External Foster Care Services Framework Re-opening - Existing Providers

Essex County Council and Southend City Council are re-opening the framework agreement for External Foster Care Services. This Framework Agreement sets out the procedure for Placements, the terms and conditions for the provision of the Services and the obligations of a Provider under this Framework Agreement.

Existing IFAs, who are currently on the framework agreement, will be required to confirm either that there has been no change to its tender response or to confirm what changes have occurred since its tender response (including any changes to pricing – the Council may, at its sole discretion, place a maximum cap on any annual re-pricing which may be linked to the Consumer Price Index) and any changes will be subject to evaluation in accordance with the published criteria. Existing IFAs also have the opportunity to enter lots they are not currently apart of.

It is important to note that despite entering the framework agreement, the Customers shall have no obligation to make placements with any particular IFA under this Framework Agreement and this Framework Agreement is not a commitment or guarantee from the Customers to procure any Services or any specific volume of Services from any particular IFA. Instead, the Customers shall only be committed under the terms of a valid and binding Individual Placement Agreement formed pursuant to this Framework Agreement. Each Individual Placement Agreement shall be an independent contract in its own right and therefore shall survive termination or expiry of this Framework Agreement with the relevant Page 5 to 12

provisions of this Framework Agreement surviving as necessary until the expiry or earlier termination of any such Individual Placement Agreements.