16/16 Independent Fostering Agency (IFA) Placement

About the buyer

Wakefield Council is a local authority procuring goods, works and services for the district through its own commercial team. Contract opportunities are advertised through YORtender, the council's own procurement portal, free to join. Since February 2025, most procurements have run under the Procurement Act 2023, aimed at opening contracts to more suppliers. Suppliers register once on the central Find a Tender platform to bid for opportunities. Framework agreements and dynamic purchasing systems cover many of its call-off contracts, alongside direct quotations for lower-value work. A published commercial pipeline sets out anticipated procurement activity over the next 18 months.

UK local government drives £140bn in annual procurement, led by social protection (£66.6bn) and education (£57.1bn).

Over the past 5 years, most of Wakefield Council's contract awards have been in construction work, repair and maintenance and transport equipment.