Official UK procurement notice
Fostering and Continuing Care Services 0924
Authority: Scotland Excel
What is being bought2 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThis Contract Notice pertains to a Flexible Framework for Fostering and Continuing Care Services 0924. The Flexible Framework will support local authorities to access nurturing family homes for children and young people who are care experienced. For more detail- see CONTRACT NOTICE ATTACHMENT (per III.1.4).
CPV: Social work and related services · Social work services
Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure
2 lots · all with a published value · win at most 2 of themLot #1Standard ServicePublished value£244,950,000
As further detailed in the procurement documents Service Option 1 - Standard Service pertains to the provision of Fostering and Continuing Care Services for children and young people whose needs can be met within a stable family setting with routine support.
The anticipated value is estimated and may be subject to change. There is no guarantee of any business, use, level of use or continuity of business through the Flexible Framework.
The Award Criteria is Quality/Weighting 80
Price/Weighting 20. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Regulations. Please see the Invitation to Tender contained on the PCS-Tender project relevant to this procurement and the other Procurement Documents for further information.
Lot #2Enhanced ServicesPublished value£100,050,000
As further detailed in the procurement documents Service Option 2 "Enhanced Service" pertains to the provision of Fostering and Continuing Care Services where foster placements support children and young people who have been assessed as requiring additional health, emotional or psychological related support through increased level of carer skill and professional expertise.
The anticipated value is estimated and may be subject to change. There is no guarantee of any business, use, level of use or continuity of business through the Flexible Framework. Additional information: Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Regulations. Please see the Invitation to Tender contained on the PCS-Tender project relevant to this procurement and the other Procurement Documents for further information.
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).
The services to be provided are "Social and Other Specific Services" in Schedule 3 of the Regulations and the procurement process is subject to the requirements of section 7 of the Regulations. Applicable variations, specific requirements and evaluation approaches are set out in the Procurement Documents.
Tenders may be excluded from evaluation (in whole, or in part) if they do not meet the published requirements or include information in accordance with instructions given.
- Technical & professional ability
The Tenderer must hold the necessary Regulatory Registrations required in law. Registration number(s) and any supporting information provided at Section 4A.2 in the SPD.
- Staff
- Names and qualifications of delivery staff must be submitted
- Shortlisting
- Providers must hold and maintain the necessary registration with the relevant regulatory body/ies including the Care Inspectorate according to the Services offered. The following minimum requirements apply: Care Inspectorate registration, Financial stability, Minimum insurance requirements as follows: (a)Public Liability,(b)Employers Liability,(c)Statutory Third-Party Motor Vehicle Liability(d)Professional Indemnity. The tenderer cannot rely on the capacities of others to meet this selection requirement. Failure to demonstrate these requirements are met may lead to exclusion. Full details of the minimum requirements are in the Contract Notice Attachment titled "0924 Contract Notice Attachment" contained within the "Buyer Attachments" area of ITT 64506 (project 27566) on the Public Contracts Scotland Tender (PCS-T) website: https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
- “Fostering and Continuing Care Services 0924” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.
Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid
Competition for Social work and related services (CPV 8530), and who usually turns up
Scotland Excel has too little published record in this market to describe on its own. Published market evidence for the same work stands beside whatever it has. This notice is a framework or DPS, so only frameworks and DPS are compared. Whole-market view: Social work and related services (CPV 8530) →
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.
Here, local means registered in Scotland.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners are registered in Scotland.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards were announced within 75 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.
The market share is a minimum: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Missing bid counts may hide more single-bid awards. This share is a minimum.
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% / 0%
2–36% / 16%
4–69% / 16%
7+85% / 68%
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.
On a framework or DPS, prices are agreed when work is called off.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Not comparable on a framework or DPS. The notice sets up a supplier panel and a ceiling value; what the work actually costs is agreed later, on each call-off or mini-competition, and those publish as contract notices of their own. The award-vs-estimate record of this market therefore sits on the call-offs; this page shows it on the contracts, not on the panel that frames them.
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 “Fostering and Continuing Care Services” of this authority, but none of the 15 panel members sit in a category matching this notice.
Lot #1Standard ServiceCPV 85300000Published estimate£245m
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 bid0%
2–30%
4–61%
7+99%
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.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ailsa Building Contractors LtdWorked for this buyer | Care and Support Services Flexible Framework Agreement NEW ENTRANTSnotice published Mar 2026 | — | — | Similar wording and category |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £27m4 awards in 36m · last 12 months ago | None on file | 3% below n=2 | |
Barnardo'sLarge | £167m83 awards in 36m · last this month | 31 live · £87m 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=38 |
ACTION FOR CHILDRENLarge | £144m33 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 7 live · £8.2m 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=17 |
| £12m11 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 2 live · £12m 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=1 | |
| £5.8m5 awards in 36m · last 7 months ago | None on file | 3% above n=1 |
Lot #2Enhanced ServicesCPV 85300000Published estimate£100m
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 bid0%
2–30%
4–61%
7+99%
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.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ailsa Building Contractors LtdWorked for this buyer | Care and Support Services Flexible Framework Agreement NEW ENTRANTSnotice published Mar 2026 | — | — | Similar wording and category |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £27m4 awards in 36m · last 12 months ago | None on file | 3% below n=2 | |
Barnardo'sLarge | £167m83 awards in 36m · last this month | 31 live · £87m 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=38 |
ACTION FOR CHILDRENLarge | £144m33 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 7 live · £8.2m 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=17 |
| £13m7 awards in 36m · last 4 months ago | None on file | at estimate n=3 | |
| 2 awards in 36m · last 8 months ago | 1 live · £1.0m 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. | 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.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Open admission
- 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
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 23 Jan 2026, 15:30 GMT
- Last source update
- 22 Oct 2026, 11:07 BST
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-099867- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-060d9bFind a Tender
- Electronic trading
- e-invoicing allowed · electronic ordering · electronic payment
- Performance terms
Full details of the conditions relevant to the Flexible Framework and contracts to be awarded thereunder are in the Procurement Documents. Tenderers will be asked to confirm their acceptance of the contract conditions.
