Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) has embarked on a Children in Care (CiC) Transformation Programme which is focused on improving outcomes for children in care by providing the right help, at the right time, in the right place at the right cost and for the right duration.

The Council recognise that some young people may need to live in Supported Accommodation and we will strive for them to be placed as close to home as possible where their needs can be best met where they can feel safe and supported within their accommodation, build resilience and are able to maintain good mental health and wellbeing, and transition successfully into adulthood and are able to live independently.

The Council has a statutory duty under the Children Act 1989 to assess the needs of homeless Lincolnshire 16-17 year olds , including Children in Care (CiC), and ensure they are accommodated appropriately.

Following a service review, the Council seek to commission Supported Accommodation for this cohort, the contracts for which will be in place from 1st April 2027 for a period of up to 5 years:
Lot 1: Lincolnshire Youth Housing Service - 44 units of self-contained accommodation in 3 locations (Boston, Grantham and Lincoln) including 4 units of solo accommodation for more complex young people - indicative total value over 5 years of £10.49m
Lot 2: Supported Accommodation - 4 units of solo occupancy supported accommodation - indicative total value over 5 years of £3.548m
Lot 3: Supported Accommodation - 4 units of solo occupancy supported accommodation - indicative total value over 5 years of £3.548m

Suppliers are able to tender for all relevant Lots if appropriate, and will be part of a wider range of Supported Accommodation that includes the Council's in-house provisions and individually commissioned solo Independent Supported Accommodation placements.

All Suppliers wishing to tender must be registered with Ofsted as a Supported Accommodation provider in accordance with the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023.

The tender opportunities are expected to go live in April 2026, though this may change if circumstances dictate.

Subject to evaluation, and following the required standstill period, it is anticipated that final tender award will be confirmed in July 2026 - this will offer an adequate implementation period for the successful supplier(s) in advance of the contract(s) start date on 1st April 2027. Following feedback from pre-market engagement, the Council reserves the right to extend the start date for either Lot 2 or Lot 3 to up to 1st October 2027.

Tender documents detailing the service requirements and Terms and Conditions, along with background information, application guidance, pricing schedule and application form will be available on Panacea (https://app.panacea-software.com/lcc/eRFX-Suppliers/Open.aspx?requirementId=4bd23bf2-38cb-45ed-a622-fe0ae85af3a0) in April 2026, again subject to change if required.