Official UK procurement notice
Short Breaks Services Framework (CSC25128)
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 was 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 is now open with a start date of 1st March 2027. Lot 1– Overnight Fostering Short Breaks and Lot 2 – Overnight Residential Short Breaks are also open again for new applications.
All Lots will reopen at least annually in the autumn.
- The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 26 Feb 2027, 23:59 GMT.
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
- Framework period
- 7 yrs 8 mo from 1 Mar 2027
- 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 Breaksceiling above
Lot 1 – Overnight Fostering Short Breaks covers the provision of planned overnight short breaks within the home of an approved foster carer that meet regulatory standards.
The service provides family-based respite care for children and young people with disabilities and/or complex needs who are assessed as benefiting from a foster family environment.
Lot #2Overnight Residential Short Breaksceiling above
Lot 2 – Overnight Residential Short Breaks covers the provision of planned overnight short breaks within a registered children’s home setting.
The service provides respite care for children and young people with disabilities and/or complex needs who are assessed as benefiting from a residential environment.
Lot #3Domiciliary CarePublished value£2,920,000
Lot 3 – Domiciliary Care covers the provision of one-to-one or two-to-one care (daily living activities, personal care, and household tasks) to children and young people aged 0-18 years with SEND and their families in their home.
Lot #4Short Breaks Support WorkersPublished value£7,600,000
Provision under Lot 4 – Short Breaks Support Workers includes help and support to children and young people at their home and to enable and facilitate access to activities in the community.
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 (CSC25128)” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid
How Worcestershire County Council buys Social work services (CPV 8531), and who usually turns up
Worcestershire County Council’s own published record, next to the published market for the same work. This notice is a framework or DPS, so only frameworks and DPS are compared. 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.
Here, local means registered in West Midlands.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners are registered in West Midlands.
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 40 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 bid10% / 8%
2–310% / 8%
4–610% / 23%
7+70% / 62%
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
Lot #1Overnight Fostering Short BreaksCPV 85311300Published estimate£2.0m
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 bid30%
2–318%
4–612%
7+40%
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 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnardo'sLive contract | Short Breaks Services Frameworkruns to Oct 2030 | Lot 1 - Overnight Fostering Short Breaks | — | 68% match |
| Progress Children's ServicesLive contract | Short Breaks Services Frameworkruns to Oct 2030 | Lot 1 - Overnight Fostering Short Breaks | — | 68% match |
| Golden Nest Carehomes LimitedWorked for this buyer | ASC22027 - Residential Replacement (Respite) Care for Older Peoplenotice published Jul 2024 | — | — | 82% match |
| Sanctuary Care LimitedWorked for this buyer | ASC22027 - Residential Replacement (Respite) Care for Older Peoplenotice published Jul 2024 | — | — | 82% match |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Barnardo'sLarge | £168m91 awards in 36m · last this month | 30 live · £86m 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 | £144m35 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=16 |
Action for ChildrenLarge | £311m30 awards in 36m · last this month | 12 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=14 |
| £1.3m4 awards in 36m · last 7 months ago | 1 live · £450k 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 | |
| £50m12 awards in 36m · last this month | None on file | no comparable pairs |
Lot #2Overnight Residential Short BreaksCPV 85311300Published estimate£2.0m
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 bid27%
2–318%
4–612%
7+43%
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 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnardo'sLive contract | Short Breaks Services Frameworkruns to Oct 2030 | Lot 1 - Overnight Fostering Short Breaks | — | 68% match |
| Progress Children's ServicesLive contract | Short Breaks Services Frameworkruns to Oct 2030 | Lot 1 - Overnight Fostering Short Breaks | — | 68% match |
| Sanctuary Care LimitedWorked for this buyer | ASC22027 - Residential Replacement (Respite) Care for Older Peoplenotice published Jul 2024 | — | — | 83% match |
| Golden Nest Carehomes LimitedWorked for this buyer | ASC22027 - Residential Replacement (Respite) Care for Older Peoplenotice published Jul 2024 | — | — | 83% match |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Barnardo'sLarge | £168m91 awards in 36m · last this month | 30 live · £86m 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 | £144m35 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=16 |
