If you come across any contracting opportunities or have a contract that you are tendering for, please let us know by emailing web@futurebuilders-england.org.uk or leave a comment on this blog.

Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of an Enterprise in Schools project software in Wigan. Contract value is to range between £50,000 and £100,000. Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQs) can be requested until the 7 December 2009. Contact Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council for more information.

Bristol City Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of public child care practitioners in Bristol. The contract duration is two years with a possible 12 month extension. The time limit for receipt of response is 10 December 2009. Contact Sheelagh Dawson at Bristol City Council for more information.

South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of a Children and Young People with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) service in South Staffordshire. The contract duration is three years with an option to extend for a further two years. Applicants should e-mail expressions of interest to Kerry Kay at the awarding authority by the 11 December 2009.

East of England Development Agency have a contracting opportunity for the provision of targeted support for employment and skills across the East of England. The contract value is £75,000. The deadline for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 11 December 2009. Contact East of England Development Agency for further information.

Cornwall Council are inviting tenders for a contracting opportunity for the provision of positive and fun short break opportunities for disabled children and young people in Cornwall. The contract value is to range between £20,000 and £50,000.The contract duration is 12 months. The time limit for receipt of expressions of interest is 14 December 2009. Contact J. Mckibben at Cornwall Council for further information.

Voluntary Action Rotherham have financial assistance available for third sector organisations carrying out community-based environmental projects in Rotherham. Grants of up to £300 per group are available. The deadline for applications is 16 December 2009. Contact Voluntary Action Rotherham for further information.

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of the DWP Reward and Recognition scheme. The contract value to range between £1,000,000 and £5,000,000. Applicants should send details of their organisation to Alan Marsh, by email at the awarding authority, to receive a pre-qualification questionnaire. The time limit for expressions of interest is 17 December 2009.

Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council are inviting tenders for a contracting opportunity on behalf of Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council for the provision of targeted mental health services to children and young people in schools. The contract duration is 15 months. The time limit for receipt of response is 18 December 2009. Contact Sarah Coney at Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council for more information.

Hull City Council are inviting tenders for a contracting opportunity for the provision of a Pathfinders service for young carers in Hull. The contract duration is 15 months. The time limit for receipt of response is 18 December 2009. Contact Fiona Harbord at Hull City Council for more information.

Blackpool Borough Council have a contracting opportunity for the provision of a core care service for two extra care housing schemes in Blackpool. The contract value is to range between £200,000 and £300,000. Contract duration is five years. The time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 4 January 2010. Contact Gareth White at Blackpool Borough Council for more information.

NHS Wakefield District have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of a community specialist obesity triage service in the Wakefield District. The contract value to range between £1,950,000 and £2,850,000. The contract duration is three years with an option to extend for a further two years. The time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 5 January 2010. Contact Dave Warsop at NHS Wakefield District for further information.

Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of community learning and employment champions in Doncaster. The contract duration is 13 months. The time limit for receipt of response is 6 January 2010. Contact Karen Middlebrook at Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council for further information.

Coventry City Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of a fostering advice and mediation service in Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull. The contract value is £150,000. The time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 8 January 2010. Contact Russell Garcia at Coventry City Council for more information.

Essex County Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of a children and young people advocacy service in Essex. The time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 11 January 2010. Contact Kate Martin at Essex County Council for more information.

Southampton City Council have financial assistance available for voluntary and community groups carrying out projects to benefit local residents in Southampton city centre. Grants of up to £1,000 are available. Contact the Stronger Communities and Equalities Team at Southampton City Council for further information.

Coventry City Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of overnight residential short breaks for disabled children and young people in Coventry. The contract value is £930,000. Contract duration is four years. The time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 15 January 2010. Contact Russell Garcia at Coventry City Council for more information.

Essex County Council have grants of up to £100,000 available to improve the social, economic or environmental well-being of local communities in Essex. For further information please visit the Essex County Council website or email sallyanne.thallon@essex.gov.uk

West Sussex County Council are inviting tenders for a contracting opportunity for the provision of independent providers of children’s placement services within West Sussex and Brighton and Hove. The contract value is £60,000. The contract duration is 19 months. The time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 18 January 2010. Contact Simon Walder at West Sussex County Council for more information.

Pontus Westerberg, Web Editor at The Social Investment Business asks Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, what Government can do to help social enterprises get involved in public service delivery.

Can’t see the video? You may have to download the latest version of Adobe Flash player.

