SEND Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service
Rotherham Borough Council (RBC) are running a single procurement process that will result in the commissioning of an impartial SEND Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service.
1The Children and Families Act 2014 (the "Act"), Chapter 6 sets out requirements regarding appeals, mediation and disagreement resolution for children and young people in England with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
The Act was followed by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice 2015: 0 to 25 years. This Statutory Code of Practice sets out the guidance for organisations who work with and support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities explaining their duties and responsibilities under Part 3 of the Act, details of the legal requirements that must be followed without exception and statutory guidance that must be followed by law (unless there is a legitimate reason not to).
Both the Act and Code of Practice outline:
• Early resolution of disagreements at a local level,
• Independent disagreement resolution arrangements which local authorities must make available for disagreements across special educational provision,
• Independent mediation arrangements which parents/carers and young people can use before deciding whether to appeal to the SEND First Tier Tribunal and for health and social care complaints in relation to Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs),
• Conditions for appealing to the Tribunal or making disability discrimination claims.
In addition, The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 set out in detail what is required by Local Authorities (LAs) for assessing the Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs of children and young people and, where necessary, drawing up EHC plans including the requirements regarding mediation and appeal.
In order to ensure strong quality standards the Service Provider must be a Registered Provider with the Civil Mediation Council and ensure that all Mediators are trained, qualified and experienced and must be included on the SEND Mediator Register.
The Service Provider must also provide a commitment to comply with any additional professional standards developed as a result of the SEND reforms.
The Service Provider will provide confidential, independent and impartial mediation advice and Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service to Service Users within the Rotherham borough in order to assist the discharge of statutory obligations under the Act and the Code of Practice.
The Service Provider will ensure that the Service is:
• Independent, confidential and impartial to Service Users,
• Flexible yet cost effective, enabling Service Users to access the Service they need, when they need it. This Service should be a hybrid model with online mediation as the default.
In providing the Service the Service Provider must ensure that it, and its staff:
• Adhere to the agreed timetable throughout the process,
• Demonstrate trauma-informed, parent-centered practice,
• Seek feedback from Service Users to inform and influence service development as well as providing evidence of user satisfaction improvements,
• Tailor the Service to individual Service User needs and especially in reference to groups with protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010,
• Is a Civil Mediation Council (CMC) registered Provider and
• Use only Mediators registered with the CMC.
The current SEND reform programme and associated DfE policy development present a known risk which may necessitate future modifications of the contract. Whilst the final legislative and operational requirements are not yet fully defined, the reforms may result in changes to statutory mediation requirements, dispute resolution pathways, Individual Support Plan (ISP) arrangements, referral volumes, eligibility criteria, performance measures, reporting requirements, multi-agency working arrangements, and the respective responsibilities of Local Authorities, schools and health partners.
Consequently, the Council may need to modify the contract during its term to reflect changes in legislation, statutory guidance, service delivery models, demand levels or commissioning requirements arising from the national SEND reform programme. Any modifications would be limited to those necessary to maintain statutory compliance, service continuity and effective delivery of the SEND Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service.
The Youth Engagement Service/Integrated Settlement NEET is a service that will deliver targeted activity for young people who are NEET, at risk of becoming NEET, or not yet ready to access mainstream post-16 provision without additional preparation NEET prevention and reduction activity for Manchester residents aged 15-18.
The primary focus of this service is young people aged 16-18 who are NEET or at risk of disengagement, young people aged 15 who require earlier preventative support, and eligible young people up to age 25 where this relates to SEND with an Education, Health and Care Plan or Manchester Care Leavers. The service will support these young people to build confidence, readiness, skills and motivation; develop a clear destination plan; access high-quality information, advice and guidance; and move towards an appropriate EET outcome.
The service is a distinct targeted progression and re-engagement service which complements, but does not duplicate, the statutory NEET Prevention and Reduction Service (NPRS). The service will add capacity where young people require bespoke support, structured activity, employability development, mentoring, information, advice and guidance, or a staged pathway before they are able to enter or sustain an education, employment or training destination.
Provision of Homeless Supported Accommodation, Outreach Tenancy Support and Housing First Services
Provision of housing support services to assist individuals and households experiencing homelessness, housing instability or requiring support to sustain accommodation. The service will contribute to homelessness prevention, tenancy sustainment, independent living and improved wellbeing outcomes. The requirement is expected to include:
- Housing First support services for individuals with multiple and complex needs.
- Outreach tenancy support services for people residing within the Falkirk Council area.
- Supported accommodation services, including accommodation management and support provision for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Derbyshire County Council (The Council) are seeking one or two Contractors to provide The Council with a reliable, flexible, and cost-effective means of procuring the supply and lay of bond coat services. The contract will cover the supply and subsequent lay of bond coat, with appropriately qualified operators. These services may be required across multiple locations within the Council's jurisdiction.
