Local Authority Childcare Sufficiency Support Contract

The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to notify the market of the Department for Education’s (DfE) intention to undertake a procurement exercise for a Local Authority Childcare Sufficiency Support Contract in Autumn 2022. The DfE is seeking to procure expert professional services support (including peer support) for local authorities (LAs) to fulfil their statutory sufficiency duties. The proposed support will be delivered in the Financial Years 2022-25 and will relate to delivery of sufficient childcare and early education places for children aged 0-14, or up to 18, where applicable. We require a supplier who can offer support to LAs in restoring or improving childcare sufficiency in their local areas through a mixed package of tailored support to diagnose sufficiency issues and assist LAs in implementing and embedding sustainable improvements. We envisage this would be delivered by:

1. Providing reactive support and challenge to LAs identified as failing (or at imminent risk of failing) in their duty to secure sufficient childcare for parents to work or participate in education or training, and for children eligible for the early education entitlements.
2. Providing proactive preventative and improvement support and challenge to LAs to facilitate the maintenance or improvement of local childcare sufficiency.
3. Where appropriate, assessing applications for, and administering discrete project funding of up to £20,000 per LA to support LAs in implementing recommendations made during the reactive or proactive support activity at 1 and 2 above.
4. Identifying, assessing and prioritising LAs with support and development needs that would be suitable for, and able to participate effectively in the preventative/improvement component of the support contract.
5. Evaluating support activity and funding outcomes.
6. Providing a project management function to coordinate the above support activity, and contract management activity required by the DfE.