Purpose

Adoption in Merseyside (AiM) is a regional adoption agency
partnership arrangement between the Liverpool City Region partners
to deliver statutory adoption services.Cabinet approved the AiM
partnership model in 2017 and AiM commenced in 2018. The
partnership agreement was extended in 2021 and is currently being
reviewed by strategic leads who will make a recommendation for a
future facing partnership model to Sefton’s Executive
Director for Children’s Services in 2025.
 
The partnership agreement sets out the duties and
responsibilities of each local authority. Sefton has
commissioning responsibility for some contracts that are due for
renewal during the review period. This includes procurement of a
family action contract for the partnership which fulfils a
statutory duty to support birth families whose children are being
adopted or have been adopted. The contract expires 31st May
2024. 
 
This report seeks approval to undertake a tendering exercise to
procure a new contract which will commence 1st June
2024.  
 

Decision

Decision(s): 

 
(1) 
That the Executive Director of Childrens Services be
authorised to conduct a competitive tendering exercise to procure
an Adoption Support Service on behalf of the AiM partnership with a
view to entering into a contract for a maximum period of three
years comprising an initial 12 month period with an option to
extend for a further to two periods of twelve months.  The maximum price is set at £170,000 per
annum for the whole partnership.  The
Sefton element is set at 19.18% based on activity, which equates
to  £32,606 per annum.
 
(2) 
That the Executive Director of Childrens Services in
consultation with the Cabinet Member for Childrens Services be
granted delegated authority to award the Contract resulting from
the procurement [and to award any extension thereof].  The
scoring of bids is based on a weighting of 20% price, 10% social
value, 70% quality.

 
(3) 
Authority be delegated to the Executive Director for
Children’s Services to agree the service specification and
contract terms and conditions for the service, which will also be
formulated and agreed with AiM Local Authority partners.
 
(4) 
Authority be delegated to the Executive Director for
Children’s Services for oversight of the review and
development of a longer-term future model for the delivery of AIM
which will take place with all partner organisations.

 
 

Reasons for the
Decision(s): 
 
To ensure Sefton’s Children and Young People and their
families benefit from being part of a regional adoption
partnership.  
 
To fulfil statutory requirements to support birth families whose
children are being adopted or have been adopted and ensure
compliance with the Public Contract Regulations (PCR
2015). 
 
 

Alternative Options Considered and
Rejected: (including any Risk
Implications) 
 
1.   
Not undertaking a competitive tendering
exercise – this option was rejected
as there is a need to put in place a new contract in order to
continue to meet this statutory function.