The report outlines five recommendations:

1. Devolving financial control: Control over how money is spent on services should be devolved down to a level as close as possible to the service user. There are a wide variety of tools that can be used to achieve this.

2. Self-help and mutual aid: the service-centric model of ‘public services’ should be turned inside-out, with self-help and mutual aid (in other words, community) placed firmly at its heart. We should see people not as ‘service users’ but as ‘service helpers’ and change agents.

3. Building ‘can do’ assets: personalisation should be accompanied by a renewed focus on building up the emotional, financial and intellectual assets of service users in a risk-smart and preventative way.

4. Culture change: personalisation should inspire a revolution on the supply side of public services, a revolution that sees far-reaching culture change throughout the system, that frees up public serviceprofessionals and that creates an environment in which innovation flourishes.

5. Social markets: a new generation of genuine social markets should be created, in which power shifts from commissioner and provider to service users, and in which good performance is rewarded and invested in and poor performance is driven out to set out our initial ideas and some key questions we believe need to be answered. We hope that
over the next year this interim report will stimulate debate and allow us to test our ideas and address some key questions before we produce a final report in autumn 2010.

Download the full report

Jamie spent the afternoon with some of the 76 children with profound autism that attend Treehouse and even took part in drunning lessons with the students.

This year The X Factor was being sponsored by Talk Talk, who have been supporting Treehouse since 2005. Earlier this year Talk Talk provided funding for talkaboutautism.org.uk – a thrining online community for parents and children with autism to share information and support.

Read more…

If you come across any contracting opportunities or have a contract that you are tendering for, please let us know by emailing web@futurebuilders-england.org.uk or leave a comment on this blog.

Improvement East – Partnership for Improvement and Efficiency have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of an employment and skills service across the East of England. As no deadline date has been specified, please contact the awarding authority for further information. Contact Lynsay Cook at Improvement East – Partnership for Improvement and Efficiency for further information.

Waltham Forest Council have a contracting opportunity for the provision of a Sustainability and Climate Change Residential Outreach programme. Contract value is £37,500. To obtain a full tender pack contact Kathryn Cassidy at the awarding authority. Time limit for receipt of tenders is 24 November 2009.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of a child obesity intervention in Stockton-on-Tees. The contract duration is 12 months. The time limit for receipt of expressions of interest is 27 November 2009. Contact Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council for further information.

Charities Aid Foundation have a grant available for public and third sector organisations working to overcome barriers to disabled people volunteering in Greater London, the West Midlands and the North West. Awards of between £250 and £5,000 are available, with an average grant value of around £2,000. Application deadline is 01 December 2009. Contact CAF for further information.

London Borough of Hackney Council have a contracting opportunity for the provision of general employment support for the Way into Work programme in the London borough of Hackney. The contract value to range between £500,000 and £1,000,000. The contract duration is one year with an option to extend for a further two years. The time limit for receipt of expressions of interest is 7 December 2009. Contact Nadeem Malik at the London Borough of Hackney Council for more information.

London Borough of Hackney Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of Specialist Employment Support in Hackney. The contract value is to range between £500,000 and £1,000,000. The contract duration is one year with a possibility to extend for a further two years. The time limit for receipt of expressions of interest is 7 December 2009.Contact Nadeem Malik at the London Borough of Hackney Council for more information.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of research for the premises needs of Third Sector Organisations in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The contract value is to range between £20,000 and £24,995. Time limit for receipt of quotation is 7 December 2009. Interested parties should, in the first instance, submit an expression of interest by email: strategyandperformance@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Northumberland County Council have a contracting opportunity for the provision of meals to Bedlington Children’s Centre. The time limit for receipt of pre-qualification questionnaires is 11 December 2009. Contact Chris Rush at Northumberland County Council for further information.

Durham County Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of participation for children and young people, parents, carers and families across Durham and Chester-le-street. The contract value is £120,000. The contract duration is 21 months with an anticipated extension of a further 21 months. The time limit for receipt of expressions of interest is 11 December 2009. Contact Durham County Council for more information

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council have a contracting opportunity on behalf of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council for the provision of an Integrated Young People’s Specialist Substance Misuse Service in Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees. Contract value to range between £500,000 and £1,000,000. The time limit for receipt of expressions of interest is 14 December 2009. Contact Lynne Massam at the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council for further information.

Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of Aiming High Services for disabled children and a service for care within a child’s home in Walsall. The contract value is to range between £80,000 and £240,000. Contract duration is three years. The time limit for receipt of tenders of requests to participate is 15 December 2009. Contact Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council for further information.

