Secondary education services

In accordance with Regulation 34 (Dynamic purchasing systems) under the Regulations, the contracting authority is seeking to establish a DPS on which to appoint a range of economic operators who are able to provide meaningful, effective and innovative local based provision for children with SEMH difficulties.

The contracting authority is committed to ensuring there is adequate provision across the area of Kirklees in its entirety, providing all parents and carers of children and young people with SEMH difficulties the opportunity to access a meaningful education, in an accessible locality.

The DPS for the provision of SEMH placements will be initially 53 months in length), commencing on 26.2.2018 and ending on 31.7.2022, with 3 further optional 12 month extension periods, subject to the provision of available funding and the strategic priorities of the contracting authority and/or the use of eligible economic operators continuing to meet the requirements and demands of the service.

The contracting authority intends to establish the DPS to enable all relevant economic operators to apply to be admitted to an approved list of economic operators, members of which who shall be invited from time to time to compete for the award of specific contracts to supply the services through further competitions under this lot relevant to specific Category’s described below.

Due to the nature of the requirement, the allocated commissioning budget fluctuates for the provision of SEMH placements under this lot, and as a result we the contracting authority cannot give definitive estimates for annual requirements through the DPS. There is a growing demand for placements with SEMH needs and the contracting authority Council needs to develop a flexible approach to meet this.

The contracting authority is currently carrying out a review of high needs provision to evaluate current provision for children and young people in Kirklees with complex special educational needs and/or disability (“SEND”) and will publish a strategic plan by 31.3.2018, which will cover all special education provision from early years to Post 16, including mainstream and special schools. SEMH provision will be a key feature.The contracting authority currently have an Academy SEMH special school for Kirklees pupils (Key Stages 2-4). It currently provides education for boys only, although is registered as a mixed sex school. This current model results in the placement of girls with an Education, Health and Care Plan (“EHCP”) for SEMH out of area at significant expense. The school is currently at capacity, resulting in the further requirement for external placement of pupils.

The contracting authority Council is therefore seeking to secure appropriate arrangements for the provision of education to meet this gap and growing need. In 2017, 132 young people are placed in this type of provision. Economic operators should note that information provided is given for guidance only and the contracting authority shall not be bound by such estimates.

Admission onto the DPS will be subject to Economic operators satisfying the contracting authority’s minimum selection criteria as set out in the Selection Questionnaire Document Request to Participate Submission Document set out in Appendix A of the procurement documents.

Please refer to procurement documents for further details, which are available to download at: https://www.yortender.co.uk/procontract/supplier.ns