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Pathways to Work: Innovation Fund Administration - Call off under the RM6322 - Fund Administration and Disbursement Services (FAADS) Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS)

DEPARTMENT FOR WORK & PENSIONS

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

03 Aug 2026 at 12:30

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Work & Pensions has successfully awarded a contract for the management of the Pathways to Work: Innovation Fund, as part of its efforts to support disabled individuals and those with health conditions in gaining and maintaining employment. This initiative falls under the industry category of administration services and will be executed across various regions of the United Kingdom, including England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The procurement process, conducted via a selective method under the restricted procedure, marked its award phase following a tender period that concluded on 18 May 2026, with activities starting from 1 August 2026 and running through to 31 March 2028. The contract, valued at £11.5 million, resides under the oversight of Ernst and Young LLP as the selected supplier, adhering to the most economically advantageous tender criteria.

This procurement provides significant growth opportunities for businesses skilled in programme management, particularly those experienced in fund administration and disbursement services. Companies capable of delivering design and development, market engagement, assessment, evaluation, and fraud services stand to benefit. The initiative supports the generation of innovative solutions and evidence-backed strategies in disability employment, making it ideal for SMEs and VCSEs with a strong background in these areas. The engagement with varying sectors and the potential for extended project scope signal enticing prospects for businesses looking to expand their influence in public service and policy advisory sectors.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Pathways to Work: Innovation Fund Administration - Call off under the RM6322 - Fund Administration and Disbursement Services (FAADS) Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS)

Notice Description

These services relate to "light touch services" under the Light-Touch Regime as set out in Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, using common procurement vocabulary (CPV) codes. The Authority has conducted a call-off from the RM6322 Fund Administration and Disbursement Services Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for this requirement. The Department for Work and Pensions "The Authority" has awarded a contract to deliver the Pathways to Work: Innovation Fund which aims to stimulate new ideas and test innovative approaches to supporting disabled people and those with health conditions towards, into and to remain in work. It responds to the widening disability employment gap and rising economic inactivity linked to long-term sickness. The Pathways to Work: Innovation Fund seeks to build evidence of what works through a wide range of grant funded initiatives across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, open to individuals, public, private, academic and third-sector organisations. The key objective of the Pathways to Work: Innovation Fund will be to generate evidence of what works through the testing of approaches and ideas that have the potential to be piloted formally (gaining sufficient evidence) and then scaled up. Such evidence would be used to inform future policies that are aimed at supporting disabled people and those with health conditions towards and into work. This procurement aims to appoint a Supplier to provide full programme management of the Pathways to Work: Innovation Fund. The Pathways to Work: Innovation Fund Administration Supplier will be required to provide the expertise and capability to make sure that the available funding is used to generate as much quality evidence as possible from genuinely innovative Initiatives via the Pathways to Work: Innovation Fund. Full programme management will include the following service requirements: (a) Design and development. (b) Market engagement and promotion. (c) Application, assessment and award services. (d) Evaluation services. (e) Due diligence counter fraud services. The initial value of the Pathways to Work: Innovation Fund Administration requirement is PS4.25m. The Authority is awarding a contract for the services for an initial period of 20 months with an option (subject to governance approval, available funding and satisfactory performance) for the Authority to extend the contract for a further period of up to 24 months by giving the Supplier written notice of no less than 3 Months before the initial period of the contract expires, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the provisions of the Contract. The award criteria is based on the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) using a Relative Assessment model. The Technical Envelope equates to 60% of the total evaluation score and and the Commercial Envelope equates to 40% of the total evaluation score.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-6e6ac3d4-d203-4655-958a-5e811846bdba
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/7748b718-90ef-4a43-940a-d48137df3d49
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Dynamic
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Restricted procedure (above threshold)
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

CPV Codes

75100000 - Administration services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£11,500,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£11,500,000 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 Aug 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
18 May 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
16 Jul 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
31 Jul 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEPARTMENT FOR WORK & PENSIONS
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1H 9NA
Post Town
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England), TLL Wales, TLM Scotland, TLN Northern Ireland
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ERNST AND YOUNG

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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