Tenders/Independent Review Mechanism (IRM)_ Market Engagement Event

Independent Review Mechanism (IRM)_ Market Engagement Event

Department for Education

Published: Sep 25, 2026

Updated: Sep 25, 2026

About This Opportunity

This is a supplies contract in the social protection, construction and civil works and legal services sectors, with a focus on Roads and Anti Corruption. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums.

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 the supply of goods in the social protection sector. Supply contracts typically require bidders to demonstrate product compliance with technical specifications, delivery capacity, and relevant certifications. 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

The Department for Education is exploring options for the future delivery of the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM), a statutory service that provides an independent review route for prospective and existing foster parents, adopters, and adult adoptees. The IRM enables applicants to request an independent review of certain decisions made by fostering and adoption services, including decisions relating to approval status and access to records. Cases are considered by independent panels comprising experienced children's social care professionals, ensuring an impartial and objective review process. The Department is seeking market feedback to inform the future service model, delivery approach, and commercial strategy. The service plays a key role in supporting transparency, fairness, and confidence in fostering and adoption decision-making processes across England. Please note: This notice relates to pre-procurement market engagement only and does not constitute the commencement of a procurement process. Any future procurement opportunity will be advertised separately. The scope, requirements, and estimated contract value may be subject to change following market engagement.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on September 25, 2026. Last refreshed today. Reference: 090828-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About Department for Education

Department for Education has issued 716 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 8 currently open and 570 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Education & Training, Construction & Civil Works, and Information & Communication Technology. All notices are published for United Kingdom. Notices are distributed via UK Contracts Finder and UK FTS - Find a Tender Service. Most recent publication: September 25, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

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 090828-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by Department for Education 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 Supplies contract in the Social Protection & Welfare sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.

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.