TD1306 - DPS for the provision of special educational needs and disability placements in Independent and Non-Maintained Special Schools and Special Post 16 Institutions

Applications are invited for inclusion on the DPS that will support the placement of Learners at independent and non-maintained schools or special pre and post 16 organisations. The successful Applicants will be awarded a position on the DPS and if successful in the Contract Opportunity Award process be responsible for providing the Service directly to the Learner.

The DPS will operate from 01/05/2018 to 30/04/2023. There are options for annual extension for a further 1 year.

The DPS will be made up of DPS Providers that will be able to provide the Service to pre and post 16 Learners, up to the age of 25 years.

This Dynamic Purchasing System will enable the Council to procure a sufficient supply of suitable placements for Learners needing special educational requirements.

The Service required will cover placements of children and young people in these settings for education services in either day or residential settings made directly on behalf of the Council.

Services will be required for;

• Day placements for pre-16 Learners • Residential placements for pre-16 Learners • Day placements for post-16 Learners • Residential placements for post-16 Learners

Service Providers must be able to meet one or more of the following primary needs, which may include challenging behaviours in all categories;

• Cognition and Learning Needs (a range of specific, moderate, severe and profound) • Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs • Communication and Interaction (speech, language and communication difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder) • Physical and Sensory Needs (visual impairment, hearing impairment, multiple sensory impairment, physical difficulty)

Service Providers are to be able to deliver the following either on a daily or residential basis;

a) Alternative education provision specialist post 16 institutions b) Virtual Learning c) Therapeutic Services d) Reintegration into education

Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the suitability questionnaire.

The DPS Provider list and access to Contract Opportunities will operate electronically via the EastMidTender Portal.

The duration or termination of the DPS will not affect Individual Placement Agreements via the DPS.

For clarity, this DPS is not a full DPS as defined under the Public Contract Regulations 2015, Regulation 34, but is a modified version. This is because Section 7 - social and health care services (the Light Touch Regime as allowed under Regulations 74 to 77) are not subject to the full regulations of the procurement procedures set out in the Regulations.

Please visit the Council's e-tendering system https://www.eastmidstenders.org where you can express interest and obtain the documents, (please note we will only accept expressions of interest through the e-tendering system. Please search for TD1306.

Additional information: This contract notice is linked to TD1306, This is the extension of the original DPS contract notice.