Visual Impairment Outreach Services

Description

The London Borough of Enfield (the 'contracting authority') is seeking to appoint a suitably experienced supplier to provide a Visual Impairment Outreach Service for children and young people who have a visual impairment.  The resultant contract will be entered with the successful supplier to provide resources and training to support schools, colleges, and families to meet the needs of visually impaired children and young people aged from 0 to 25 years, ensuring equal educational opportunities (please refer to the Specifications for further information). As part of this procurement process, the contracting authority undertook a preliminary market engagement between January and February 2026, advertised on 15 January 2026 via the published Notice 2026/S 000-003498. The duration of the contract will be for an initial two (2) years with the option to extend for up to two further periods of one (1) year each, to a maximum Contract period of four (4) years, subject to the supplier's performance and at the full discretion of the contracting authority, and subject to a lawful termination in accordance with the provisions of the Conditions of Contract and budget availability (please refer to Volume 4 of the procurement documents). The procurement is being run as a one stage process via the open procedure under the Procurement Act 2023 and is classified as a Light Touch Service, in accordance with Schedule 1 of the regulations. The contracting authority will incorporate a voluntary standstill period for eight (8) working days, commencing the day on which the contract award notice has been published. The Visual Impairment Outreach Service provides specialist support to visually impaired children and young people aged 0-25 years, enabling them to access the educational curriculum alongside their peers. This is a statutory requirement under the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Equality Act 2010, with delivery guided by the SEND Code of Practice. Historically, the service has operated through direct outreach, partnership working, and integration with wider SEND provision. Demand has evolved in response to demographic changes and advances in assistive technology. Recent trends include increased demand, a focus on inclusive education, digital solutions for remote support, and further integration with wider SEND services. The service is shaped by both national policy and Enfield Council's SEND strategy, with all operations underpinned by safeguarding and best practice standards. The contracting authority would like to receive competitive tenders that will meet the contracting authority's requirements and ensure improvements to the future delivery of the service. The existing Visual Impairment Outreach Service contract currently supports 162 Enfield children and young people, providing specialist advice, assessment, and training to families, schools, and professionals. The intention of this procurement would be to ensure continuation of high-quality, accessible support for all eligible children and young people, promoting inclusion and independence. The service will include direct outreach, training for school staff, family support, and integration with other SEND services. Provision must be available for Enfield's children and young people, including visits to educational establishments outside of Enfield's boundary if a child or young person should attend one of these, and also within independent educational establishments if the child or young person has an Education Health, and Care Plan. Key Challenges • Meeting diverse needs • Managing resources efficiently while maintaining a quality service, and • Responding to demographic changes Key Stakeholders • Children • Families Schools • Health professionals, and • Voluntary organisations The project is driven by a commitment to improving outcomes, achieving value for money, and complying with statutory duties. The estimated budget for this service is £644,000 (excluding VAT and any indexation) over the full lifetime of the contract, including any agreed extensions. The contract aims to deliver a responsive, high-quality Visual Impairment Outreach Service that employs people with the qualifications and expertise required to support children and young people, schools, and families. Strategic Aims • Promoting inclusion • Improving educational attainment, and • Empowering families Operational requirements include rapid response to referrals, flexible service delivery, integration with other SEND services, and robust performance monitoring (see Appendix 2 for draft Service Specification and KPIs). Expected Outcomes • Improved access to education • Increased independence • High satisfaction rates, and • Compliance with statutory duties Further details are found within the Service Specification that is uploaded to the contracting authority's portal, Atamis, as part of the procurement documents. Participation or non-participation in the above-mentioned preliminary market engagement shall not prevent any supplier from participating in, nor shall it place any supplier at an advantage in this contract opportunity. Suppliers must also know that they should cover their own cost of participating in this preliminary market engagement and the contracting authority is not liable for any cost incurred due to potential provider's participation in the exercise.

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