Welfare services for children and young people

Tender description

Rhondda-Cynon-Taff CBC is the lead authority acting on behalf of the Welsh Local Authorities for procuring a 'Flexible Framework' (FF) for the provision of residential care services for children looked after. The structure of the FF shall be a core specification that shall be applicable to all lots. Additional specification requirements will then be added for specific models of care and needs profiles, allocated into the lots. The FF will follow similar principals and characteristics of a standard framework, meeting the requirements of equal treatment and transparency. However the FF will remain open, allowing new entrants throughout its duration. Tenderers are able to access the FF at any time via the Councils current electronic tendering system –etenderwales: https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk Rhondda-Cynon-Taff CBC (RCT) acting on behalf on all Welsh Local Authorities are procuring a 'Flexible Framework' (FF) for the provision of residential care services for looked after children. The service to be provided is residential care for children or young people after an assessment of their needs by the local authority. These services will be provided in a manner that best safeguards and promotes the welfare of the child or young person. RCT is the host authority to the children's commissioning consortium (4C's), a Welsh regional team working to support local authority children's social services departments to commission and contract placements for looked after children. The services which are the subject of this procurement fall within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and accordingly the so called ‘light touch regime’, as set out in Regulations 74-77 of the 2015 Regulations. Under these regulations RCT is not required to procure these services in line with the full extent of the Regulations and is able to determine itself the procurement process subject to ensuring compliance with the principals of transparency and equal treatment of providers. To this end RCT is using a procurement system to be called flexible framework i.e. a system that is 'Open' and allows providers to join throughout its contract period. There will be no maximum number of providers. The flexible framework shall be lotted to meet the needs of specific models of care. The initial lot shall be for crisis interventions and alternatives to secure but additional lots will be developed and added to the flexible framework during its term. The participating Welsh Local Authorities may choose to make placements via this agreement. The duration of the flexible framework shall be an initial 10 years with an option to extend for up to 2 years.