Published date: 14 February 2024
This notice was replaced on 2 May 2024
This notice does not contain the most up-to-date information about this procurement. The most recent notice is:
Awarded contract (published 2 May 2024)
Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.
Contract summary
Industry
General management consultancy services - 79411000
Education and training services - 80000000
Location of contract
North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East, South West
Value of contract
£878,000
Procurement reference
tender_374400/1310188
Published date
14 February 2024
Closing date
18 March 2024
Closing time
12pm
Contract start date
1 April 2024
Contract end date
31 March 2025
Contract type
Service contract
Procedure type
Open procedure (above threshold)
Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.
This procedure can be used for procurements above the relevant contract value threshold.
Contract is suitable for SMEs?
Yes
Contract is suitable for VCSEs?
Yes
Description
The services relate to the Department's aim to procure a delivery partner for a pilot aimed at reducing delays in public law proceedings in the family court. The pilot will specifically introduce a pre-Case Management Hearing (CMH) meeting between the Cafcass Guardian (CG) and Local Authority social worker to facilitate mutual understanding about the case, to ensure a smoother process through court. This is an information-sharing meeting, taking place after the issuing of care proceedings, but prior to the first Case Management Hearing. This will allow the Cafcass Guardian to gain a better understanding of the case and be better informed on the social work analysis of the timing of the application and reason for type of Order applied for. We would expect, for example, that that this increased clarity may reduce uncertainty that leads to requests for new expert assessments at the case management hearing, and facilitate a more effective process through court.
- A proof of concept pilot of this work is currently underway (August to December 2023), testing the pre-CMH meeting in 22 local authorities. We are now seeking a Delivery Partner to facilitate the national roll out of the substantive pilot from March 2024 to April 2025 . All local authorities across England will be encouraged to participate through an open expression of interest process.
- While we will work closely with the successful Delivery Partner to design the specifics of a programme of work, there are four main areas we expect the Delivery Partner to service:
- Implementation and change management;
- Supporting effective working relationships;
- Spreading of learning; and
- Oversight and monitoring
The DfE are seeking to contract the Delivery Partner to:
- Establish and maintain relationships with the key stakeholders and professionals involved in the pilot, including professionals from LAs, Cafcass and HMCTS to ensure successful delivery of the pilot.
- Set up and deliver workshops to provide training to professionals involved in the pilot, to support them in testing this meeting.
- Set up drop-in sessions and communications to enable regular access to support and feedback. Feedback may include any recommendations to refine the meeting structure.
- Provide ongoing support, training, information and advice for local authorities and partners through a range of methods of support.
- Collect qualitative and quantitative data and monitor progress of the initiative to the department, including regular reporting to the DfE.
- Support the Evaluation Partner to enable an effective independent evaluation of the pilot.
Alongside the Delivery Partner, an Evaluation Partner will also be commissioned to independently evaluate the implementation, delivery, and impact of the pilot on its intended outcomes.
This competition is being run through DfEs E-Sourcing portal - Jaggaer https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html
Please contact vicki.gregg@education.gov.uk if you have any issues.
More information
Previous notice about this procurement
Reducing Time to Family Court - CAFCASS Delivery Partner (CF)
- Future opportunity
- Published 23 November 2023
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