TENDER FOR THE PROVISION OF INDEPENDENT FOSTERING AGENCY SERVICES SOUTHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL (“The Council”) invites expressions of interest from suitably experienced firms/organisations for the provision of Independent Fostering Agency services. Southampton City Council are procuring these services for themselves and also for and on behalf of Bracknell Forest Council, Hampshire County Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Reading Borough Council, Slough Borough Council, Surrey County Council, West Berkshire Council, Windsor and Maidenhead Council and Wokingham Borough Council. The services will be provided through an Approved Provider List, Framework contract and Block contracts. The Approved Provider List will consist of all those providers that meet the council’s pre-determined criteria and accept the council’s contract conditions. Providers will be listed against a Lot or any combination of Lots from those listed below. The Framework Arrangement will contain multiple providers, divided into Lots. Placements through the Framework Arrangement will be made through a call-off process as set out in the framework agreement. Block contracts may also contain multiple providers, divided into Lots. Providers who wish to tender for the Framework and/or Block contracts will only be selected from those that have met the criteria for placement on the Approved Provider List and additional requirements detailed in the Instructions to Applicants. Providers will enter into an agreement for placement onto the Approved Provider List. Providers who are selected for inclusion on the Framework contract will enter into an agreement with the lead council (Southampton City Council), those Providers who are selected to provide services under a Block arrangement will enter into a services contract with those Councils (referred to above) which wish to have block arrangements. Providers may bid to be included in any one of the Lots, all of the Lots or a combination of the three. Lot 1 – Children aged 0-4, 5-10 years and young people aged 11+ years; Lot 2 – Parent and Child placements; Lot 3 – Disabled Children and Young People. Service providers will need to meet minimum qualification requirements to qualify for inclusion on the Approved Provider List, additional qualification requirements to be included in the tender process for the Framework and Block arrangement. Criteria and weightings for qualification/tender evaluation will be stated in the documentation. It is anticipated that all the arrangements will be in place by March 2012. The Framework and Block contracts will be for a period of three years with an option to extend for a further two years at the sole discretion of the councils and subject to satisfactory performance. Please note that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) may apply. Further details will be included in the invitation to tender documentation (to be confirmed). Whilst every effort has been made to consider the full scope of the requirement the Council does not guarantee the volume of the services required resulting from this tender or that it will accept any tender on completion of the tender exercise. The Services are Part B services and whilst the procurement will be in accordance with EU Treaty Principles we are not bound by and do not intend to follow the statutory procurement regime which would apply to Part A services as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2006. Applicants will be required to apply via the "Supply Southampton" website which can be accessed via, http://www.southampton.gov.uk/supplysouthampton where you can register your details and access the pre-qualification documentation "PQQs open to all suppliers" link. Pre-qualification documents must be completed and submitted by no later than 21st June 2011. For further information on the requirements please contact Richard Eyles through the secure messaging facility within the “Supply Southampton” web portal. The Council undertakes to use reasonable endeavours to hold confidential any information provided in the proposal submitted, subject to the Council's obligations under law, including the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If the applicant considers that any of the information submitted in the application should not be disclosed because of its sensitivity then this should be stated with the reasons for considering it sensitive. The Council will then consider the sensitivity statement before replying to any request received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. .