Procurement description
The Department for Education (DfE) has established a closed framework for the design, development and delivery of a national learning and development offer for Child and Family Social Workers in England.
The Social Work National Professional Development Offer Framework is intended to strengthen the development of qualified child and family social workers and support clearer, structured career pathways aligned to the specialist knowledge and skills required to better support children and families. Delivery will be supported through a digital platform to enable flexible access, consistency of provision and scalability across the workforce.
The framework is divided into two lots:
Lot 1: Early Career Development Programme (ECDP), Family Help Team Manager Programme (FHTMP) and Lead Child Protection Practitioner Programme (LCPPP). These programmes focus on developing practice and management capability across key workforce roles.
Lot 2: Leadership Programme (LP) and Director of Children's Services Leadership Programme (DCSLP). These programmes focus on strengthening leadership capability at senior levels.
The estimated annual participant volumes are approximately:
• 2,800 participants for ECDP;
• up to 500 participants across four cohorts for FHTMP;
• up to 500 participants for LCPPP;
• up to 130 participants for LP (65 in post and 65 aspirant); and
• all new and interim Directors of Children's Services, plus a minimum of 20 aspirants, for DCSLP.
Participant volumes are indicative only, subject to demand and will be confirmed through individual Call-Off competitions.
The estimated maximum value of the framework is £108,490,000 (excluding VAT). This represents the potential aggregate value of contracts awarded over the full duration of the framework and does not constitute a commitment to spend. The Department has attributed the following indicative values to each lot:
Lot 1 Value: £92,067,527
Lot 2 Value: £16,422,473
The indicative values attributed to individual lots are not intended to represent fixed financial allocations. The Department may adjust the value attributed to any lot during the operation of the framework to reflect changes in demand, service requirements or procurement strategy, provided that the aggregate value of all contracts awarded under the framework does not exceed the overall maximum framework value of £108,490,000 (excluding VAT).
Appointed suppliers are responsible for the end-to-end delivery of the services, including programme design, development of learning content, delivery of training, digital hosting, user experience, and the provision of supporting resources and materials.
Suppliers were permitted to bid for one or both lots. The framework allowed for the appointment of up to three suppliers to Lot 1 and up to two suppliers to Lot 2. Following completion of the procurement process, The Frontline Organisation has been appointed to Lot 1 (ECDP, FHTMP and LCPPP), while VSC Plus Ltd and The Frontline Organisation have been appointed to Lot 2 (LP and DCSLP).
Call-Off Contracts will be awarded in accordance with the Framework Agreement throughout the framework term.
The framework will operate for a maximum term of five years and eleven months.
Without prejudice to any other rights of termination set out in the Framework Agreement the Department reserves the right to terminate the Framework Agreement from 31 August 2029 in accordance with the terms of the agreement.
The Department may make Changes to reflect variations in its requirements for the Services, including but not limited to where demand for the Services is greater than anticipated. Such Changes may include:
(a) amendments to the volume or scale of the Services [and
proportionate increases to the maximum value of this Framework
Agreement and/or any Call-Off Contracts]; and
(b) the introduction of an additional Lot or Lots into this Framework Agreement during its term, provided that any such Change does not materially alter the overall nature of this Framework Agreement.
All communication relating to this procurement must be submitted via
the Jaggaer portal.