A Framework Agreement for Children’s Placements in Residential Care will be implemented by the South and Mid Wales Local Authorities.

Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council is acting on behalf of the following Wales Local Authorities to procure this framework. Those marked with an asterisk* may potentially use the Framework Agreement from the 1st May of each year that the framework is in place subject to entering into an agreement with the Procuring Authority:

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council.

Bridgend County Borough Council.

Caerphilly County Borough Council.

Cardiff Council.

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council.

Monmouthshire County Council.

Newport City Council.

Pembrokeshire County Council *.

Powys County Council.

Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.

Swansea Council.

Torfaen County Borough Council.

Vale of Glamorgan County Borough Council.

This process is being conducted under the governance of the Welsh Purchasing Consortium and in conjunction with the Children’s Commissioning Programme.

The value of the proposed Framework Agreement has been calculated with reference to the historical spend of all of those named local authorities. It should be noted that it is up to each of the named individual local authorities to decide if and at what stage they may choose to place reliance on the proposed Framework Agreement and to this end the Council, as lead authority in this procurement, offers no guarantee of volume or value in respect of any future expenditure and further that the number of local authorities who decide to place reliance upon the proposed Framework Agreement may vary during the term of the same.

Our expectation is that by providing greater business certainty to selected Residential Providers, Local Authorities will be better placed to achieve their objectives to improve outcomes for looked after children; achieve better value for money and develop greater placement capacity.

Local Authorities will always consider first whether a child can be matched with a placement provided by the Local Authority. Individual Placement Matching (IPM) will be used to match individual children to placements provided by those providers appointed to the proposed Framework Agreement.

The proposed Framework Agreement will be divided into two main Lots, depending on the placement type, as set out below:

Lot 1: Residential Care - Standard.

Lot 2: Residential Care - Specialist.

Tenderers can bid for one or both Lots.

The selection process for individual placement contracts will be described in the draft framework agreement, to be sent out to successful candidates with the invitation to tender.

For the avoidance of doubt this is a voluntary OJEU Contract Notice and the process to be followed for the subsequent award of any framework agreement will not correspond to any process stipulated by the Public Contract Regulations (as amended).