The proposed contract is expected to commence on 5th January 2027 with an initial term of 2 years, with the option to extend for a further two 12-month periods, up to a maximum of 4 years (2+1+1).
Procure a new contract for the Mechanical/Electronic door entry servicing, maintenance and upgrade works located in Sheltered Schemes, HFU’s (Homeless Family Units) and various general needs domestic flat dwellings for Ipswich Borough Council.
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Framework for Call-down Technical Assistance - Engineering and Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Advisory Services (BRAVE-IS)
DAI Global UK is seeking proposals from firms or consortia to provide engineering and climate-resilient infrastructure advisory services to the Building Resilience and Addressing Vulnerability to Emergencies - Institutional Strengthening (BRAVE-IS) programme in Pakistan. BRAVE-IS is a multi-year (2026-2029) technical assistance programme funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Background
Pakistan's infrastructure is highly exposed to floods, extreme heat, drought, landslides and earthquakes. Government has introduced climate and disaster risk requirements into public investment planning, but institutions need specialist engineering support to apply them in how infrastructure is planned, designed, appraised and maintained.
Scope
BRAVE-IS will appoint a firm or consortium under a Time and Materials call-down framework, from which it can mobilise engineering experts and, where needed, complete delivery teams. Work will be commissioned through individual task requests. Expertise is required in: climate-resilient infrastructure engineering and design; hydrology, hydraulics and flood-risk engineering; water resources, irrigation and drainage; infrastructure planning, appraisal and risk assessment; geospatial, digital and engineering software; and engineering institutional strengthening and capacity development. Support must strengthen, not substitute for, government capacity.
Eligibility
Applicants must be legally registered in Pakistan and hold valid Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) registration as a consulting engineering firm. Consortia of up to four members are welcome, led by a single lead member. Personnel will work in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Gilgit, with travel elsewhere in Pakistan as required, and rates are sought for locally based personnel.
Contract
The initial period runs from date of award to 31 March 2027, extendable subject to programme requirements, performance and FCDO approval. Contracts will be issued by DAI Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd. No minimum volume of work is guaranteed.
How to apply
Submit one email to [email protected] with the subject line "BRAVE-IS-003 - Proposal - [Firm name]", attaching two separate PDF files: (1) a technical submission of no more than ten pages, with CVs as an annex, and (2) a financial proposal giving daily fee rates only for five personnel levels. Proposals will be scored 80% technical and 20% financial and must remain valid for 90 days.
Key dates
Clarification questions: by 29 October 2026, by email to [email protected] with the subject line "BRAVE-IS-003 - Clarification Question - [Firm name]". All questions and responses will be published on Contracts Finder.
Proposal deadline: 9 November 2026, 17:00 Pakistan Standard Time (12:00 UK time).
Please read the full RFP (reference BRAVE-IS-003) before applying. Late submissions will not be considered. DAI reserves the right to cancel the procurement or make no award.
T-119CM-26 Shield Integrity Testing Services - MRF Hot cells
UKAEA is requesting a tender for services by contractor to provide a test plan for source locations, measurement locations, to perform measurements, and generate a report to validate shielding design principle, or identify defects in installation of MRF hot cell line.
HS2 Old Oak Common (OOC) is a new high-speed rail station being built as part of the High Speed 2 (HS2) project - the UK's flagship rail infrastructure initiative. Once constructed Old Oak Common will be the largest newly built station in the UK. A key interchange between HS2, Elizabeth Line, Great Western Railway (GWR), and Heathrow Express services. Situated in West London, between North Acton and Willesden Junction and built on the site of the former Old Oak Common Railway depot.
We are seeking to appoint a suitably qualified supplier to supply security cameras for the COMM4 security system CCTV package. The package includes box, dome, dome PTZ, PTZ, lift dome camera types with an estimated overall quantity of 1,400 devices that will acquire brackets and junction boxes. We intend to procure these under a framework agreement.
DN Colleges Group - North Lindsey College - ITT for Global House Reclad and Refurbishment Project
This document is an invitation to tender (ITT) for the design and construction of the proposed recladding and refurbishment works to Global House, an existing DN Colleges facility within their North Lindsey Campus.
Bron Afon are looking for a suitably skilled and experienced contractor to erect, dismantle and carry out regulatory safety checks to scaffolding structures commissioned by the responsive repairs, voids and planned works teams.
Delivery of the GMC's annual People Survey and associated employee listening services, including survey administration, reporting, analysis and qualitative insight activities.
Full invitation to tender document (in Welsh & English) is downloadable from the Additional Documents section.
Tender submission must be made via Sell2Wales only.
The Future Generations Commissioner for Wales is seeking proposals for expert research and evaluation support to provide an independent assessment of the effectiveness of his Cymru Can strategy and how the strategy might be updated for the remaining three years of the Commissioner’s term.
