Official UK procurement notice
Short Breaks Services Framework
Authority: Worcestershire County Council (Local council)
What is being bought4 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionWorcestershire County Council is seeking qualified and experienced suppliers to deliver services that support the Council to fulfil its Sufficiency Duty in relation to short breaks for Children with Disabilities and to improve the overall outcomes for these children. The framework agreement will assist the Council to improve the availability of suitable short breaks at the right time and right location, delivering the right support, ensuring that the Council’s Children in Care:
- Receive the best care possible to meet their needs.
- Are effectively supported to improve their individual outcomes.
- Have their welfare promoted and are effectively safeguarded.
The open framework is divided into four (4) Lots:
- Lot 1 – Overnight Fostering Short Breaks
- Lot 2 – Overnight Residential Short Breaks
- Lot 3 – Domiciliary Care
- Lot 4 – Short Breaks Support Workers
The Council is seeking to put in place an open framework to establish the initial framework and appoint one or more Suppliers to deliver services. This Procurement is intended to set up a list of approved Suppliers. There is no limit to the number of Suppliers who can join the framework. Call-off Award Procedures will then be conducted, and Call-off contracts will then be awarded.
The initial open framework will be for Lot 1 – Overnight Fostering Short Breaks and Lot 2 – Overnight Residential Short Breaks only, with new open framework start date of 1st November 2026.
Lot 3 – Domiciliary Care and Lot 4 – Short Breaks Support Workers 4 will continue on the existing Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) until 28th February 2027.
The framework for Lot 3 – Domiciliary Care and Lot 4 – Short Breaks Support Workers will open in the autumn, with an open framework start date of 1st March 2027. Lot 1– Overnight Fostering Short Breaks and Lot 2 – Overnight Residential Short Breaks will also reopen at this time.
All Lots will then reopen at least annually in the autumn.
- The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 1 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST.
CPV: Health and social work services · Homedelivery of provisions · Other community, social and personal services · Social work and related services · Social work services with accommodation · Social work services without accommodation · Welfare services for children and young people · Welfare services not delivered through residential institutions
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Closed framework · open framework scheme (admission reopens)
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Bids received
- 2 bids on the busiest of 2 lots · 2 suppliers appointed
- Framework period
- 8 yrs from 1 Nov 2026
- Scheme runs until
- 31 Oct 2034
Published description of the framework
Awards under the framework agreement may be made with or without reopening competition. Please refer to the Appendix 2 - Short Breaks Services Framework Agreement Clause 4 (Award Procedure) and service specifications for each Lot.
Lots and requirements (4)Procurement structure
4 lots · all with a published valueEvery one of these 2 lots carries the same published figure, £2,000,000: it is the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each lot's own budget, and no share per lot is published. The cards below say ceiling above rather than repeat it.
Lot #1Overnight Fostering Short BreaksAwardedceiling above
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #2Overnight Residential Short BreaksAwardedceiling above
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #3Domiciliary CareAwardedPublished value£2,920,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #4Short Breaks Support WorkersAwardedPublished value£7,600,000
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).
- “Short Breaks Services Framework” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
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
- Open framework scheme
- Who may use the vehicle
- Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Yes · next expected 1 Sept 2026
- First published
- 27 Nov 2025, 14:01 GMT
- Last source update
- 14 Oct 2026, 08:35 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 31 Jul 2026
- Authority reference
CSC25128- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-043367- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05ea2eFind a Tender
- Earlier procedure Short Breaks Services Framework
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 19 Jun 2026, 16:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 8 Jun 2026, 16:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
27 Nov 2025 → 1 Nov 2026 · 11 dates- Planning notice published323 days ago27 Nov 2025, 14:01 GMT
- Market engagement253 days ago4 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
Worcestershire County Council is issuing this Preliminary Market Engagement notice to notify the market of an upcoming procurement opportunity for Short Breaks Services for children and young people with disabilities and / or complex needs.
Our primary objective is to engage with experienced suppliers, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises (VCSEs) to inform the design of the new framework and service specifications.
The initial market engagement event will be held virtually by Microsoft Teams by invite only on 4th February 2026 (13.30 - 14.30).
