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Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) Retainer Block Pilot

Reading Borough Council · Local authority

In brief

Reading Borough Council has announced plans to buy care work. This is an early notice: there is nothing to bid on yet, but it tells you a tender may follow.

The estimated value is £49,600 excluding VAT.

The contract runs for 6 months, starting 1 November 2026.

The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.

Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.

Can I win this?

Competition

Usually high: a median of 8 bids per contract for this buyer (from 23 awards in the last 12 months).

What the notice says

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

How to bid

  1. Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
  2. Register your organisation on the Central Digital Platform (through Find a Tender) if you have not already. Suppliers need to be registered to take part in procurements under the Procurement Act 2023.
  3. Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.

Timeline

  1. Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 053342-2026

About the buyer

Reading Borough CouncilLast 12 months

Procurements

55

Awards

27

Suppliers it has used most for care

All tenders and awards from Reading Borough Council

Similar open tenders

All open care tenders
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  4. School and Social Care Transport

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From notice 053342-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 5 June 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.