Support for Families with Disabled Children Programme.

Description

The Department for Education is considering the future delivery of the Support for Families with Disabled Children (SFDC) programme in England. SFDC provides financial support to low-income families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people, helping to address practical and financial barriers arising from disability or serious illness. Delivery of SFDC requires a provider capable of administering a national grant programme, managing public funds and maintaining appropriate safeguarding, information-security and fraud-prevention arrangements. The Department is undertaking preliminary market engagement to inform the development of the future delivery model and potential procurement. This includes understanding market capability and capacity to deliver a national programme; approaches to assessment and grant administration; ability to build trust and engage sympathetically and empathetically with families in challenging circumstances, partnership and supply-chain models; mobilisation requirements; and potential barriers to market participation. In parallel with this market engagement, the Department is progressing the governance and contractual arrangements needed to maintain continuity of the existing service. These arrangements support ongoing delivery while the future delivery model is developed. The Department's emerging policy approach is to focus support on interventions that address a defined disability-related barrier and contribute directly to outcomes for disabled children and young people, while avoiding duplication of suitable support genuinely available through other services. The final scope, requirements, commercial model, contract value and procurement approach remain subject to policy development, market engagement and relevant approvals. Total Value (estimated) £9,000,000 excluding VAT £10,8000,000 including VAT Contract dates (estimated) 1 September 2027 to 31 August 2029 Possible extension to 31 August 2030. Additional information: Engagement process description: The current intention is for a market engagement webinar to be held on 3 December 2026 starting at 1pm and ending at 2pm. This will be an online event hosted through the Microsoft Teams platform. This session will include a presentation at which representatives from the Department will provide information to potential suppliers about the proposed scope of the services and current thinking on how they will be procured. A Question-and-Answer session is included where potential suppliers will have the opportunity to ask questions of Departmental representatives. The Department anticipates using the RM6322 Fund Administration & Disbursement Services Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for any future procurement arising from this market engagement. Suppliers interested in participating in the market engagement process are encouraged to register on RM6322 within 5 working days of the publication of this notice https://supplierregistration.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/dps/RM6322 The DPS onboarding process typically takes approximately 10 days. HOW TO EXPRESS INTEREST IN THE MARKET ENGAGEMENT EVENT: To register for the event you will need to be registered as a supplier on the DfE Jaggaer eTendering portal https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html Once registered, please navigate to the "Current Opportunities" section and search for: - SSQ 880 If you would like to attend please express your interest through the DfE Jaggaer portal by no later than 12 noon on 30 November 2026. All communications must be made through the Jaggaer portal. Support is available to help the market/tenderers to understand and use the system. Please contact the Jaggaer Service Helpdesk on 0800 069 8630 or e-mail [email protected]. Suppliers interested in pursuing this opportunity after the market engagement event will be asked to complete a Capability Assessment questionnaire. This will assess the expertise, experience, and aptitude of the suppliers. Those suppliers who successfully pass the Capability Assessment will be invited to an opportunity to engage in commercial-in-confidence 1-1 meetings between individual suppliers and Department staff to discuss aspects of the procurement in greater depth. These will take place at a later date, with further details to be confirmed. Participation in the market engagement event is not a supplier selection or shortlisting exercise and will not, in itself, determine eligibility to participate in any subsequent procurement. Please be aware that this notice does not signify the commencement of any procurement process and does not constitute any commitment by the Department for Education. The Department makes no commitment at this stage to the final funding envelope for any future contractual activity.

Links & Documents