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Published 30 Mar 2026, 11:29 BST

Official UK procurement notice

CN220350 - Therapies: SEN, Adoption Support Service and VSK (previously SC21032)

Official notice

Authority: Wood Waste Disposal Services (Public body)

Framework agreement3 lotsServicesAward procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Sectors: Education & Training (80)Health & Social Care (85) Delivery: South East (UKJ4)
Framework ceiling (notional)Value not publishedframework ceiling, not attributable revenue
Awarded 11 Mar 2026no call for competition
Lots 3see the lot list below

What is being bought3 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

SEN Therapies (Lot 1)

The Council recognises that SEN therapy service providers have an important role in improving a child or young person's (CYP's) participation in learning experiences and access to curriculum opportunities and outcomes for our children who have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. The Council aims to establish a relational contracting approach with providers on the Qualified Provider List (QPL) that will:

  • recognise the interdependencies between local authorities, service providers, Ofsted and other stakeholders;
  • facilitate co operation, shared learning and improvement;
  • enable the Council to anticipate and respond quickly to the changing needs of CYP with an EHC plan;
  • support joint working between the Council's education services and therapy service providers to help improve outcomes for CYP with an EHC plan;
  • help ensure sufficiency and suitability of therapy provision tailored to the current and anticipated needs of CYP with an EHC plan; and
  • ensure fairness in commercial arrangements between commissioners and providers, with transparency of prices.

Adoption Support Service (Lot 2)

The Adoption Support Fund (ASF) has been established to help adoptive families access the services they need more easily. The ASF provides funds to local authorities (LAs) and Regional Adoption Agencies (RAAs) to pay for essential therapeutic services for eligible adoptive families and families with a Special Guardianship Order (SGO). The aim of the ASF and the support it funds is to:

  • improve outcomes for young people and families;
  • improve the core adoption/SGO support offered to families; and
  • build the evidence base so that interventions demonstrate their effectiveness and value for money.

Virtual Schools Kent (Lot 3)

Virtual School Head Teachers (VSHs) are responsible for promoting the educational achievement of children looked after by the local authority. For some young people, a therapeutic approach or intervention may be required to support access to, or

engagement with, education.

Kent Children in Care (CiC), aged 3 to 18, are supported by Virtual School Kent (VSK). Pupil Premium Plus (PP+), Post 16 Pupil Premium Plus (P16PP+), or Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) funding can be used to pay for activities that:

a) improve the learning targets in children's Personal Education Plans (PEPs); and

b) encourage CiC to be more involved in and interested in their education.

CPV: Education and training services · Health and social work services

How this framework works

From the published notice
Bids received
6 bids received · 6 suppliers appointed

Lots and requirements (3)Procurement structure

3 lots · no lot values published · same evaluation weights on every lot
Lot #1SEN Therapies Lot 1Cancelled

Successful bidders shall be invited to sign the Framework Agreement and join the QPL for the appropriate lots they have bid for ("Framework Agreement"). Entry into this contract

does not guarantee that the Council will purchase Therapy Services from any bidder, but it will ensure that the successful bidder is included on the Council's QPL.

As and when the Council requires specific Therapy Services, the Council shall:

  1. review the QPL and select providers that have the professional qualifications to deliver the required services;
  2. start a mini competition by submitting a call off request to those selected providers in accordance with the Framework Agreement (Order Form or request for service from the

relevant service - SEN Therapies (Lot 1) or Adoption Support Service (Lot 2));

  1. request a final price for the relevant Therapy Services; and
  2. decide whether to proceed with the required Therapy Services at the price stated, based on the award criteria set out in the Framework Agreement.

Where, in the reasonable professional opinion of the Council, there is only one provider with the relevant expertise to provide the required Therapy Services to a particular CYP, the Council may approach a single provider on the QPL.

No call off and/or contract for any requested Therapy Services shall be deemed to have taken place or been formed until the Council formally accepts the price quoted by the chosen provider in accordance with the Framework Agreement.

Delivery: South East
80000000 Education and training services
Lot #2Adoption Support Service Lot 2Cancelled

Successful bidders shall be invited to sign the Framework Agreement and join the QPL for the appropriate lots they have bid for ("Framework Agreement"). Entry into this contract does not guarantee that the Council will purchase Therapy Services from any bidder, but it will ensure that the successful bidder is included on the Council's QPL.

As and when the Council requires specific Therapy Services, the Council shall:

  1. review the QPL and select providers that have the professional qualifications to deliver the required services;
  2. start a mini competition by submitting a call off request to those selected providers in accordance with the Framework Agreement (Order Form or request for service from the

relevant service - SEN Therapies (Lot 1) or Adoption Support Service (Lot 2));

  1. request a final price for the relevant Therapy Services; and
  2. decide whether to proceed with the required Therapy Services at the price stated, based on the award criteria set out in the Framework Agreement.

Where, in the reasonable professional opinion of the Council, there is only one provider with the relevant expertise to provide the required Therapy Services to a particular CYP, the Council may approach a single provider on the QPL.

No call off and/or contract for any requested Therapy Services shall be deemed to have taken place or been formed until the Council formally accepts the price quoted by the chosen provider in accordance with the Framework Agreement.

Delivery: South East
80000000 Education and training services
Lot #3Virtual School Kent Lot 3Cancelled

Virtual School Head Teachers (VSHs) are responsible for promoting the educational achievement of all children looked after by the local authority. For some young people, a therapeutic approach or intervention may be required in order to support access to, or

engagement with, education.

Kent Children in Care (CiC), aged 3 to 18 years, are supported by Virtual School Kent (VSK). Pupil Premium Plus (PP+), Post 16 Pupil Premium Plus (P16PP+) or Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) funding may be used to pay for activities that:

a) improve the learning targets set out in children's Personal Education Plans (PEPs); and

b) encourage CiC to be more involved in and motivated by their education.

Therapeutic support provided under this lot should not be regarded as an alternative health provision or a replacement for therapy services that may be commissioned through the NHS. Services provided to support PEP targets often involve intensive specialist interventions or approaches required to maintain educational placements and promote progress.

Delivery: South East
80000000 Education and training services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Legal basis
CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Framework agreement
Who may use this agreement
Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
30 Mar 2026, 11:29 BST
Last source update
30 Mar 2026, 11:29 BST
Authority reference
CN220350 (previously SC21032)
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-028987
Classification (CPV)
Education and training servicesHealth and social work services
Delivery area
South East (UKJ4)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-067792 Find a Tender
Why no open competition
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive
Published justification

This notice does not concern a new procurement procedure. It publishes the admission of additional providers to an existing Qualified Provider List established under the Light Touch Regime in accordance with Regulations 74-77 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The original QPL was openly advertised and awarded under contract reference SC21032, with Contract Award Notices published on 11 August 2023 and 3 September 2024. The QPL allows for continuous admission of providers during its term. As such, no new call for competition is required and this transparency notice is lawful.

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Suppliers appointed 6admitted to the panel · see the list ↓
Bids received 6
Contracts signed 1latest 11 Mar 2026

1 suppliers are admitted to this framework without individual award values or dates, see the supplier list below.

Contracts

  • Contract 028987-2026-1

    Signed
    11 Mar 2026
    Value
    —
    Status
    active

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
6bids——£1 – £1,000,000

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Kent County Council

Contracting authorityPublic bodyRegional or local authorityLocal Authority County Hall, Maidstone, South East, ME141XQContact name, email

Framework contractors & participating bidders

6 commercial parties on the notice

Official documents & specifications

Official links; attachments are not copied

No document links were published on the notice.