The Welsh Government is currently producing the next Future Trends report for Wales in conjunction with the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner and this report will be available to inform this evaluation.
Internal and external data and reports, including annual performance reports, will also be made available for the successful consultant.
Background:
The Well-being of Future Generations Act (“The WFG Act”) was enacted in Wales in 2015. The position of Future Generations Commissioner arose out of the legislation and exists to act as a guardian for those people yet-to-be-born. The Act puts a legal duty on public bodies to ensure that they maximise their contribution to our collective well-being and that decisions taken today do not limit the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It requires them to think about the long term impact of their decisions, to work better with people, communities and each other, and to prevent or reverse persistent problems such as poverty, health inequalities and climate change. The Future Generations Commissioner is there to advise, support and monitor the progress of public bodies in Wales in achieving these goals. The Commissioner is also able to undertake investigations (section 20 reviews) into a relevant issue to consider the extent to which a public body is safeguarding the ability of future generations to meet their needs by taking account of the long-term impact of things the body does.
Cymru Can:
In 2023, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Derek Walker, launched ‘Cymru Can’, his strategy for his time in the role. Cymru Can covers the period 2023 – 2030 and we are now at a mid-point.
The WFG Act is broad in scope, and the Cymru Can approach is designed to ensure we can focus our work where it can be most effective. The strategy and missions were arrived at through research, foresight techniques and an involvement process, ‘Our Future Focus’.
Cymru Can’s five missions are: Implementation and Impact, Climate and Nature, Health and Well-being, Culture and Welsh Language, and A Well-being Economy. We have also identified themes or systems that connect our missions such as the food system and Artificial Intelligence.
Future Generations Commissioner for WalesWAC-674154
Tender for FTIR monitoring solution for DRE in semiconductor gaseous abatement systems
The Faculty of Science and Engineering at Swansea University is seeking to procure a complete, turnkey FTIR-based system for determining Destruction or Removal Efficiency (DRE) of semiconductor point-of-use abatement systems. This equipment will be housed in the Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials (CISM) at Swansea Universities Bay Campus.
The existing abatement system installed in CISM, is currently unmonitored in terms of DRE, and a there is an urgent requirement to have continuous DRE monitoring to inform both process and abatement experiments and drive efficiency improvements. Additionally, a new abatement system is being installed, and DRE will be compared between the new and existing systems using the new FTIR capability.
External funding is being sought from the Welsh Governments SMART Capital scheme for a fixed maximum budget of GBP 150,000 excluding VAT which includes all delivery and service contract costs. This investment will support multiple active grants and is essential for both submitted and planned research proposals. Due to the funding programme's tight expenditure deadline, this tender has been published in advance of the funding decision. Any contract award resulting from this tender will be conditional upon the funding being approved and awarded.
Paradigm Trust - provision of Planned Preventative Maintenance
Paradigm Trust - provision of Planned Preventative Maintenance
Paradigm Trust (the "Authority") is issuing this Invitation to Tender ("ITT") in connection with the competitive procurement of Planned Preventative Maintenance for all sites.
Lot 1 - London Schools
Lot 2 - Ipswich Academy and Schools
Lot 3 - Both Locations combined
Tech support for the dev. of the PCF requirements of the NHS Supplier Roadmap
In 2021, the NHS Public Board approved a roadmap to drive supplier decarbonisation and support the achievement of the NHS Net Zero target. The 2028 milestone of this roadmap outlines new requirements to be introduced overseeing the provision of carbon footprints for individual products supplied to the NHS. The 2025 Five years of a greener NHS progress report refined the scope of this milestone to high-emission areas, particularly pharmaceuticals, medical technologies, and digital where more granular carbon insights can deliver value on the NHS’s journey to net zero. There isn’t currently a single methodology to measure product level emissions, and further work is required to define the technical approach that will deliver the expected benefits of this policy. This procurement exercise outlines the need to commission a third party with expertise and experience in Product Carbon Footprinting (PCF) in the health sector to support, by the end of Q4 26/27, the selection, tailoring and testing of the technical PCF requirement of the 2028 milestone. This includes working with a technical reference group (TRG) with experts in Footprinting to identify existing methods and standards, assessing their alignment against the NHS policy intentions, recommending options and how they could be practically applied in the identified areas, and testing them with suppliers, using real data, and reporting learnings from the process. Enabling the collection of granular data for high-emission areas is key to assisting NHS England (NHSE) to demonstrate regard to the need to contribute towards compliance with its statutory climate change duties (Climate Change Act 2008 and Environment Act 2021). This project will support understanding of key products’ emissions, allowing the NHSE team and local stakeholders to prioritise actions to tackle supply chain emissions, as well as identifying opportunities for UK innovation and growth, improving health products value and supply resilience.