Awarded contract

Early Learning, Childcare and Brokerage Services

Details

Supplier(s)
First Steps Nursery, Midget Gems Chilminder
Value
£146,058,429
Topic
Primary education services
Published
9 January 2026

Tender description

The Council has a statutory duty to make pre-school education available for eligible children under the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000. The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and Statutory Guidance set out the increased entitlement to 1140 hours for eligible children which became a statutory duty from August 2021. The Funding Follows the Child approach places choice in parents’ and carers’ hands enabling them to access their child’s funded entitlement with a provider that best suits their needs. All providers who apply and meet the expected standard, legislation and the Council's procedural requirements as set out in the Invitation to Tender and accept the rates and contract terms set out by the Council shall be accepted to deliver funded provision through the Flexible Framework enabling them to register children in 2025 to commence Brokerage placements from Q2 2025 and funded Early Learning and Childcare placements from August 2025. This is the July 2025 re-opening of the framework. If you have already been awarded a place on this framework, you do not need to re-apply. Lot 1: ELC - Private and Third Sector Settings (excluding Childminders) The Council has a statutory duty to make pre-school education available for eligible children under the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000. The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and Statutory Guidance set out the increased entitlement to 1140 hours for eligible children which became a statutory duty from August 2021. The Funding Follows the Child approach places choice in parents’ and carers’ hands enabling them to access their child’s funded entitlement with a provider that best suits their needs. All providers who apply and meet the expected standard, legislation and the Council's procedural requirements as set out in the Invitation to Tender and accept the rates and contract terms set out by the Council shall be accepted to deliver funded provision through the Flexible Framework enabling them to register children in 2025 to commence Brokerage placements from Q2 2025 and funded Early Learning and Childcare placements from August 2025. Lot 2: ELC - Childminders The Council has a statutory duty to make pre-school education available for eligible children under the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000. The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and Statutory Guidance set out the increased entitlement to 1140 hours for eligible children which became a statutory duty from August 2021. The Funding Follows the Child approach places choice in parents’ and carers’ hands enabling them to access their child’s funded entitlement with a provider that best suits their needs. All providers who apply and meet the expected standard, legislation and the Council's procedural requirements as set out in the Invitation to Tender and accept the rates and contract terms set out by the Council shall be accepted to deliver funded provision through the Flexible Framework enabling them to register children in 2025 to commence Brokerage placements from Q2 2025 and funded Early Learning and Childcare placements from August 2025. Lot 3: Lot 3- Childcare Brokerage The Council has a statutory duty to make pre-school education available for eligible children under the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000. The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and Statutory Guidance set out the increased entitlement to 1140 hours for eligible children which became a statutory duty from August 2021. The Funding Follows the Child approach places choice in parents’ and carers’ hands enabling them to access their child’s funded entitlement with a provider that best suits their needs. All providers who apply and meet the expected standard, legislation and the Council's procedural requirements as set out in the Invitation to Tender and accept the rates and contract terms set out by the Council shall be accepted to deliver funded provision through the Flexible Framework enabling them to register children in 2025 to commence Brokerage placements from Q2 2025 and funded Early Learning and Childcare placements from August 2025.

Timeline

  1. Completed: Award date19 September 2025
  2. Completed: Award published9 January 2026
    Current notice

About the buyer

Dumfries and Galloway Council is the local authority for the Dumfries and Galloway region in south-west Scotland. Larger contracts often route through Scotland Excel framework agreements, the collaborative procurement body owned by Scottish councils. A dedicated procurement team operates from Carruthers House in Dumfries, the council's headquarters. Low-value, low-risk work goes out as direct quotes rather than full tenders, a route aimed at small, local suppliers.

Over the past 5 years, most of Dumfries and Galloway Council's contract awards have been in health and social work, construction work and repair and maintenance.

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