If you are interested in attending please email [email protected] marked for the attention of Gail Blake including your organisation name and the name of attendees with relevant email address(es) for the invite.
04.02.2026 Update: A copy of the slide deck shared at the market engagement event held on 4th February 2026 has been uploaded to the council's e-tendering portal : www.in-tendhost.co.uk/worcestershire/aspx/… ↗
- Next notice expected197 days ago1 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice published157 days ago12 May 2026, 11:27 BST
- Clarification questions by130 days ago8 Jun 2026, 16:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends119 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown19 Jun 2026, 16:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent77 days ago31 Jul 2026, 00:00 BST
- Award decision expected by76 days ago31 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
- Standstill ends62 days ago14 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
- Latest notice published2 days ago14 Oct 2026, 08:35 BST
- Today16 Oct 2026
- Contract startsin 16 days1 Nov 2026
Notice history
13 events · 7 releases on Find a Tender · since 27 Nov 2025- Pipeline notice published27 Nov 2025, 14:01 GMTUK1
- Preliminary market engagement notice published26 Jan 2026, 14:21 GMTUK2
- Preliminary market engagement notice published4 Feb 2026, 14:33 GMTUK2
- Pipeline notice published12 Feb 2026, 10:50 GMTUK1
- Published value updated to £14,520,00012 Feb 2026, 10:50 GMTwas £4,000,000
- Tender notice published12 May 2026, 11:27 BSTUK4
- Status changed to active12 May 2026, 11:27 BST
- Procurement method changed12 May 2026, 11:27 BST
- Deadline published: 19 Jun 2026, 16:00 BST12 May 2026, 11:27 BST
- Contract award notice published31 Jul 2026, 10:34 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete31 Jul 2026, 10:34 BST
- Contract signature expected1 Oct 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published14 Oct 2026, 08:35 BSTUK7
Published amendments (2)
04.02.2026 Update: A copy of the slide deck shared at the market engagement event held on 4th February 2026 has been uploaded to the council's e-tendering portal
Additional lots have now been included in this procurement; • Lot 3 – Domiciliary Care • Lot 4 – Short Breaks Support Workers
Routine re-releases (7)
- 2026-02: 2 releases · 4 Feb 2026, 12 Feb 2026
- 2026-01: 1 release · 26 Jan 2026
- 2025-11: 1 release · 27 Nov 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast£2,000,000 is the framework's published maximum, restated by the publisher on 2 award rows. It is one ceiling, not 2 separate sums, and no share per lot is published; those rows read “ceiling above”.
| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 · Overnight Fostering Short Breaks1 award | |||
| Barnardo'sVCSE, Progress Children's ServicesSME1 Nov 2026 – 31 Oct 2034 | ceiling above | 31 Jul 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 2 · Overnight Residential Short Breaks1 award | |||
| Progress Children's ServicesSME1 Nov 2026 – 31 Oct 2030 | ceiling above | 31 Jul 2026 | Awarded |
| Across several lots1 award | |||
| supplier not published | — | 31 Jul 2026 | Awarded |
Contracts
All 2 of these contracts carry the same published figure, £2,000,000, the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each contract's own value. They are not eleven separate sums.
Lot 1 - Overnight Fostering Short Breaks · Barnardo'sVCSE, Progress Children's ServicesSME
- Signed
- 13 Oct 2026
- Value
- ceiling above
- Period
- 1 Nov 2026 – 31 Oct 2034
- Status
- active
Lot 2 – Overnight Residential Short Breaks · Progress Children's ServicesSME
- Signed
- 13 Oct 2026
- Value
- ceiling above
- Period
- 1 Nov 2026 – 31 Oct 2030
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Overnight Fostering Short Breaks | 2final-stage tenders | 1 | 1 | — |
| 2 · Overnight Residential Short Breaks | 1final-stage tenders | 1 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Framework contractors & participating bidders
2 commercial parties on the notice- Barnardo'sFramework contractor
- Progress Children's Services LimitedFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications (10)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract details notice Contract details 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
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Show 2 more notices
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender