AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Worcestershire County Council has concluded and signed framework contracts for short-break services for children with disabilities. Lot 1 was awarded jointly to BARNARDO'S and PROGRESS CHILDREN'S SERVICES LIMITED; Lot 2 was awarded to PROGRESS CHILDREN'S SERVICES LIMITED. The framework enables call-offs rather than guaranteeing spend.
Published outcomeTwo active framework contracts were signed on 13 October 2026 and start on 1 November 2026. Lot 1 runs to 31 October 2034 and Lot 2 to 31 October 2030.
Market significanceThe published net framework values are £2.0m for each lot (£4.0m combined), but each value is shared at lot level and is not attributable between Lot 1’s two appointed suppliers.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
3 supplier records analysed
BARNARDO'S
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots Lot 1 – Overnight Fostering Short Breaks · Shared Lot 1 value: £2,000,000 net (£2,200,000 gross) GBP · Active framework supplier
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Award 1 names Barnardo's and Progress Children's Services Limited as suppliers; supplier verification identifies the legal name as BARNARDO'S (company number 00061625). Contract 1 has a net value of £2,000,000 and gross value of £2,200,000.
PROGRESS CHILDREN'S SERVICES LIMITED
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots Lot 1 – Overnight Fostering Short Breaks · Shared Lot 1 value: £2,000,000 net (£2,200,000 gross) GBP · Active framework supplier
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Award 1 names Progress Children's Services Limited alongside Barnardo's; supplier verification identifies the legal name as PROGRESS CHILDREN'S SERVICES LIMITED (company number 04014026). Contract 1 has a net value of £2,000,000 and gross value of £2,200,000.
PROGRESS CHILDREN'S SERVICES LIMITED
99% confidenceAward 2 · Lots Lot 2 – Overnight Residential Short Breaks · Lot 2 value: £2,000,000 net (£2,200,000 gross) GBP · Active framework supplier
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Award 2 names Progress Children's Services Limited as supplier; supplier verification identifies the legal name as PROGRESS CHILDREN'S SERVICES LIMITED (company number 04014026). Contract 2 has a net value of £2,000,000 and gross value of £2,200,000.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Procurement status
99% confidenceComplete
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The tender status is recorded as "complete" in the contract details notice data.
Contract status
99% confidenceActive
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Contracts 1 and 2 are each recorded with status "active".
Contract signature
99% confidenceSigned 13 October 2026
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Both contract records state dateSigned: 2026-10-13.
Contract start
99% confidence1 November 2026
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Both contract period records state startDate: 2026-11-01.
VALUES
Published values explained
Lot 1 framework contract value
99% confidence£2,000,000 net; £2,200,000 gross
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Contract 1 records amount £2,000,000 and amountGross £2,200,000 in GBP.
Lot 2 framework contract value
99% confidence£2,000,000 net; £2,200,000 gross
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Contract 2 records amount £2,000,000 and amountGross £2,200,000 in GBP.
Combined published framework value
99% confidence£4,000,000 net; £4,400,000 gross
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Sum of the separately published Lot 1 and Lot 2 contract values.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Preliminary market engagement published
99% confidence26 January 2026
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Release history records preliminary market engagement notice 006710-2026 on 26 January 2026.
Tender notice published
99% confidence12 May 2026
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Release history records tender notice 043367-2026 on 12 May 2026.
Award notice published
99% confidence31 July 2026
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Release history records contract award notice 072566-2026 on 31 July 2026.
Contracts signed
99% confidence13 October 2026
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Both contract records state dateSigned: 2026-10-13.
Contract details notice published
99% confidence14 October 2026
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Contract details notice 096769-2026 is dated 14 October 2026.
Lot 2 scheduled end
99% confidence31 October 2030
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Contract 2 period endDate is 2030-10-31.
Lot 1 scheduled end
99% confidence31 October 2034
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Contract 1 period endDate is 2034-10-31.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Requirement
97% confidenceShort-break services supporting children with disabilities and the council's Sufficiency Duty, including care, outcomes, welfare and safeguarding support.
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Procurement description.
Lot 1
99% confidenceOvernight Fostering Short Breaks
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Contract 1 title and procurement description.
Lot 2
99% confidenceOvernight Residential Short Breaks
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Contract 2 title and procurement description.
Service classifications
98% confidenceHealth and social work services; social work and related services; social work services with accommodation; welfare services for children and young people.
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Award item CPV classifications.
Delivery region
99% confidenceUKG12
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Both award items specify delivery addresses in region UKG12.
