Children and Young People's Residential Placements Flexible Procurement System (Round 18)
Trafford CouncilEstimated Value
Up to £1,110,000,000
Deadline
27 April 2026
Published
27 March 2026
Type
services
Overview
This is the eighteenth round of the previously advertised FPS. Bidder who have been accepted onto the previously advertised FPS need not apply.
The North West Local Authorities are developing a Flexible Procurement System (FPS) to facilitate the commissioning of high quality Children's Residential Placements. We are looking to knowledgeable and experienced providers to work with us to transform the lives of children, enabling them to break down barriers and turn challenging situations into positive ones. Through the FPS we are looking for sustainability, transformation and innovation with providers and Local Authorities and wider partners to work together to ensure each one of our children has the capacity, skills, independence and resilience they will need to meet the challenges of adult life in the 21st century.
AI Analysis
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The North West Local Authorities are recruiting residential care providers for vulnerable children and young people through a framework agreement system (Round 18). If you run or work for a children's residential care home, they want to add you to their approved supplier list so local councils can commission placements from you.
Requirements
- Must be a provider of children's residential placements (care homes for young people)
- Must not have been accepted onto a previous round of this FPS — this is for new providers only
- Must demonstrate knowledge and experience in children's residential care
- Must be able to support transformation, innovation and sustainability in service delivery
- Must work collaboratively with Local Authorities and partner agencies
- Likely to require: relevant safeguarding certifications, staff qualifications (details in full tender documents), regulatory compliance with Ofsted standards
Key Tasks & Deliverables
- Provide high-quality residential placements for children and young people referred by North West Local Authorities
- Support children to develop capacity, skills, independence and resilience
- Help children break down barriers and turn challenging situations into positive outcomes
- Work with Local Authorities and wider partners (likely including social services, schools, health services) on coordinated support plans
- Deliver sustainable, innovative and transformative care approaches
How to Read This Tender
- 1This is a 'framework agreement' or approved supplier list, not a single one-off project — if you're accepted, councils will call on you for placements over several years. The contract value and duration should be in the full tender documents.
- 2The phrase 'Round 18' means this is the 18th intake window; previous rounds are now closed. Check carefully that you haven't already been accepted, as re-applying may disqualify you.
- 3Look for the evaluation criteria in the full documents — they're likely to score on: experience and track record, quality of care approach, innovation, safeguarding practices, staff capability, and value for money.
- 4This sector is heavily regulated — find out Ofsted inspection requirements, Registered Manager qualifications, and children's safeguarding training standards that you'll need to meet and maintain.
- 5The vague language about 'transformation' and 'innovation' is common in public sector procurement; download the detailed specification to understand exactly what Local Authorities expect (e.g. therapeutic approaches, behaviour support, education/employment support).
Tips for Small Businesses
- Partnership opportunities: small independent children's homes often win these by forming consortiums with other providers or partnering with support services (therapeutic, educational, employment); check if the tender allows joint bids or subcontracting arrangements.
- Social value scoring: North West councils likely weight 'social value' heavily — emphasize local employment, apprenticeships, training for staff, community links, and how you help young people transition to independence (employment/further education outcomes carry weight).
- Manage cash flow carefully — framework agreements mean work comes in stages as councils refer placements; you may need to invest in capacity upfront; check payment terms (usually monthly invoicing) and whether councils pay on time in the contract terms.
Before you bid, buyers check
two years of filed accountsyour financial standingturnover vs contract valueyour Companies House recordcash flow for 30-day termscredit scores and ratios
Actions
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How to Apply
Step-by-step submission guide
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Submit your response
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Buyer Profile
Trafford CouncilKey Dates
Published
27 March 2026
Submission deadline
27 April 2026
Notice type
Contract
Source
contracts finder
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