Tender for Community Family Help Service for Children and Families in Herefordshire

Herefordshire Council is seeking to appoint a single provider to deliver a countywide Community Family Help Service for children, young people and families with multiple and/or complex needs who require Family Help support. The Service will provide targeted, relationship-based, whole-family interventions that promote resilience, improve outcomes for children and help prevent escalation into statutory services.

The successful Provider will act as a key delivery partner within Herefordshire's Family Help model, providing Family Help Lead Practitioners, coordinating multi-agency support, undertaking Family Help assessments and plans, and working closely with statutory, community and voluntary sector organisations. The Service will support a minimum of 150 Family Help referrals and 30 Reducing Parental Conflict cases per annum and will include the delivery of partnership training to strengthen local practice.

The contract is expected to commence on 1 February 2027, with an initial mobilisation and implementation period prior to service commencement on 1 April 2027. The initial contract term will be three years, with an option to extend for up to a further two years. The procurement is being conducted under the Procurement Act 2023 using the Open Procedure and is subject to the Light Touch Regime.

The maximum available Contract Value for the core Community Family Help Service is £1,550,000 (excluding VAT) over the full potential 5-year term. Subject to demand, additional funding and internal governance, the Council may also purchase additional referrals and/or training up to a maximum value of further £1,650,000 (excluding VAT). These additional purchases are not guaranteed. The maximum potential Contract Value is therefore up to £3,200,000 (excluding VAT). Note the service is being partially funded by Department for Education Grants.

TUPE information:

TUPE is expected to apply to this contract, and bidders should ensure that the implications of TUPE, including the associated employment and cost implications, are fully considered and reflected in their tender.

Bidders must request access to the TUPE information well in advance of the tender closing date. To access the Employee's information, bidders are required to complete and sign the Completion Document 5 (TUPE Confidentiality Letter Agreement) included within the tender pack, and return it via ProContact messaging system at www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk. The TUPE information will be provided following receipt of the completed agreement.

Bidders are responsible for ensuring that they request the TUPE information sufficiently early to enable them to take it into account when preparing their Tender. Failure to request or review the TUPE information will not relieve the successful Bidder of its obligations in relation to TUPE.