Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) Retainer Block Pilot

Reading Borough Council

Published: Jun 5, 2026

Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Source: uk_fts

About This Opportunity

This is a services contract in the governance and public administration sector, with a focus on Social Work. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums, with an estimated budget of GBP 49,600.

Published through UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for services in the governance and public administration sector. Service contracts are typically evaluated on both technical quality and price, and may require bidders to demonstrate relevant experience and qualified personnel. This is an advance notice — the formal tender is expected to be published shortly. Interested parties can use this time to prepare documentation and identify potential partners.

Description

Reading Borough Council is undertaking a soft market testing and engagement exercise to explore a new commissioning approach for securing local foster care capacity through a retainer based block model.
The Council is seeking early engagement with Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) to test whether this approach is viable in the current market, particularly in relation to the availability of carers within a 20 mile radius of Reading Civic Centre, and to understand whether the model is operationally practical and commercially attractive to providers.
This exercise will also support a co design process with the market, enabling providers to help shape and refine the proposed model, service expectations, and delivery approach ahead of any potential procurement. The Council is particularly keen to work collaboratively to ensure that any future model is realistic, deliverable, and aligned with market capacity and provider insight.
This PIN forms part of a structured pre procurement engagement process and is intended to inform decision making on whether to proceed to a pilot and how the model should be designed.
Who Should Engage
We welcome interest from:
• IFAs with existing or potential carers in the Reading area
• Providers able to support local placement development
• Organisations interested in collaborative model design

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on June 5, 2026. Last refreshed 16 days ago. Reference: 053342-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About Reading Borough Council

Reading Borough Council has issued 58 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 2 currently open and 44 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Construction & Civil Works, Governance & Public Administration, and Architecture & Engineering Services. All notices are published for United Kingdom. Notices are distributed via UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and UK Contracts Finder. Most recent publication: June 26, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

What is the estimated budget?

The estimated contract value is £49,600 - £49,600. Bidders should ensure their proposals are consistent with this range and account for any local taxes and contract execution costs.

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in United Kingdom. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.

How can I submit a bid?

Visit UK FTS - Find a Tender Service to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions. Quote reference 053342-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by Reading Borough Council in United Kingdom. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.

What type of contract is this?

This is a Services contract in the Governance & Public Administration sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.