London Borough of Merton Council have a contracting opportunity for the provision of specialist support services in the London Borough of Merton. The time limit for receipt of expressions of interest is 16 December 2009. Contact Corporate Procurement at London Borough of Merton Council for further information.

London Borough of Islington Council have a contracting opportunity for the provision of children’s short breaks in Islington. The contract duration is 12 months with an anticipated extension of a further 12 months. Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 17 December 2009. Contact Malcolm Shimmin at the London Borough of Islington Council for more information.

Derbyshire County Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of accommodation based housing related support service (Supporting People) for young people in High peak, Derbyshire. Contract value is £60,000 per annum. The time limit for return of documents is 17 December 2009. Contact Derbyshire County Council for more information.

Coventry City Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of floating support for offenders under licence, those under community supervision and ex offenders in Coventry. The contract value is £93,600 per annum. Contract duration is 12 months. The time limit for receipt of electronic applications is 5 January 2010. Contact Procurement Services at Coventry City Council for more information.

Moneyline Greater Manchester have financial assistance available to individuals and businesses who find it difficult to access mainstream funding. Business loans are available up to £25,000. Enquiries should be made online at http://www.moneylinegm.co.uk/Contact.aspx

Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of holiday playschemes in Leicester. The contract value is £280,000. The contract duration is 22 months with the option to extend for a further two months. The time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 5 February 2010. Contact Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO) for more information.

South West of England Regional Development Agency have financial assistance available for public, private and voluntary sector organisations in Cornwall and Devon to undertake innovative projects that will improve the local economy. Investments will usually be in the range of £50,000 to £250,000. Contact Business Link Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset for further information.

The Trust provides a whole range of services in the North East, for example educational visits for unemployed parents and their children, information, advice and guidance to help learners to make more informed choices about learning and training opportunities and guidance for starting small businesses.

The investment will be used to buy and refurbish four properties for young people people in Easington. Some of will also be used for general working capital.

The London Borough of Sutton is looking for a social enterprise to develop and provide a handypersons service for older people and people over the age of 18 who are particularly vurnerable within Sutton.

The contract is expected to commence on 1 April 2010 and will be for a maximum period of 2 years. After that the service must be fully sustainable and self-financing.

Organisations will need to be able to demonstrate that they can deliver services to vurnerable people using a sustainable enterprise model. They must also be able to demonstrate inclusion in the workforce of people who have traditionally found it hard to enter the labour market.

Email anna.abraham@sutton.gov.uk for a tender pack. Tender packs will be sent out during the week starting 23 November and the closing date for submitted tenders will be Friday 8 January 2010.

If you come across any contracting opportunities or have a contract that you are tendering for, please let us know by emailing web@futurebuilders-england.org.uk or leave a comment on this blog.

Department for Children, Schools and Families are inviting tenders for a contracting opportunity for the provision of the testing of a Disability Identification Tool for schools. Expressions of interest should be no more than 750 words and should be received no later than the 10 November 2009. For queries regarding the tendering process applicants should contact Elizabeth Wilde at the awarding authority. For queries regarding the project, contact Natasha Calvert.

The Economic and Social Research Council have financial assistance available for research placements to enable knowledge, experience and skills transfer between third sector organisations and the academic sector. Application deadline is the 10 November. Contact the ESRC for further information.

NHS Nottinghamshire County are inviting tenders for a contracting opportunity for the provision of welfare and advice services in Nottinghamshire. The contract duration is three years. An information pack including the specification is available from Gilly Swift at the awarding authority. Time limit for receipt of responses is 11 November 2009.

Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council have a contracting opportunity for the provision of the Integrated Community Equipment Service throughout Doncaster. The contract duration is 36 months with an option to extend for two further 12 month periods. The time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 11 November 2009. Contact the Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council for more information.

NHS Central Lancashire have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of adult community tier 2, tier 3 and criminal justice substance misuse services for Central Lancashire. The contract value is £5,000,000. The contract duration is three years. The time limit for receipt of response is 11 November 2009. Contact the NHS Central Lancashire for further information.

The Njoya Foundation have grants available for third sector organisations undertaking projects for the benefit of young males of African descent, aged 5 – 15 in London. Grants are made up to a value of £500, in any 12 month period. Application deadline is the 12th of November. Contact the Njoya Foundation for further information.

Department for Children, Schools and Families have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of a Family Information Service (FIS) Managers Survey. Applicants should send expressions of interest, no longer than 750 words, to the awarding authority by the 12 November 2009. Contract Enquiries to the Department for Children, Schools and Families – Analytical Management Team, Research Buying Unit W601, Moorfoot, Sheffield, S1 4PQ.