Future lots described by buyer
94% confidenceLot 3 Domiciliary Care and Lot 4 Short Breaks Support Workers are stated to remain on an existing DPS until 28 February 2027, with an open-framework start stated as 1 March 2027.
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Procurement description.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceOpen procedure
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Tender procurementMethodDetails is "Open procedure".
Regime
99% confidenceLight-touch
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Tender specialRegime lists "lightTouch".
Framework model
98% confidenceOpen framework scheme, with call-offs made with and without reopening competition.
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Tender techniques/frameworkAgreement fields and framework description.
Supplier appointment approach
97% confidenceNo limit on suppliers joining the framework is stated in the procurement description.
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Procurement description.
Bid and evaluation information
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice data.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Lot 1 term
99% confidence1 November 2026 to 31 October 2034
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Contract 1 period startDate and endDate.
Lot 2 term
99% confidence1 November 2026 to 31 October 2030
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Contract 2 period startDate and endDate.
Call-off method
98% confidenceAwards may be made with or without reopening competition.
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Framework agreement description.
Framework scheme end date
99% confidence31 October 2034
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frameworkAgreement.openFrameworkSchemeEndDate is 2034-10-31.
Extension terms
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information not supplied in the published notice data.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Commercial structure
98% confidenceThe appointments establish a supplier framework and call-offs will be awarded subsequently; the notice does not evidence guaranteed supplier spend.
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Procurement description states that the framework establishes approved suppliers and that call-off procedures and contracts will follow.
Lot 1 allocation
99% confidenceLot 1 is a joint appointment. Its published value must remain unallocated between BARNARDO'S and PROGRESS CHILDREN'S SERVICES LIMITED.
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Award 1 names both suppliers, while Contract 1 publishes one lot-level value.
Lot 2 allocation
99% confidenceLot 2 has one named appointed supplier, PROGRESS CHILDREN'S SERVICES LIMITED.
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Award 2 names one supplier.
Route-to-market implication
92% confidenceThe open framework and planned annual autumn reopenings may provide later routes for additional suppliers, subject to the buyer's process.
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Tender is marked as an open framework scheme and the description states all lots will reopen at least annually in the autumn.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Published contract evidence
96% confidenceHigh quality for Lots 1 and 2
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The contract details notice supplies active status, signed dates, start/end dates, gross and net values, and award-to-contract links.
Lot 3 and Lot 4 status
97% confidenceNot awarded in this contract details notice
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The tender record lists only Lots 1 and 2 as complete, and the contract and award records supplied relate only to Lots 1 and 2. The description states Lots 3 and 4 continue on a DPS until 28 February 2027.
Supplier identities
99% confidenceVerified
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Supplier verification records show exact-name verified legal identities for BARNARDO'S and PROGRESS CHILDREN'S SERVICES LIMITED.
Unpublished commercial detail
99% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice.
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No bid counts, evaluation scores, pricing schedules, call-off volumes, individual Lot 1 supplier allocations, or extension terms are provided.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The published Lot 1 value is shared between two appointed suppliers; no supplier-level allocation is supplied.
- No bid counts, tender responses, evaluation results, award rationale, pricing breakdowns or call-off commitments are supplied.
- No extension options or detailed renewal terms are supplied.
- Lots 3 and 4 are described in the procurement narrative but have no supplied award or contract record in this notice data.
- The framework values are published at contract/lot level and should not be interpreted as guaranteed spend or supplier revenue.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Worcestershire County CouncilShort Breaks Services FrameworkBARNARDO'SPROGRESS CHILDREN'S SERVICES LIMITEDovernight fostering short breaksovernight residential short breakspublic procurement
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who was appointed to the Worcestershire Short Breaks Services Framework?
BARNARDO'S and PROGRESS CHILDREN'S SERVICES LIMITED were appointed to Lot 1. PROGRESS CHILDREN'S SERVICES LIMITED was appointed to Lot 2.
When do the framework contracts start?
Both published contracts start on 1 November 2026 and were signed on 13 October 2026.
What is the published value?
Each of Lots 1 and 2 has a published net value of £2.0m and gross value of £2.2m. Lot 1's value is shared at lot level and is not allocated between its two suppliers.
Are Lots 3 and 4 awarded?
No award or contract for Lots 3 and 4 is included in this notice data. The buyer states they will remain on an existing DPS until 28 February 2027.
ProcuraAxis award analysis supplements, but does not replace, the official award notice, contract data or procurement documents. “Awarded” does not by itself prove that a contract has been signed.