£21m–£160m Domiciliary Care Framework: Complete Guide for Care Providers
The London Borough of Harrow, working jointly with Hillingdon, is commissioning a new Home Care (Domiciliary Care) Services Framework starting 1 September 2026, with an estimated total value between £21 million and £160 million over the framework lifespan.
The framework is expected to run for up to 8 years (2026–2034) and is open to CQC-registered providers delivering adult home care, reablement services, and care for children and young adults with disabilities.
This guide explains who can bid, how the framework is structured, key deadlines, and what providers must do to qualify and compete successfully.
What Is the Harrow Home Care Framework?
The London Borough of Harrow, alongside London Borough of Hillingdon, is establishing a new open framework for the delivery of domiciliary care and support services across Harrow.
The framework will commission:
- Long-term homecare for adults
- Short-term reablement and recovery services
- Specialist home care for children and young adults with disabilities (CYAD)
This framework replaces or consolidates existing arrangements and will form the primary route through which the council purchases home care services from 2026 onwards.
Key Contract Details
| Item | Detail |
| Contracting Authority | London Borough of Harrow (with Hillingdon) |
| Tender Reference | FTS 002241-2026 / ocds-h6vhtk-06039f |
| Estimated Framework Value | £21m – £160m (potential £150m+ over life) |
| Initial Term | 3 years (Sept 2026 – Aug 2029) |
| Maximum Duration | Up to 8 years (to Aug 2034) |
| Contract Start Date | 1 September 2026 |
| Procurement Route | Open Procedure – Open Framework |
| Submission Deadline | 25 February 2026 at 23:59 |
| Procurement Portal | London Tenders Portal |
Services Being Commissioned
Harrow Council is seeking providers to deliver regulated domiciliary care services aligned with assessed social care needs, including:
- Personal care and daily living support
- Long-term home care packages
- Short-term reablement following hospital discharge
- Support for adults with:
- Physical frailty
- Dementia
- Learning disabilities
- Autism
- Mental ill-health
- Sensory or neurological conditions
- Home-based care for children and young adults with disabilities (CYAD)
All services must comply with statutory adult and children’s social care duties and relevant regulatory standards.
Understanding the 7-Lot Framework Structure
The framework is divided into seven distinct lots, allowing providers to bid based on geography, service type, and operational capacity.
Adults 18+ Long-Term Homecare (Lots 1–3)
These lots cover ongoing domiciliary care for adults aged 18 and over.
| Lot | Area | Estimated Value | Provider Cap |
| Lot 1 | Harrow West | £6m | Unlimited |
| Lot 2 | Harrow Central | £6m | Unlimited |
| Lot 3 | Harrow East | £6m | Unlimited |
Services include support for people with learning disabilities, autism, dementia, mental health needs, and physical impairments.
Adult Reablement Support Services (Lots 4–6)
Short-term, intensive reablement services designed to restore independence, typically lasting up to 6 weeks.
| Lot | Area | Estimated Value | Provider Cap |
| Lot 4 | Harrow West | £400k | Max 3 |
| Lot 5 | Harrow Central | £300k | Max 2 |
| Lot 6 | Harrow East | £300k | Max 2 |
These lots are highly competitive due to limited provider numbers.
Children & Young Adults with Disabilities (CYAD) – Lot 7
| Lot | Coverage | Estimated Value | Provider Cap |
| Lot 7 | Borough-wide | £2m | Max 6 |
This lot supports children and young people aged 0–18 with moderate to profound disabilities, autism, severe physical impairments, and complex needs.
Eligibility Requirements: Can You Bid?
Harrow Council applies strict pass/fail Project Specific Questions (PSQs). Failure on any requirement results in elimination.
Mandatory Requirements
You must be able to demonstrate all of the following:
Registered with the Care Quality Commission for domiciliary care
- CQC Rating
Minimum overall rating of “Good”
- Wage Compliance
Full compliance with National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage
- Electronic Call Monitoring (ECM)
Operational ECM system recording calls at each care location
- Business Continuity Plan
Documented and tested continuity arrangements - Policies & Procedures
Including (but not limited to):
- Safer recruitment and vetting
- Staff induction and training
- Safeguarding
- Whistleblowing
- Data protection
- Health & safety
- Equality and diversity
- Complaints management
- Staff Training Matrix
Up-to-date training records covering statutory and role-specific requirements
Critical Tender Timeline (Do Not Miss These)
Missing any deadline will result in exclusion.
| Milestone | Date |
| Tender Notice Published | 12 January 2026 |
| Clarification Deadline | As stated on portal |
| Submission Deadline | 25 February 2026 – 23:59 |
| Evaluation Period | 9 Feb – 21 Apr 2026 |
| Award Recommendation | 22 Apr – 20 May 2026 |
| Notification of Decision | 26 May 2026 |
| Standstill Period | 27 May – 5 June 2026 |
| Contract Award | 8 June 2026 |
| Mobilisation Period | 8 June – 31 Aug 2026 |
| Service Commencement | 1 September 2026 |
How Providers Should Prepare to Win This Framework
Original insight (not in the tender documents):
Providers that fail in large London frameworks typically fail before pricing is even considered, due to weak mobilisation plans, poor evidence of ECM use, or generic policy submissions.
