Public Sector Network Tender Alert

 

Supporting the development of the Special Education Needs and Disability sector (6 Contracts)

Six contracts - one each to: Contract 1. Commission a strategic Reform Partner to work across the sector and with the DfE to support the development and implementation of SEN and disability reforms and help build the capacity of the SEN and disability VCS sector to respond to changing policy and commissioning landscapes; Contract 2. Provide specialist support and advice to providers, commissioners and users of Short Break Services Contract 3. Provide information, advice, support and training to specialist services and staff in order to improve outcomes for children and young people with a Sensory Impairment and reduce barriers to them making good educational progress. Contract 4. Provide specialist support to schools, local areas, parents and young people to spread understanding and good practice in Autism provision. Contract 5. Provide information, advice and training materials to schools, parents/carers and professionals in England who are supporting children and young people with Dyslexia and Specific Learning Difficulties. Contract 6. Provide specialist support to parents, professionals and VCS organisations in relation to children and young people with Speech Language and Communication Needs (SLCN). Estimated value: 1. Reform Partner - up to £1.5m (up to £750,000 per year) 2. Short Breaks - up to £300,000 (up to £150,000 per year) 3. Sensory Impairments - up to £1m (up to £500,000 per year) 4. Autism - up to £1.5m (up to £750,000 per year) 5. Dyslexia - up to £1.5m (up to £750,000 per year) 6. Speech Language and Communication Needs - up to £1.5m (up to £750,000 per year) : The services are expected to support the development of the SEND sectors, as part of the Government’s wider strategy to support the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in 2013-15. This is seen as a key part of the support being provided to the sector so that it can fully play its role in delivering the system change envisaged in the SEN and Disability Green Paper. The short breaks contract should aim to develop a flourishing and vibrant marketplace which offers a wide variety of high-quality opportunities for disabled children and young people and embraces the opportunities created by the SEND reform programme. Among other services, this work would support voluntary and community providers of short breaks, local authority commissioners and parents through online good practice advice; tailored in-house training events and regular professional publications. The three separate contracts which bring together expertise in autism, dyslexia and SLCN should provide information, advice and professional development to parents and professionals on each impairment; support the professional development of the SEN and Disability workforce; and provide a joined-up conduit between Government and specialist sector organisations to inform policy development and implementation. The sensory impairment contract should seek to expand our national approach to helping deaf, blind and multi-sensory impaired children across the majority of local authorities. It should also provide sector-led support to ensure that sensory support services are able to provide an effective service to all schools that need it. It should also cover specific measure to develop the support available for children using sign-language. The reform partner should support the development of capacity building across the Voluntary and Community Sector. This includes responding to new commissioning markets, supporting evidence-building around impact, and contributing to thinking on reforms, research and the dissemination of information. The DfE will be holding a briefing session on 18 December 2012 for organisations to find out more about the objectives for Contract 1 - Reform Partner. The briefing session will be held in London from 10.30-12.00. If you would like to attend you must register your interest by 13 December 2012 by emailing Enquiries.SEND@education.gsi.gov.uk. You must include the name of your organisation and the words “briefing event” in the title of your email and within the email provide the name and contact details of the person/s wishing to attend. Two places will be allocated for each prospective organisation on a first come first served basis. Please note that any materials distributed on the day will be emailed to those organisations that have advised us of their intention to tender. The estimated date for award of contract is February 2013. Contracts will commence on 1 April 2013.

Ref: 1032,

Contact:

Department for Education
postcode
Enquiries.SEND@education.gsi.gov.uk
Enquiries.SEND@education.gsi.gov.uk

Contract value: 6000000.00 - 7300000.00GBP

Published: 8 Jan 2013, Receipt by: 1 Feb 2013