Purpose

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF)
programme is a national initiative to support children and young
people who are eligible for income related Free School Meals (FSM).
Funded by the DfE, the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme
has been delivered in Southend-on-Sea since 2022. The current
Government has announced that the funding has now been secured up
to and including FY 2028/29. The initiative designed to support
children and families during school holidays by providing access to
enriching activities and nutritious meals. Targeted primarily at
children eligible for free school meals, HAF aims to reduce holiday
hunger, improve physical and mental wellbeing, and support social
development.

Content

That
the Cabinet Member for Children, Learning and SEND agrees to:

 

1.    Award
the contract for the Holiday Activities and Food to the successful
providers in accordance with the outcome of the procurement
exercise for a period of 3 years commencing on 01/12/2025 with the
ability to extend the contract by a further 3 years (Pending
confirmation of further funding beyond FY 2028/29).

 

2.    Delegate authority to
the Executive Director for Children and Public Health to finalise
the terms of the contract and enter into
all necessary documentation to facilitate and implement the award
of contract.

 

3.    Delegate authority to
the Executive Director for Children and Public Health to award
further contracts during the total lifetime of this Framework
Agreement.
 

Reasons for the decision

The Council’s previous HAF Framework has
expired, so we have carried out this procurement exercise to
replace it. The tender opportunity was advertised through Find a
Tender, and the procurement process was conducted electronically
via the Council’s electronic Tender Facility Pro-Contract and
in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 via an Open Procedure
to establish a Framework Agreement.
 
The tenders of applicants were evaluated based
on the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT) in accordance with the
evaluation and scoring methodology. Bidders were required to answer
two questions with scaled weightings totalling 100% and both
questions included a minimum score threshold of 2.
 
A Framework is tendered through an Open
Procurement, where suppliers    who pass the required assessments are
on-boarded (or using the terminology of the report
“join”) as Framework suppliers. The Council then uses
this Framework (and the suppliers who are on it) to compliantly
contract services relating to HAF delivery, as and when required by
the Council.
We received 11 compliant submissions from
interested providers and based   on
the scores following the evaluation and moderation of the technical
submissions, 10 providers were successful and invited to join the
Framework      Agreement.
As the Framework is “Open”, the Council is empowered to
carry out further procurements to source extra suppliers for the
Framework. This will likely occur termly.   

The Holiday Activities and Food programme
(HAF) is a national programme to support children and young people
who are eligible for income related Free School Meals (FSM). Up to
15% of the funding can be used flexibly for professionals to
support our most vulnerable families who may not meet the standard
eligibility criteria for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF)
programme. These may include Young Carers, Looked After Children,
and children referred by Social Care, Child Protection services, or
schools. Funded by the Department for Education, the Holiday
Activities and Food (HAF) programme has been delivered in
Southend-on-Sea since 2022.

The programme provides healthy meals,
enriching activities and free childcare places to children from
low-income families benefiting their health, wellbeing, and
learning. Evidence highlights that HAF works best when delivered
consistently, in partnership with local organisations, particularly
the voluntary and community sector, ensuring inclusive and
impactful support.

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF)
Programme supports Southend-on-Sea’s Corporate Plan by
addressing key priorities through targeted holiday provision for
children eligible for free school meals.