Provision of Residential Care Services to Children and Young People - Flexible Framework

Rhondda-Cynon-Taff CBC (RCT) acting on behalf on the Welsh Local Authorities are procuring a ‘Flexible Framework’ (FF) for the provision of Residential Care Services to Children and Young People. RCT is the host Authority to the Children’s Commissioning Consortium (4C’s), a Welsh regional team working to support Local Authority Children’s Social Services departments to commission and contract placements for Children Looked After. The services which are the subject of this procurement fall within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and accordingly the so called “Light Touch Regime”, as set out in Regulations 74-77 of the 2015 Regulations. Under these regulations RCT is not required to procure these services in line with the full extent of the Regulations and is able to determine itself the procurement process subject to ensuring compliance with the principals of transparency and equal treatment of providers. To this end RCT has designed a procurement system to be called FF ie a system that is ‘Open’ and allows providers to join throughout its contract period. There will be no maximum number of providers. The FF shall be lotted to meet the needs of specific models of care. The initial lot shall be for Crisis Interventions and Alternatives to Secure but additional lots will be developed and added to the FF during its term.