✓Tender information last checkedLast checked 5 Oct 2026, 18:21.
Opportunity overview
The LGA delivers a programme of children’s services leadership support to councils and corporate and political leaders. To support delivery of the LGA’s programme of children’s services leadership support to councils and corporate or political leaders through provision of associate support to councils, specifically (but not exclusively) in children’s social care and SEND.
Bidders must have had recent experience as a statutory Director of Children’s Services
The East Midlands regional Children’s Improvement Adviser will be required to:
Work closely with the LGA children’s improvement advisors who focus on SEND and corporate leadership to ensure a coherent offer of support.
Build a wider understanding of the LGAs improvement support to ensure a coherent and co-ordinated offer to councils.
Develop strong relationships with councils and corporate and political leaders in a region to build a clear understanding of need in children’s services, to support leadership, identify innovative solutions, broker improvement strategies, and ensure they are delivered.
Build a direct relationship with the regional improvement and innovation alliances (RIIAs) in terms of strategic planning, intervention and resources, and to provide support and challenge to the delivery of regional plans.
Provide constructive challenge to local and regional approaches and priorities.
Identify and support councils at risk of failure.
Work with the LGA’s children’s improvement team to commission additional capacity and expertise to improve services for children.
Ensure best practice and learning is shared.
(Greater detail of the Services are set out in attached draft contract in Appendix 2).
Contract dates:
The date for commencement of the Services is: November 2026
The date for completion of the Services is: 31 March 2027, with the option to review and extend for an additional 1 year
Price payable:
This Purchaser will pay a daily rate of £700 excluding VAT, which is fixed. Reasonable travel and accommodation expenses will also be paid in line with LGA policies. Up to 60 days per year (pro rata) will be allocated up to the completion date of 31 March 2027. This represents a maximum annual contract value of £42,000 (exclusive of VAT), pro rata.
To apply:
To submit a bid please find link below to the LGA procurement platform, you will need to register an account first (see bottom link 'Register'). With any navigational or uploading issues please contact the platform's help team Email: support@panacea-software.com
Telephone: 0207 976 0116.
Classification
CPV73200000 — Research and development consultancy services
Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.
Contract may be extended at Purchaser's discretion for up to 1 year
Award criteria
Description
Capability, relevant skills and experience
• Please provide an overview of your relevant skills and experience. This should:
o outline your experience of driving and supporting improvement as a statutory Director of Children’s Service
o outline your experience of driving and supporting improvement as a systems leader
Quality questions:
Capability, relevant skills and experience
Regional relationships
Working in a political environment
Approach to delivery
Buyer location · london · UKI32 · sw1p 3hz · United Kingdom
Delivery location · UKF · United Kingdom
Notice and amendment history
2 published notice versions reviewed by ProcuraAxis.
2 VERSIONS
1
093993-2026Tender notice on Find a Tender ·
2
093995-2026Tender notice on Find a Tender ·
PROCURAAXIS ANALYSIS
ProcuraAxis Analysis
Our approved analysis of the opportunity appears below the official tender information.
ANALYSIS PREVIEW
Opportunity intelligence at a glance
The LGA is seeking an associate East Midlands Children’s Improvement Adviser to support councils, mainly on children’s social care and SEND. The adviser will build regional relationships, support improvement planning, challenge approaches, identify councils at risk, and share best practice.
Who this may suit
Suitable for an individual consultant or provider with recent statutory Director of Children’s Services experience and strong children’s services, SEND, local-government improvement and regional partnership expertise.
Key points identified
Recent statutory Director of Children’s Services experienceBidders must have had recent experience as a statutory Director of Children’s Services.Evidence: “Bidders must have had recent experience as a statutory Director of Children’s Services”.
Subject-matter capabilityCapability in children’s social care, SEND, council leadership support, improvement strategies and regional partnership working is required by the service scope.Evidence: The scope covers children’s social care and SEND, work with councils and leaders, RIIAs, improvement strategies, and councils at risk of failure.
Supplier legal form or organisation sizeUnknown.Evidence: No restriction on legal form, SME status or VCSE status is stated.
96% approved-analysis confidence4 supplier criteria identified3 risks or unknowns
ProcuraAxis structures information found in published procurement records, checks the result for consistency and publishes only approved analysis. Confidence describes the completeness and consistency of the available source information; it is not a guarantee of eligibility or contract award.