TENDERERS MADE SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED AND MAY BE REFUSED ON THE GROUNDS OF SUCH CONDITIONS ALONE.
Scotland Excel may require the members of any tendering group of entities (including, but not limited to consortium members, members of a group of economic operators and/or sub-contractors) to be jointly and severally liable for the performance of the contract and may require them to assume a specific legal form for the purposes of the appointment to the Flexible Framework. For further information relative to the submission of consortia tenders, tenders by groups of economic operators and sub-contracting, please refer to the tender documentation which is available in the relevant PCS-T project for this procurement exercise.
- Review procedure
An economic operator that suffers, or risks suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (SS1 2015/446) (as amended) may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or the Court of Session.
Publisher note: IMPORTANT NOTE: The specific requirements and evaluation approaches applicable to this process are set out in the Procurement Documents. Tenderers should note that their tender may be excluded in whole or in part if it does not meet the published selection requirements or Minimum Quality Threshold. This Tender process is subject to the Law and Guidance applicable in Scotland relative to the award of public contracts (without limitation) as set out in the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. As such, this Notice relates to the use of a procedure based upon the Open Procedure to establish a Flexible Framework with variations as permitted under the Regulations. In particular, once established, subject to the terms of the Flexible Framework, there may be opportunities for admission of new entrants and existing providers may apply to vary their service offering (see the Procurement Documents for full details). Reference within this Contract Notice to a "lot" or "lots" is a reference to a "Service Option" as further described in the Procurement Documents. In line with the contract conditions, should any of the defined terms, procedures or any other regulated matter become subject to any change in the Law, resulting in any change to the defined terms, or to the manner in which such procedures or other matters require to be dealt with, then such changes shall take precedence over that contained in the Flexible Framework. Scotland Excel, as a central purchasing body, is procuring this framework for the use and benefit of its members namely 32 local authorities in Scotland, Tayside Contracts, associate members, together with any Integration Authority, or other body, established pursuant to the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014. Scotland Excel local authority members and associate members entitled to use this framework, are listed at http://www.scotlandexcel.org.uk/home/Aboutus/Ourmembers/Our_members.aspx Tenderers are advised that whether electronic ordering, invoicing and payment will be used or accepted is at the discretion of each contracting authority entitled to use this proposed framework agreement. This will be settled by them at point of use. Scotland Excel have provided a webinar link providing tendering guidance for suppliers in relation to all Scotland Excel frameworks that are advertised on the PCS-T portal. Link (http://www.scotland-excel.org.uk/home/Suppliers/Tendering-process.aspx) The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 27566. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343 The buyer is using PCS-Tender to conduct this ITT exercise. The Project code is 27566. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2343 The Contracting Authority does not intend to include a sub-contract clause as part of community benefits (as per Section 25 of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014) in this contract for the following reason: Tenderers will be required to confirm whether they intend to subcontract any share of the contract to third parties and, if so, to complete relevant sections of the SPD for each subcontractor. Tenderers should note that the contract does not permit the Provider to sub-contract any part of the Service for which the Provider requires to hold a regulatory registration. Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see: https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-procurement/ A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows: In accordance with section 25(3) of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 note that, Scotland Excel intends to include community benefit requirements. As part of you response within the Technical Envelope, bidders will be requested to commit to delivery of community benefits in accordance with the methodology outlined in the tender documents. (SC Ref:834291)
How to participate & submission route
Official notice Apply via Public Contracts Scotland- Requests to participate (first stage)
- —
- Appointment period ends
- 18 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- —
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
1 May 2026 → 18 Nov 2026 · 3 dates- Next notice expected174 days ago1 May 2026, 00:00 BST
- Notice publishedjust passed22 Oct 2026, 11:07 BST
- Today22 Oct 2026
- Admission / appointment period endsin 27 days · period end, not a bid countdown18 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
Notice history
4 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 22 Oct 2026- Published value published: £345,000,00022 Oct 2026, 11:07 BST
- Status changed to active22 Oct 2026, 11:07 BST
- Procurement method changed22 Oct 2026, 11:07 BST
- Deadline published: 18 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT22 Oct 2026, 11:07 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
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- Court of SessionReview body
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice; the tender pack is on the portal.