Are meaningful, enjoyable and appropriate to different ages, interests and levels of need;
- Promote inclusion, participation and a sense of belonging within local communities;
- Support independence, confidence, wellbeing and preparation for adulthood;
- Enable the development of friendships, relationships and social connections;
- Are delivered in safe, supportive and psychologically welcoming environments;
- Are available during evenings, weekends and school holiday periods;
- Include both indoor and outdoor opportunities where appropriate;
- Represent value for money and effective use of public resources; and
- Provide meaningful short breaks for parents and carers.
Providers will be required to:
- Encourage and enable Children and Young People with SEND to access community-based opportunities and local services;
- Work collaboratively with local organisations to promote inclusion and reduce barriers to participation;
- Provide support which is proportionate to individual needs, including for Children and Young People with more complex needs;
- Promote equitable access to provision across all areas of Staffordshire;
- Use engagement, feedback and co-production to shape and improve services;
- Monitor participation, utilisation and unmet demand and respond appropriately to identified gaps in provision;
- Engage in meaningful partnership working and effective communication with families, professionals and community organisations;
- Develop opportunities for peer support, friendships and social connections;
- Demonstrate a commitment to quality assurance and continuous improvement; and
- Deliver innovative and flexible approaches that improve outcomes for Children, Young People and families.
Staffordshire County Council is particularly interested in providers who can demonstrate how they will:
- Ensure equitable access to provision across all districts and boroughs of Staffordshire, particularly in rural and less populated areas;
- Improve access to short break opportunities for Children and Young People with higher and more complex levels of need;
- Address gaps in provision and respond flexibly to emerging demand; and
- Maximise participation amongst groups who may be underrepresented or face barriers to accessing services.
The service will be delivered through a single Lead Provider model. The Lead Provider will be responsible for the overall coordination, management, quality assurance and performance monitoring of the service and may deliver provision directly and/or through a network of Delivery Partners. The Lead Provider will act as the single point of accountability to Staffordshire County Council and will be responsible for ensuring the delivery of a coordinated, equitable and high-quality countywide service.
The contract will cover the delivery of Short Breaks provision for Children and Young People with SEND aged 0-17 years (up to their 18th birthday) and support for their families and carers across Staffordshire.
CPV: Daycare services for disabled children and young people
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1RenewalPublished value£979,890
- Economic & financial standing
For Participation, please refer to Part 3 Condition of Participation within the IA3582 Procurement Specific Questionnaire.
- Technical & professional ability
For Participation, please refer to Part 3 Condition of Participation within the IA3582 Procurement Specific Questionnaire.
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 (2)
- Quality: Quality will be weighted as set out in the documents (i) IA3582 - ITT Procurement Pack and (ii) IA3582 - Procurement Specific Questionnaire.
- Price: Price will be weighted as set out in (i) IA3582 - ITT Procurement Pack and (ii) IA3582 - Pricing Matrix.
- Economic & financial standing
For Participation, please refer to Part 3 Condition of Participation within the IA3582 Procurement Specific Questionnaire.
- Technical & professional ability
For Participation, please refer to Part 3 Condition of Participation within the IA3582 Procurement Specific Questionnaire.
- Price carries 60 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 6 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
- Turnover usually expected at this size: about £652,664 (twice the annual value).
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula. Turnover is an indicative market norm (≈2× annual value), not a published condition.
Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid
How Staffordshire County Council buys Social work services (CPV 8531), and who usually turns up
Staffordshire County Council’s published record next to the market for the same work. Frameworks and DPS are left out: they draw different bid counts. Whole-market view: Social work services (CPV 8531) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
i
How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Local means the winner is registered in the region where that award was delivered. The market figure counts awards delivered in West Midlands.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners were registered in the region where that award was delivered.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the bid deadline to the award date, on competitions that published both.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards have an award date within 52 days of the bid deadline.
i
How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
Both shares are minimums: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Direct awards or one recorded bid are common here. Check the route before spending time on a bid.
How many bids did past lots attract?
i
How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid0% / 21%
2–318% / 24%
4–664% / 20%
7+18% / 35%
How did awards compare with estimates?
i
Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Below estimate0% / 32%
Within ±2%100% / 68%
Above estimate0% / 0%
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Our matching links this notice to “Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (Aiming High) Year 1 Call Offs” of this authority, but none of the 5 panel members sit in a category matching this notice.