Worcestershire County Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of a GP engagement in support for carers in Worcestershire. The time limit for receipt of submissions is 13 November 2009. Contact Worcestershire County Council for more information.

Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough Council have financial assistance is available to local voluntary organisations in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead for revenue and capital costs. Capital grants will be between £1,000 and £25,000 up to a maximum of 66% of total cost of capital project. Applications are due by 13 November 2009. Contact Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough Council for further information.

The Cabinet Office are inviting tenders for financial assistance which is available to small voluntary and community groups to continue or expand their work with the local community in Milton Keynes. Applicants may receive no more than £5,000 during the three-year period of the grant. Application deadline is the 13th of November. Contact the Milton Keynes Community Foundation for further information or to request a paper version of the application pack.

Richmond Upon Thames Council for Voluntary Services have financial assistance available to organisations working with children and young people in the London Borough of Richmond. Application deadline is the 13 November. Contact Thames Community Foundation for further information.

Comic Relief have financial assistance available for charities, social enterprises and community groups in the United Kingdom to undertake projects which support refugee and asylum seeking women that have experienced rape, torture or other forms of abuse. Grants on average vary between £25,000 and £40,000 and are usually for between one and three years. Application deadline is 13 November. Contact Comic Relief for further information.

Comic Relief have financial assistance available for charities, social enterprises and community groups in the United Kingdom to undertake projects which support vulnerable young people aged 11-25. Grants on average vary between £25,000 and £40,000 and are usually for between one and three years. Application deadline is the 13th of November. Contact Comic Relief for further information.

Department for Communities and Local Government have financial assistance available to organisations for innovative projects that address worklessness in specific areas of Birmingham. Application deadline is 13 November. Contact Be Birmingham for further information.

Wiltshire County Council have a contracting opportunity available for the provision of Approved Learning and Development Providers across Wiltshire. The contract duration is three years. The t ime limit for receipt of expressions of interest is 16 November 2009. Contact Wiltshire County Council for more information.

Bromley Borough Council have a contracting opportunity on behalf of Bromley Borough Council for the provision of care support services for people with learning disabilities. The contract duration is three years with an option to extend for a further 24 months. The time limit for receipt of expressions of interest is 16 November 2009. Contact Bromley Borough Council for further information.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission have a contracting opportunity for the provision of Careers Information, Advice and Guidance Research in Manchester. The contract value is to range between £50,000 and £100,000. The time limit for receipt of tenders is 16 November 2009. For further information contact Mark Lewis at the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Department for Children, Schools and Families have a contracting opportunity for the provision of a Childcare and Early Years Parents Survey. Applicants should send expressions of interest, no longer than 750 words, to the awarding authority no later than the 16 November 2009. Contract Enquiries to the Department for Children, Schools and Families – Analytical Management Team, Research Buying Unit W601, Moorfoot, Sheffield, S1 4PQ

London Borough of Hillingdon Council are inviting tenders for a contracting opportunity for the provision of residential care services for older people and people with specialist needs in West London. The contract value is to range between £500,000, and £1,000,000. The contract duration is four years. The time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 16 November 2009. Contact the London Borough of Hillingdon Council for more information.

The Modernisation Fund could be for you. This fund helps third sector organisations to be more resilient to the impact of the economic downturn. It is aimed at helping organisations that are providing services that are particularly in demand during the recession. The Fund can help you to plan for difficult times ahead, identify issues and opportunities and take action to ensure that you are best able to prosper in the coming years.

Investment from The Modernisation Fund can be used to cover the costs to develop partnership working, mergers, to help you increase service delivery, organisational development, or training existing and new staff. The fund offers loan finance that may include grants and business support (depending on the needs of the organisation). Loans are offered at 0% interest, payable over 5 years, and repayment holidays can also be considered.

The fund is only available for a limited time – all investments must be agreed by the end of December 2009 and drawn down by the end of March 2010.

Come to one of our workshops this month to find out more about whether you might be eligible to apply for Modernisation Fund investment, to learn about how working collaboratively could help your organisation prosper and to speak to one of our advisors about your organisation or project:

• 16 November, 2009 – Leeds – Tiger 11, Hillside, Beeston Road, LS11 8ND
• 18 November, 2009 – Luton – The Auction House, Crescent Road, LU2 0AH

Register now:

www.regonline.co.uk/modernisation_fund_workshop