Children's Short Breaks Services

Bury Council (the Authority) is preparing to recommission its SEND Short Breaks service. Ahead of any procurement, we are seeking expressions of interest and market intelligence from suitably experienced and accredited providers through preliminary market engagement (PME). The PME will share our emerging thinking, test it with providers, and understand the capacity, appetite, local reach and pricing realities of the market.

We want to hear from a wide range of organisations, including current providers, voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations, faith-based providers, youth, play and activity providers, specialist care and overnight providers, Ofsted-registered children's homes, personal assistants and micro-providers, and locally-based provision of all sizes across the six townships of Bury (Bury, Prestwich, Radcliffe, Ramsbottom, Tottington and Whitefield). This notice is issued pursuant to Section 16 of the Procurement Act 2023 to invite the market to participate in a structured pre-market engagement process ahead of a formal competitive procurement. The purpose of this engagement is to inform the Council's procurement strategy, service model and lot structure ahead of publication of the tender notice.

In particular, the Council is seeking market views on:

• The proposed unbundling of the current anchor-provider lot into a sub-lotted structure by service type and township, and alternative packaging options considered;
• The deliverability of an open, refreshable provider list / framework model with periodic re-opening for new entrants;
• Market capacity and appetite across specialist/complex (including overnight residential), targeted and universal/community short breaks provision;
• The proposed conditions of participation, including Ofsted and CQC "Good" minimum ratings for specialist and complex service lots;
• The proposed Mid-Tier Contract form (zero guaranteed volume, work-order call-off, collective performance management); and
• The design of a Direct Payments / Personal Assistant route sitting alongside the commissioned framework.