AfC Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Services (SENDIASS)

Achieving for Children is inviting tenders for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Services (SENDIASS) in Kingston and Richmond. The service will provide impartial advice and support on special educational needs, including personal budgets, assessments, reviews, transition to adulthood, mediation and benefits. Providers will also help families understand reports and letters and access relevant local support services.

Service Requirements

The SENDIASS service will offer advice and support across a range of areas, including:

• Personal budgets and using the Local Offer.
• Understanding reports and letters, attending meetings, and preparing for assessments and reviews.
• Information and signposting to relevant local support services.
• Transition planning and preparing for adulthood.
• Mediation advice and support.
• Advice and signposting relating to benefits.

Contract Information

• Buyer: Achieving for Children
• Deadline: 16 November 2026, 12:00am
• Enquiry Deadline: 2 November 2026, 12:00am
• Contract Value: £1,155,000 excluding VAT (£1,386,000 including VAT)
• Delivery Length: 3 years, with two optional 24-month extensions (up to 7 years)
• Contract Dates: 1 July 2027 – 30 June 2030, potentially extended to 30 June 2034
• Tender Reference: DN816411
• Tender Link: London Tenders Portal

Suppliers should search for reference DN780016 on the London Tenders Portal, where the tender documents will be published.

Evaluation Criteria

The contract will be evaluated on quality and price, with the following weightings:

• Quality: 70%
• Price: 30%

Published quality criteria include service delivery, staff competency and caseload modelling; safeguarding, complaints and incidents; promotion and innovation; and equality and diversity. Each of these four listed areas carries a 10% weighting. Further details, including the remaining quality criteria, are available in the tender documentation.

Supplier Requirements

Suppliers must meet the participation conditions set out in the Invitation to Tender (ITT), including:

• Financial capacity: Financial viability assessed against the criteria in the ITT.
• Technical ability: IPSEA Legal Training and Safer Recruitment: Safeguarding Training, as specified in the ITT.
• Additional conditions: Further requirements are set out in the ITT.

The opportunity is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs).

This contract offers specialist advice and support providers an opportunity to deliver SENDIASS services across Kingston and Richmond, helping families navigate special educational needs processes and access appropriate support.

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If you want to advertise your opportunity, please contact Jamie Peacock, Tender Specialist at advertising@dailyround.news