2701EARABO – Early Help and District Leads

Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company is seeking to appoint one or more organisations to deliver its Early Help and District Leads service across Birmingham. The estimated contract value is £12.5 million excluding VAT (£15 million including VAT), covering community-based support for children and families through local partnerships, Family Hubs and voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations.

Service Requirements

The service will provide accessible, timely and strengths-based support to children and families, building on existing community networks and resources. Providers will be expected to:

• Work collaboratively with grassroots organisations, established VCFSE providers, schools, Family Hubs, statutory partners and community networks.
• Identify, connect and develop local community assets and routes to support.
• Deliver accessible support from community-based locations, allowing families to access services from an appropriate location rather than being restricted to their home district.
• Combine local responsiveness with consistent citywide standards, shared outcomes and effective partnership governance.
• Demonstrate clear accountability, measurable outcomes, learning and continuous improvement.

The procurement will use a two-stage Competitive Flexible Procedure. Stage 1 will assess participation conditions and initial delivery proposals, including safeguarding, financial standing, geographical coverage, workforce capability, governance and financial sustainability. Selected participants will progress to Stage 2 to submit a detailed Final Tender.

Contract Information

• Buyer: Birmingham Children’s Trust Community Interest Company
• Deadline for requests to participate: 23 November 2026, 12:00pm
• Enquiry deadline: 6 November 2026, 12:00pm
• Contract Value: £12,500,000 excluding VAT (£15,000,000 including VAT)
• Contract Length: 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030, with an option to extend for up to two further years, potentially until 31 March 2032
• Tender Reference: 2701EARABO
• Contract Location: Birmingham
• Award Decision Date: 15 January 2027 (estimated)
• Tender Link: Birmingham City Council In-tend portal

Suppliers must register with the In-tend system to express an interest and access the procurement documents. Requests to participate must be submitted electronically through the portal by the stated deadline.

Evaluation Criteria

Stage 1 – Initial Tender: The published initial evaluation weightings are:

• Proposed delivery model and outcomes – 30%
• Geographical coverage and local capability – 20%
• Governance, collaboration and accountability – 15%
• Capability, workforce and high-level mobilisation – 15%
• Financial sustainability and affordability – 15%
• Key risks and development required for Stage 2 – 5%

Stage 1 scores determine which participants progress to Stage 2 and do not contribute to the final contract award score. Mandatory Conditions of Participation will be assessed on a pass/fail basis.

Stage 2 – Final Tender: The final award criteria are:

• Quality – 70%
• Price – 20%
• Social Value – 10%

The final stage will assess detailed delivery plans, mobilisation, workforce and safeguarding, partnership arrangements, performance and outcomes, social value, and the financial model and value for money.

Commercial Relevance

This opportunity may suit organisations with experience in early help, children’s and family services, community development or coordinated local support. Providers should be able to demonstrate strong community relationships, effective partnership working, robust safeguarding and the capacity to deliver a consistent service across Birmingham. The two-stage process means suppliers must first demonstrate their eligibility and proposed delivery approach before being considered for the final tender stage.

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