The Fosterline Service ITT

Concepts

• fosterline service
• technical support
• fosterline service itt
• independent national advice service
• free service
• current service
• ongoing services
• scope of fosterline
• services aim
• helpline service

Location

London

Description

It is the Department for Educations intention to undertake a procurement exercise to appoint a suitably experienced organisation to deliver The Fosterline Service on behalf of the Department from 1st October 2023. The Fosterline Service is a free, independent national advice service that offers support for both current and prospective foster carers. It has been in place since 2006, funded by the Department of Education. During that time, the Department also increased the scope of Fosterline from responding to ad hoc enquiries to offering individualised ongoing services for current or prospective foster carers requiring help with ongoing issues or detailed tax and benefits advice. The services aim to support foster families to stay together during times of crisis, reducing placement breakdown, and avoiding costs associated with this. The current service is widely used, with over 108,000 contacts (through the helpline service, 1-2-1s, web-chats, emails, website visits etc )in the year 2021-22.

Total Quantity or Scope

To run Fosterline, the free service for prospective and current foster carers by providing a telephone helpline, website, social media presence and 1-2-1 support service on a referral basis.

Renewal Options

This service contract has an option for a 1 year extension from the period of 1/10/25-30/9/26.

CPV Codes

• 71356300 - Technical support services
• 72253000 - Helpdesk and support services

Indicators

• Bids should cover the whole contract.
• Renewals are available.
• Award on basis of price and quality.

Other Information

To register your interest to tender and view the tender documents, you will need to be registered as a supplier on the DfE Jaggaer eTendering portal, available at https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html Once registered the event will be accessible via the 'View Opportunities' link on the Homepage. Select the Opportunity Notice for 'The Fosterline Service ITT (ITT_2097) and this will take you directly to the live tender. The closing date for submitting your bid is 12:00 GMT on the 29/3/23. In order to provide further information on the live tender a bidders event webinar will be held via MS teams on 8/3/23 from 14:00-16:00 GMT. Please register your attendance the tenders messaging portal on jaggaer (ITT_2097)