The LGA is seeking an associate East Midlands Children’s Improvement Adviser to support councils, mainly on children’s social care and SEND. The adviser will build regional relationships, support improvement planning, challenge approaches, identify councils at risk, and share best practice.
Who this may suit
Suitable for an individual consultant or provider with recent statutory Director of Children’s Services experience and strong children’s services, SEND, local-government improvement and regional partnership expertise.
Key deliverables
Provide regional children’s services improvement advice and support.
Work with LGA SEND and corporate leadership advisers.
Build relationships with East Midlands councils and leaders.
Support RIIA strategic planning, interventions and regional plans.
Identify and support councils at risk of failure.
Broker improvement strategies and share learning and best practice.
SUPPLIER REQUIREMENTS
4 criteria identified
Recent statutory Director of Children’s Services experience
99% confidence
Bidders must have had recent experience as a statutory Director of Children’s Services.
View supporting evidence
“Bidders must have had recent experience as a statutory Director of Children’s Services”.
Subject-matter capability
92% confidence
Capability in children’s social care, SEND, council leadership support, improvement strategies and regional partnership working is required by the service scope.
View supporting evidence
The scope covers children’s social care and SEND, work with councils and leaders, RIIAs, improvement strategies, and councils at risk of failure.
Supplier legal form or organisation size
98% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No restriction on legal form, SME status or VCSE status is stated.
Geographic eligibility
90% confidence
Not explicitly stated; services are for the East Midlands region.
View supporting evidence
The role is titled “East Midlands regional Children’s Improvement Adviser” and delivery location is UKF.
COMMERCIAL AND DELIVERY
Contract intelligence
Commercial
Daily rate
99% confidence
£700 per day excluding VAT, fixed.
View supporting evidence
“This Purchaser will pay a daily rate of £700 excluding VAT, which is fixed.”
Annual day allocation
98% confidence
Up to 60 days per year, pro rata to 31 March 2027.
View supporting evidence
“Up to 60 days per year (pro rata) will be allocated up to the completion date of 31 March 2027.”
Maximum annual contract value
99% confidence
£42,000 excluding VAT, pro rata.
View supporting evidence
“This represents a maximum annual contract value of £42,000 (exclusive of VAT), pro rata.”
Expenses
98% confidence
Reasonable travel and accommodation expenses payable in accordance with LGA policies.
View supporting evidence
“Reasonable travel and accommodation expenses will also be paid in line with LGA policies.”
Delivery
Delivery region
96% confidence
East Midlands, United Kingdom.
View supporting evidence
The opportunity is for an “East Midlands regional Children’s Improvement Adviser”; delivery location is listed as UKF.
Service commencement
98% confidence
November 2026.
View supporting evidence
“The date for commencement of the Services is: November 2026”.
Initial completion
99% confidence
31 March 2027.
View supporting evidence
“The date for completion of the Services is: 31 March 2027”.
Extension option
98% confidence
Option to review and extend for an additional one year.
View supporting evidence
“with the option to review and extend for an additional 1 year”.
PROCEDURE
How to respond
Opportunity status
99% confidence
Open tender.
View supporting evidence
Display status is “open”; source status is “active”.
Procedure
99% confidence
Below-threshold open competition.
View supporting evidence
Procurement method details: “Below threshold - open competition”.
Submission deadline
99% confidence
19 October 2026, 16:00 UTC.
View supporting evidence
Listed submission deadline: 2026-10-19T16:00:00Z.
How to apply
92% confidence
Register and submit through the LGA procurement platform; the tender notice refers bidders to the platform link.
View supporting evidence
“To submit a bid please find link below to the LGA procurement platform, you will need to register an account first”.
RISKS AND UNKNOWNS
Points requiring attention
Fixed-rate engagement
99% confidence
The £700 daily rate is fixed, limiting price flexibility.
View supporting evidence
“£700 excluding VAT, which is fixed.”
Limited initial term
98% confidence
The initial service period runs from November 2026 to 31 March 2027; any further year is optional.
View supporting evidence
Completion is 31 March 2027 “with the option to review and extend for an additional 1 year”.
Mandatory senior experience
99% confidence
Bidders without recent statutory Director of Children’s Services experience are unlikely to meet the explicit requirement.
View supporting evidence
“Bidders must have had recent experience as a statutory Director of Children’s Services”.
ProcuraAxis analysis supplements, but does not replace, the original notice and tender documents. Always verify eligibility, deadlines and commercial terms with the issuing authority.
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