Procurement description
Birmingham Children's Trust Community Interest Company (the "Trust") is seeking to appoint one or more organisations to deliver the Early Help and District Leads service across Birmingham. The Procurement Process will be conducted in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 and the Procurement Regulations 2024. The Services fall within the Light Touch regime and the Trust will conduct the Procurement using a Competitive Flexible Procedure.
The service will work alongside Trust colleagues, Family Hub networks, statutory partners, schools and the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector to provide accessible and timely support to children and families.
The model will take a strengths-based approach, recognising and building on the skills, knowledge, networks and assets already present within Birmingham’s communities. It will place children, families, trust, collaboration and co-design at the centre of delivery, while maintaining clear accountability and consistent outcomes across the city.
Providers will be expected to:
- work effectively with grassroots organisations, established VCFSE providers, schools, Family Hubs, statutory partners and community networks;
- identify, connect and develop local community assets and routes to support;
- provide accessible support from community-based locations, including arrangements that enable a child or family to access the service from an appropriate location rather than being restricted solely by their home district;
- demonstrate how local responsiveness will be combined with a consistent citywide offer, shared standards and effective partnership governance; and
- evidence outcomes, learning and continuous improvement throughout the Contract.
The contract is intended to commence on 1 April 2027 for an initial period of three years, with an option to extend for up to a further two years, subject to satisfactory performance, funding availability and the terms of the Contract.
The Competitive Flexible Procedure has been designed as a two-stage process, enabling the Trust to assess different proposed delivery models at Stage 1 before progressing selected Participant(s) and delivery approach(es) to a detailed Final Tender.
The Procurement will comprise:
Stage 1 – Conditions of Participation and Initial Tender
Participants must submit:
• Appendix A – Participation Response Document: Conditions of Participation;
• Appendix B – Safeguarding Questionnaire;
• Appendix C – Economic and Financial Standing Assessment; and
• Document 002 – Initial Tender Response Document.
The Trust will first assess the applicable Conditions of Participation on a Pass/Fail basis. Participants satisfying the mandatory Conditions of Participation will then have their Initial Tender evaluated against the published Stage 1 evaluation criteria.
The Initial Tender quality questions will be scored. The applicable question weightings and progression requirements are set out in Document 002.
Stage 1 - Proposed delivery model and outcomes – 30%
Stage 1 - Geographical coverage and local capability – 20%
Stage 1 - Governance, collaboration and accountability – 15%
Stage 1 - Capability, workforce and high-level mobilisation – 15%
Stage 1 - Financial sustainability and affordability – 15%
Stage 1 - Key risks and development required for Stage 2 – 5%
Stage 1 scores will be used to determine progression to the Final Tender Stage (Stage 2) and will not contribute to the final contract award score.
Stage 2 – Final Tender
Participants invited to progress will be issued with the Final Tender Procurement Documents, including Document 003 – Final Tender Response Document and the Final Financial Schedule.