Lot #1CPV 8531Published estimate£980k
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid13%
2–318%
4–651%
7+18%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
Based on 29 comparable awards. Each lot reflects its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Middle 50%£980k
Estimate£980k
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHASE AQUA RURAL ENTERPRISE C.I.C.Earlier contract | Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (Aiming High) Year 1 Call Offsnotice published Jul 2022 | Lot 1 Activities Family Attendance 0-17 years | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| GARTMORE RIDING SCHOOLEarlier contract | Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (Aiming High) Year 1 Call Offsnotice published Jul 2022 | Lot 2 Activities for Children/Young People Individual Attendance 0-17 years | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| SHERRATTS WOOD CICEarlier contract | Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (Aiming High) Year 1 Call Offsnotice published Jul 2022 | Lot 2 Activities for Children/Young People Individual Attendance 0-17 years | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| STOKE CITY COMMUNITY TRUSTEarlier contract | Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (Aiming High) Year 1 Call Offsnotice published Jul 2022 | Lot 2 Activities for Children/Young People Individual Attendance 0-17 years | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| Caudwell ChildrenEarlier contract | Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (Aiming High) Year 1 Call Offsnotice published Jul 2022 | Lot 2 Activities for Children/Young People Individual Attendance 0-17 years | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| £45m26 awards in 36m · last 7 months ago | 11 live · £26m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=16 | |
| £72k3 awards in 36m · last 9 months ago | None on file | no comparable pairs | |
| £84k1 award in 36m · last 8 months ago | None on file | no comparable pairs | |
| 1 award in 36m · last 9 months ago | None on file | no comparable pairs | |
| — | None on file | no comparable pairs |
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
What this replaces i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
69% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
69% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
The prior contract this notice most likely re-tenders · matched by title and category (69% title match), the holder is not guaranteed to re-bid
Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support (Aiming High) Year 1 Call Offs — held by Action for Children Services Limited and Caudwell Children (+1 more); no contract end date published.
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
- Open for tender
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Light touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 23 Jul 2026, 06:57 BST
- Last source update
- 23 Oct 2026, 10:33 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 14 Jan 2027
- Authority reference
IA3582- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-100302- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d154Find a Tender- Contract terms summary
Please see the document IA3582 High Value Above Threshold Competed Model Terms.
Upon expiry of the Agreement the Authority shall consider Schedule 5 Direct Award Justifications, Additional or repeat goods, services or works Section 8 where is it the authorities intention to carry out a subsequent procurement of similar services in reliance of this direct award justification.
- Risks
Risk: Legislation and Registration.
Modification: Changes in Legislation or Registration requirements are detailed within the Contract & Specification.
Risk: Cost, Budget and Contractual requirements
Modification: the Contract has a Change in Law clause and appropriate modifications are permissible under the Procurement Act.
Risk: Budget reduction
Modification: Contract terms allow for termination due to funding removal or modification due to budget reduction. Pricing schedules in the contract would need to be updated.
Risk: Fixed Budgets Constraints
Modification: The Provider & Council will meet through Contract Review Meetings (CRM) to flag any capacity pressures that may need addressing through the relevant clauses & schedules within the contract.
Risk: Provider failure
Modification: Clauses within the contract to serve notice & terminate.
Risk: Increase in demand for advocacy services.
Modification: The contract allows for modifications. The Council will comply with the modification grounds within the PA.
Risk: Local Government Re-organisation
Modification: If any legislative changes result in a significant impact upon referral numbers & subsequent service capacity pressures, the Council will meet with the Provider to jointly agree any mitigating action and/or possible resolutions through the relevant clauses within the contract.
Risk: IT systems and development
Modification: The Provider will complete an updated Third-Party Security Questionnaire. Modifications will be captured through the relevant clauses & schedules within the contract.
Risk: Resource Availability
Modification: the Provider will have the opportunity through regular meetings to notify the Council of any such capacity pressures & work with the Council to find a solution. The contract allows for appropriate modifications in compliance with the procurement act.
Risk: Value for Money
Modification: The Council will have regular meetings with the Provider to ensure continuous monitoring of service outcomes; Modifications will be captured through the relevant clauses & schedules within the contract.
