Specialist Education Framework Phase 1 – Independent Non-Maintained Special Schools Round 2

Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) 'the Council' ran an open tender process in accordance with the light touch regime of the Public Procurement regulations 2015 to establish a new framework for Specialist Education. Under this framework the Council are looking to commission Independent non-maintained Special Schools (INMSS) and Post-16 (where the provision is delivered in house by the school) for the provision of specialist school placements for pupils who are not attending mainstream or maintained special schools and who have an Education Health Care (EHC) Plan. This framework replaced the Independent / non-maintained special schools Approved Provider List for Nottinghamshire (NAPL) that ended on the 31st December 2024.

This process is the reopening of the framework for new providers to bid to join the new INMSS framework and is the second tender round. Providers who have already been successful in round 1 for Lot 2 (INMSS Approved Provider List) of the Framework Agreement DO NOT need to bid for Lot 2 in this round 2. However, these Providers may wish to consider applying for a block contract and therefore will need to apply to Lot 1 in this tender round.

Any providers who were unsuccessful in the previous tender round (1) for either Lot 1 or Lot 2 can reapply in this tender round (2)

The term of the framework agreement will be for a period of 5 years and will commence from 01 January 2025 to the 31 December 2029.

There is potential to extend this Framework Agreement for up to a further 6 years in increments of 24 months

Nottinghamshire County Council (the Council) is seeking to add further Independent non-maintained Special Schools (INMSS) to a new Framework Agreement under which the Council are looking to commission INMSS and Post-16 (where the provision is delivered in house by the school) provision of specialist school placements for pupils who are not attending mainstream or maintained special schools and who have an Education Health Care (EHC) Plan. This will replace the current Independent / non-maintained special schools Approved Provider List for Nottinghamshire (NAPL).

All Providers currently delivering or intending to deliver services detailed within the updated Specification (Part 4 – Specification) must apply to be on the new Framework Agreement as the current provider list (NAPL) will come to an end on the 31st of December 2024.

This initial phase of the framework will have two lots under which the Council can make specialist school placements. In Lot 1 commissioners will put in place block contracts with providers and Lot 2 will see the establishment of an approved INMSS provider list

This process is the reopening of the framework for new providers to bid to join the new INMSS framework and is the second tender round. Providers who have already been successful in round 1 for Lot 2 (INMSS Approved Provider List) of the Framework Agreement DO NOT need to bid for Lot 2 in this round 2. However, these Providers may wish to consider applying for a block contract and therefore will need to apply to Lot 1 in this tender round.

Any providers who were unsuccessful in the previous tender round (1) for either Lot 1 or Lot 2 can reapply in this tender round (2)

The establishment of a framework agreement for INMSS is the first phase of the recommissioning of the Specialist Education provision for the Council as set out in the Vision document (Part 3 – Vision document). Ultimately the framework will be extended to include Alternative Education Provision and Post-16 institutions (e.g., further education colleges that are not part of the INMSS), that will be the second/third phases of the recommissioning project and new procurement processes will be run at later dates which are yet to be decided.

A Framework Agreement is an agreement between the contracting authority and one or more Service Providers, the purpose of which is to establish the terms governing contracts to be awarded during a given period.

This is a multi-provider framework.

There is no guarantee of work under this Framework.

Bidders should note that a further opportunity/opportunities for organisations to bid for inclusion on this framework may be advertised. No date/s have been set for any such process; however, further rounds for both lots 1 and 2 may periodically open again subject to demand (see section 1.2.1). Any Bidder who is unsuccessful in this tender may bid again in any future tender for admission to the framework.

The Framework Agreement is commissioned under the Light Touch Regime 74 -77 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 using an open procedure and advertised in the Find a Tender Service Find high value contracts in the public sector - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Additional information: The maximum Year 1 expenditure per block contract for lot 1 is £550,000 which equates to

which equates to a total estimated value of £23,100,000 over the initial term of 5 years and

a total estimated value of £115,500,000 over the life of the framework agreement if all the

extension periods are undertaken per block contract. This is based on placements increasing

by 10 for the first three years.

Please note that this is an indicative total value and the Council cannot guarantee the value

of business under the framework agreement as this is subject to demand for specialist school

places and the fees are also subject to an annual fee review.

There is potential to extend this Framework Agreement for up to a further 6 years in

increments of 24 months

3 extension option(s) available, 0 taken; up to 24 months in total