Recommended Preparation Checklist
- Confirm CQC rating remains “Good” or above
- Audit ECM functionality and reporting outputs
- Align staffing levels to specific lot geography
- Update business continuity and escalation plans
- Prepare a clear mobilisation plan for 1 September 2026
- Evidence workforce recruitment, retention, and training
- Demonstrate quality assurance and service monitoring
- Ensure policies match current practice, not templates
- Assign internal ownership for bid coordination
- Submit early to avoid portal issues
Common Reasons Providers Are Eliminated
- Failing a single PSQ requirement
- Submitting outdated or generic policies
- Inability to evidence ECM in practice
- Bidding for too many lots without delivery capacity
- Weak mobilisation planning for borough-wide coverage
Who This Opportunity Is Best Suited For
- Established domiciliary care providers operating in or near Harrow
- Providers with strong compliance records and stable workforces
- Organisations able to scale safely over a long-term framework
- Specialist providers with CYAD or reablement expertise
Final Takeaway…
The Harrow Council Home Care Framework 2026 is one of the largest domiciliary care opportunities in North-West London, offering long-term stability for providers that meet high regulatory and operational standards.
For CQC-registered organisations with the right capacity, preparation, and governance, this framework represents a transformational growth opportunity lasting potentially until 2034.
Need Expert Support With the Harrow Home Care Tender?
Bidding for large local authority frameworks like Harrow’s Homecare Services Framework is complex.
Even strong providers are often eliminated due to technical non-compliance, weak mobilisation plans, or poorly evidenced PSQ responses.
Care Sync Experts supports domiciliary care providers across England with end-to-end tender and framework support, including:
- bid readiness assessments before you submit
- review of pass/fail PSQs to prevent automatic elimination
- compliance checks against CQC, workforce, and ECM requirements
- mobilisation planning for borough-wide and multi-lot bids
- quality and method statement drafting aligned to council expectations
- policy and evidence alignment to support tender responses
- ongoing framework compliance and performance support after award
We stay up to date with local authority commissioning practices, social care procurement requirements, and regulatory expectations, so you can submit with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Book a Free Tender Readiness Consultation
If you’re planning to bid for the Harrow Home Care Framework, or you’ve previously been unsuccessful on similar council tenders, speak to our team before you submit.
Early preparation can make the difference between framework appointment and automatic exclusion.
This guide was prepared by Care Sync Experts and reflects the Harrow Home Care Tender requirements available at the time of writing (2026). Procurement requirements and evaluation criteria may change. Providers should always refer to the official procurement documents and portal before submitting a bid.
FAQ
Can new or recently registered care providers bid for the Harrow Home Care Framework?
Yes, newly registered providers may bid, provided they meet all mandatory eligibility criteria at the point of submission, including active registration with the Care Quality Commission and a minimum overall rating of “Good.”
However, newly registered providers should be aware that councils typically scrutinise mobilisation plans, workforce stability, and governance maturity more closely where operating history is limited.
Can providers bid for more than one lot under the Harrow Home Care Framework?
Yes, providers may bid for multiple lots, but must clearly demonstrate operational capacity, staffing resilience, and geographic coverage for each lot applied for.
Bidding for multiple lots without sufficient evidence of delivery capability increases the risk of evaluation failure, particularly during quality and mobilisation scoring.
Does being awarded a place on the framework guarantee work or care packages?
No. Appointment to the framework does not guarantee any minimum level of work or income.
Placements and care packages are awarded on a call-off basis, depending on service demand, provider performance, availability, and commissioning decisions throughout the framework term.
What happens if a provider’s CQC rating drops below “Good” during the framework period?
If a provider’s CQC rating falls below “Good” during the life of the framework, the contracting authority may:
– Suspend new placements
– Apply remedial or monitoring measures
– In serious cases, remove the provider from the framework
Maintaining regulatory compliance and inspection readiness throughout the contract term is therefore critical to long-term participation.
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