Action for ChildrenLarge | £311m30 awards in 36m · last this month | 12 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=14 |
| £11m12 awards in 36m · last 4 months ago | 4 live · £128m 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. | 36% below n=1 | |
| £50m12 awards in 36m · last this month | None on file | no comparable pairs |
Lot #3Domiciliary CareCPV 85311300Published estimate£2.9m
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%
4–611%
7+58%
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 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnardo'sLive contract | Short Breaks Services Frameworkruns to Oct 2030 | Lot 1 - Overnight Fostering Short Breaks | — | 68% match |
| Progress Children's ServicesLive contract | Short Breaks Services Frameworkruns to Oct 2030 | Lot 1 - Overnight Fostering Short Breaks | — | 68% match |
| Sanctuary Care LimitedWorked for this buyer | ASC22027 - Residential Replacement (Respite) Care for Older Peoplenotice published Jul 2024 | — | — | 82% match |
| Golden Nest Carehomes LimitedWorked for this buyer | ASC22027 - Residential Replacement (Respite) Care for Older Peoplenotice published Jul 2024 | — | — | 82% match |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Action for ChildrenLarge | £311m30 awards in 36m · last this month | 12 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=14 |
| £50m12 awards in 36m · last this month | None on file | no comparable pairs | |
Endorphins Group LtdLarge | £1.3m12 awards in 36m · last 4 months ago | 1 live · £880k 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 |
| £16m3 awards in 36m · last 12 months ago | None on file | no comparable pairs | |
| 2 awards in 36m · last 10 months ago | 1 live · £3.6m 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 |
Lot #4Short Breaks Support WorkersCPV 85311300Published estimate£7.6m
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 bid12%
2–311%
4–68%
7+70%
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 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnardo'sLive contract | Short Breaks Services Frameworkruns to Oct 2030 | Lot 1 - Overnight Fostering Short Breaks | — | 68% match |
| Progress Children's ServicesLive contract | Short Breaks Services Frameworkruns to Oct 2030 | Lot 1 - Overnight Fostering Short Breaks | — | 68% match |
| Sanctuary Care LimitedWorked for this buyer | ASC22027 - Residential Replacement (Respite) Care for Older Peoplenotice published Jul 2024 | — | — | 81% match |
| Golden Nest Carehomes LimitedWorked for this buyer | ASC22027 - Residential Replacement (Respite) Care for Older Peoplenotice published Jul 2024 | — | — | 81% match |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Barnardo'sLarge | £168m91 awards in 36m · last this month | 30 live · £86m 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 | £144m35 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=16 |
Action for ChildrenLarge | £311m30 awards in 36m · last this month | 12 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=14 |
| £1.3m4 awards in 36m · last 7 months ago | 1 live · £450k 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 | |
| £50m12 awards in 36m · last this month | 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 match score 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.
78% 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.
78% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
The prior contract this notice most likely re-tenders · matched by title and category (78% title match), the holder is not guaranteed to re-bid
Short Breaks Services Framework — held by Progress Children's Services; the published contract ends 31 Oct 2034.
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 admission
- 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 26 Feb 2027
- First published
- 14 Oct 2026, 12:55 BST
- Last source update
- 14 Oct 2026, 12:55 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 21 Dec 2026
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-096982- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-078781Find a Tender
- Earlier procedure Short Breaks Services Framework
How to participate & submission route
Official notice Apply via In-tend- Requests to participate (first stage)
- —
- Appointment period ends
- 16 Nov 2026, 16:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 28 Oct 2026, 16:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
14 Oct 2026 → 1 Mar 2027 · 5 dates- Tender notice published1 day ago14 Oct 2026, 12:55 BST
- Today15 Oct 2026
- Clarification questions byin 14 days28 Oct 2026, 16:00 GMT
- Admission / appointment period endsin 33 days · period end, not a bid countdown16 Nov 2026, 16:00 GMT
- Award decision expected byin 68 days21 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 137 days1 Mar 2027
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Tender notice published14 Oct 2026, 12:55 BSTUK4
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 (1)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender