SENDIASS Market Engagement

Achieving for Children (AfC) is a community interest company (a not-for-profit social enterprise) created in 2014 by the Royal Borough of Kingston and the London Borough of Richmond to provide their children's services.

Achieving for Children (AfC) is seeking input from the market to support the future commissioning of the Special Educational Needs Disability Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS).

The SENDIASS provision is a statutory service set out in the Children & Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of practice 2015 which offers families impartial advice and support around understanding, expectations and right to appeal in all matters relating to SEND.

The soft market testing exercise aims to identify the potential to increase the number and type of organisations who would be interested in tendering for the Special Educational Needs and Disability Information and Advice Service (SENDIASS).

Achieving for Children (AfC) would like to understand from key providers how these requirements might best be structured and is therefore carrying out a soft market testing exercise to engage in early informal dialogue prior to any formal procurement taking place.

Organisations that are interested in participating in this exercise should read the Memorandum of Interest and complete the Market Engagement Questionnaire. This questionnaire should be returned via the London Tenders Portal no later than 12:00 hours on Wednesday 22nd June 2022. You can register for free at https://procontract.due-north.com/register.

All information provided in the questionnaire responses and any subsequent discussions will be strictly confidential and will assist AfC in shaping and scoping requirements and provide insight into the most suitable delivery model for the SENDIASS. AfC does not have a firm intention to award a contract at this stage.

Please note that this soft market testing activity does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services, supplies or works for AfC and the AfC is not bound to accept any proposals offered.