Original Tender Description
Procurement of a pool of Children’s Social Care Expert Advisers (EAs), who will replace the use of Commissioners and Advisers, under Lot 14 of the Educational and Children's Social Care Professionals (ECSC) Dynamic Franework
As a government, we believe reforming children’s social care is central to ensuring children have the best possible start in life. We are delivering the most significant overhaul of the system in a generation, with an unwavering ambition to reform children’s social care and achieve better outcomes for children.
To help drive the required changes and service improvements we need to see, in 2026 we will be simplifying the department’s improvement and intervention support to local authorities and aligning it with children’s social care reform priorities.
The Expert Adviser (EA) role is a challenging and wide ranging one which is pivotal to the success of our new approach to intervention. EAs will work for, and represent the DfE, drive forward our reforms including our recently published Enduring Relationships Strategy Enduring relationships - GOV.UK, the Families First Partnership Programme (FFP) and the implementation of care reform, and be directed to work with failing LAs. They will hold Secretary of State “powers to direct” set out by a statutory direction or improvement notice.
The EA will work within a Dynamic framework (Established under PCR2015) initially undertaking an in-depth diagnostic (of approx. 40 days) of CSC services and work with DfE regional teams to broker a suitable CSC Improvement Team (CIT) based on the diagnostics findings. Once agreed and funding signed off, the EA, CIT and intervention LA will produce a single, authoritative Central Improvement Plan (CIP), to be approved by the LA owned Improvement Board.
To effectively establish a cohort of experienced sector experts, we are looking to partner with individuals who can work closely with us to lead on the following elements (please note this list is not exhaustive):
• Undertaking comprehensive and evidence-based diagnostics of CSC services in failing LAs to determine the most effective plan for improvement (including whether an alternative delivery model (ADM) to deliver services on behalf of the failing LA is recommended to the Minister).
• Collaborating with the CIT, intervention LA and the department to agree the improvement plan, while holding robust, challenging conversations with the LA. Drive forward the plan, reporting back to the department and, where required, Ministers, on progress.
• Advocating for and supporting local delivery of all aspects of CSC reforms within the LA and, where possible, with local safeguarding partners.
• Maintain ongoing oversight for the agreed period of the plan to establish whether support is having the desired impact and that services are improving for children and families at the required pace.
• Influence system leadership by identifying and promoting the conditions required for rapid improvement, including corporate leadership, resourcing and political engagement within Local Authorities.
• Contribute to the wider community of practice by sharing insights, learning and good practice across EAs, CITs, and the Department, including participation in joint workshops. They may also provide ad-hoc advice or steers to the department on specific areas of work to inform internal policy.
• The department has appointed a Lead EA who will provide high level professional assurance across the CSC intervention system. They will ensure consistency, rigour and credibility in all EA diagnostics and quarterly progress reports, strengthening the department’s oversight of failing and high risk local authorities. EAs will be expected to work closely with the Lead EA.
As part of the procurement process, we will hold a bidder event once the procurement has been launched to provide guidance and answer any questions relating to the framework lot - details will be provided via the Jaggaer eSourcing portal messaging system
Once registered on Jaggaer, potential bidders will have access to the messaging system for clarifications and general messaging.
Procurement Information
The Department for Education is inviting tenders in line with this specification for suppliers to join Lot 14 CSC Expert Adviser of the ECSC Dynamic Framework.
Potential Suppliers must have successfully responded to all mandatory pre-qualification questions in the overarching ITT prior to responding to the Lot-specific requirements contained within this Invitation to Tender.
The initial tender window is from 16 July 2026 to 14 August 2026.
Bidders can respond to the ITT by submitting bids to join the individual lot on the framework during this onboarding phase and will undergo rigorous supplier checks.
The Department reserves the right to reopen the Lot to allow new entrants to the market to apply to join this Lot.
Lot 14 CSC Expert Advisers - Sector Support of the Educational and Children's Social Care (ECSC) Framework Style Agreement will allow direct call-off and mini competition routes as detailed within schedule 3 of the Framework Agreement.
Being awarded a place on the Dynamic Framework does not commit the Deparment for Education to award any call-off contracts with the suppliers.
This opportunity is for successful organisations to be alloted a place on the framework only
Please note that given the ECSC Framework was established prior to the go live of Procurement Act 2023, this opportunity notice to add a new lot to the framework is subject to the Public Contract Regulations (PCR) 2015.
To access the opportunity please use the following link https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html
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