Risk: Implementation/mobilisation
Modification: There will be a mobilisation period supported by a mobilisation plan. Exit meeting(s) will take place . The Contract allows modification to the commencement & end date for all contracts.
Risk: Engagement
Modification: The Council will develop relationships through regular meetings & support facilitation of innovative means of engagement. Appropriate modifications can be made through the relevant clauses and schedules within the contract.
Risk: Accessibility
Modification: The Council will have regular meetings with the Provider to ensure the Service can evidence it is targeting those hard to reach & reducing barriers for Individuals. The tender documents will address providers service delivery model and accessibility. Appropriate modifications can be made through the relevant clauses and schedules within the contract.
Risk: Training
Modification: The Specification outlines expectations around the levels of qualifications & the timescales to achieve them. It gives an opportunity for providers to develop none qualified advocacy staff and/or volunteers to supplement (where appropriate) qualified advocates. The Council will maintain compliance of this through regular meetings. Required modifications can be made through the relevant clauses & schedules within the contract.
Risk: Credentials/Experience
Modification: The tender process will assess and request bidders to evidence their ability to meet the Specification . Tender submissions will be evaluated on Price and Quality. The Council will monitor performance through regular meetings. Modifications can be made through the relevant clauses and schedules within the contract.
Risk: Quality
Modification required: The Council will have regular contract meetings to review KPI's and establish a mutual quality framework to measure the quality of Service. Modifications can be made through the relevant clauses & schedules within the contract.
Risk: Operational
Modification: The contract has clear escalation processes, regular meetings will take place and the Specification supports continuous improvement. Providers will submit their Business Continuity Plan within their tender submission.
Risk: External Factors
Modification: The Provider will have a business continuity plan in place. The Council will have regular meetings, good lines of communication and provider relationship management to facilitate discussions with regards to mitigating actions and/or possible resolutions. Required modifications can be made through the relevant clauses & schedules within the contract.
How to participate & submission route
Official notice Submit via ProContract (Due North)- Requests to participate (first stage)
- —
- Tender submission deadline
- 23 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 16 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Suppliers should register on the Councils' eProcurement system, Proactis:
supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login ↗
Suppliers will need to log in and select "Opportunities" then enter the tender reference "IA3582" in the box and select "Search". All tender documents will be found in the request document section.
Please note the specific clauses within the Terms and Conditions with regards to further information on the Local Government Re-Organisation.
Timeline
23 Jul 2026 → 1 Apr 2027 · 7 dates- Planning notice published97 days ago23 Jul 2026, 06:57 BST
- Market engagement65 days ago24 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
Staffordshire County Council wishes to hear from you in connection with our PME for the Provision of Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support.
- Providers will be able to access a document with the existing specification or service provision and a link to a MS Forms Survey. These documents will be available via our e-tendering portal Proactis.
- Please ensure that you are registered on Proactis: supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login ↗
- You can view the opportunity by searching for "Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) for Provision of Children's Short Breaks Activities and Support". The information will then be found in the "request documents" section.
- Once you have digested the contents of the existing specification or service provision then you can ask any immediate questions via the dialogue part of Proactis.
- A summarised Q&A log for all questions and their responses will be uploaded to Proactis for reference and clarity of approach. This log will be version controlled, and a refreshed version will be provided at appropriate points during the consultation process.
- Following the questions and responses, you are requested to complete the MS Forms Survey, which will relate to our PME consultation.
- The Council intends to respond to all questions and a summarised version of all responses received through the MS Forms Survey will be made available as part of any future tender documents.
- Tender notice published5 days ago23 Oct 2026, 10:33 BST
- Today29 Oct 2026
- Clarification questions byin 18 days16 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Submission deadlinein 25 days23 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Award decision expected byin 77 days14 Jan 2027, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 153 days1 Apr 2027, 00:00 BST
Notice history
6 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 23 Jul 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published23 Jul 2026, 06:57 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published23 Oct 2026, 10:33 BSTUK4
- Published value updated to £979,89023 Oct 2026, 10:33 BSTwas £900,000
- Status changed to active23 Oct 2026, 10:33 BST
- Procurement method changed23 Oct 2026, 10:33 BST
- Deadline published: 23 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT23 Oct 2026, 10:33 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Nothing awarded yet- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender