Children's External Placements Education & Tuition PDPS Reopening 1
Peterborough City CouncilEstimated Value
Not specified
Deadline
4 March 2026
Published
2 February 2026
Type
services
Overview
The procurement is to reopen a multi supplier "pseudo DPS" (referred to as "PDPS"). As the PDPS Agreement will be "pseudo PDPS", it will look and feel similar to a DPS agreement set up under Regulation 34 of the PCR.
This means that the Authority envisages the PDPS will re-open at (12) twelve-month intervals (or at other intervals at the Authority's discretion) for new providers to apply or previously unsuccessful providers to re-apply. Reopening of the PDPS is solely at the discretion of the Authority.
The Procurement is being run using a procedure similar to the open procedure described in Regulation 27of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended). However, the Authority reserves the right to deviate from the formalities of the open procedure given the flexibilities permitted by Regulation 76 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended) in the conduct of procurements for "Social and Other Specific Services", otherwise referred to as "Light Touch Regime" procurement • Lot 1 Independent Fostering Agencies • Lot 2 Residential Children's Homes • Lot 3 Independent Special Education Provisions/Post 16 Placements • Lot 4 Out of School Tuition • Lot 5 Post 16 Alternative Provision There is an additional Lot 6 which will comprise of mini competition stage for block contracts, Please note that only those bidders that are awarded onto Lots as detailed below will be invited to participate in mini competition • Lot 6a - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 1 Independent Fostering Agency will be invited to participate • Lot 6b - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 2 Residential Children's Homes will be invited to participate • Lot 6c - Only those successfully awarded ont Lot 3 Independent Special Education Provision will be invited to participate • Lot 6d - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 4 Out of School Tuition and Alternative Provision will be invited to participate • Lot 6e - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 5 Post 16 Education will be invited to participate Where it is appropriate to do so, Peterborough is committed to supporting children and young people to remain living and learning in their local area.
Key points
- Lot 6a - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 1 Independent Fostering Agency will be invited to participate
- Lot 6b - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 2 Residential Children's Homes will be invited to participate
- Lot 6c - Only those successfully awarded ont Lot 3 Independent Special Education Provision will be invited to participate
- Lot 6d - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 4 Out of School Tuition and Alternative Provision will be invited to participate
- Lot 6e - Only those successfully awarded onto Lot 5 Post 16 Education will be invited to participate Additional information: This lot has no value as any contracts awarded value is included in the appropriate lot value.
Eligibility & compliance
Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6a Competitive Tender should it be required.
Regulations cited
- Public Contracts Regulations 2015
- Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011
- Children's Home (England) Regulations 2015
Additional details
It should be noted that for Independent Special Educational Provisions offering 38+ week boarding or 52 week placements, Providers will need to meet the requirements within both the Lot 3 Specification (for ISEPS) and Lot 2 Specification (for Residential Children's Homes) The definition of Partner Organisation for the purpose of this procurement will be any Educational Establishment within Peterborough as defined at: https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/schools-and-edu..., or any Local Authority Council in England whether County, Unitary, District, Borough, Metropolitan, parish or community Council as defined at http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils... Lot 1 will encompass placements for children and young people in care with foster carers registered to Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs), in accordance with the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011.
Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6a will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot. Lot 2 is for placements for Children and young people in care in registered, Residential Children's Homes in accordance with the Children's Home (England) Regulations 2015.
Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6b Competitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6b will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot.
Lot 3 is for both registered Independent Specialist Education Placements (ISEPS) and Post 16 Placements; for children & young people with Education, Health & Care Plans (EHCPs). Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6c Competitive Tender should it be required.
Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6c will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot. Lot 4 relates to both Out of School Tuition and Alternative Provision for children & young people with special educational needs & disabilities.
Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6d Competitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6d will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot.
Lot 5 relates to Post 16 Alternative Provision for young people & young adults with special educational needs & disabilities. Additional information: Suppliers must be awarded onto this Lot in order to be eligible for Lot 6eCompetitive Tender should it be required. Lot 6 has no value attached and any award made under Lot 6e will be included in aggregated spend for this Lot.
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Likely incumbents
Suppliers who won similar work from this buyer in the last 5 years.
- 1
Atlas Care Services Ltd
£250m
total awarded
- 2
Choices Care Ltd
£490m
total awarded
- 3
K2 Care Limited
£490m
total awarded
- 4
Voyage 1 Limited
£490m
total awarded
- 5
Longhurst Group Limited
2 contracts wonlatest 25 Nov 2025£490m
total awarded
Atlas Care Services Ltd is the most likely incumbent based on recency and category match. To win, bidders typically need a clearly differentiated proposition or a price advantage.
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Buyer Profile
Peterborough City CouncilKey Dates
Published
2 February 2026
Submission deadline
4 March 2026
Notice type
tender
Source
find a tender
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