East Midlands Regional Children's Framework Agreement

Northamptonshire County Council, on behalf of the East Midlands Regional Children’s Framework Agreement (EMRCF) Consortium, wishes to invite Tenders for the provision of Children’s Homes and Fostering Services Placements for Children and Young People.
The EMRCF Consortium includes the following local authorities:
Derby City Council
Derbyshire County Council
Leicestershire County Council
Northamptonshire County Council
Nottingham City Council
Nottinghamshire County Council
Rutland County Council

The Services for the EMRCF Framework Agreement to be provided have been categorised into two (2) Lots and split into Categories, which are described in terms of complexity and risk for each Child or Young Person’s individual needs.

The Lots are split as follows:
Lot 1: Children’s Homes
o Category 1.1 Standard Children’s Homes Emotional Behaviour Difficulties (EBD) Provision
o Category 1.2 Specialist Children’s Homes Emotional Behaviour Difficulties (EBD) Provision
o Category 1.3 Specialist Children’s Homes Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) with challenging behaviour - non Learning Difficulties (LD) or low level LD
o Category 1.4 Specialist Children’s Homes Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) with challenging behaviour - moderate or severe LD
o Category 1.5 Specialist Children’s Homes Complex Health Needs

Lot 2: Fostering Services
o Category 2.1 Standard Fostering Provision
o Category 2.2 Specialist Fostering Provision
o Category 2.3 Specialist Fostering Disabilities
o Category 2.4 Specialist Fostering Complex Health Needs

Potential Providers can supply Services for one or more Lots and Categories and will be expected to set out in their Tenders how they will deliver the Services they apply for, with reference to the Specification.


The EMRCF Framework Agreement was originally set up in February 2016 for four (4) years. As this is a LTR Framework Agreement, Northamptonshire County Council intends to re-open the Framework Agreement on an annual basis.

New Potential Providers will be able to apply to be accepted onto the Framework Agreement. The same selection and award criteria, which was applied originally, will be used when the Framework Agreement is re-opened.

Providers who have already been accepted onto this Framework Agreement but want to apply for additional Lots or Categories, will need to complete the selection criteria questionnaire and the relevant award criteria questionnaires on the LGSS eSourcing Portal.

Providers who have already been accepted onto this Framework Agreement and have new Provision within the Lots and Categories they originally applied for, will not need to re-tender; however they will need to complete the ‘EMRCF Additional Provisions 2016’ questionnaire on the LGSS eSourcing Portal, in order to add new Provisions to the relevant Lot and Category.