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CWC26105 - SEND Reforms Consultancy Services

WOLVERHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

17 Jul 2026 at 13:40

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Wolverhampton City Council has undertaken a procurement process to award a contract for "CWC26105 - SEND Reforms Consultancy Services," focusing on health and social work services. The direct award contract, valued at £178,000, has been granted to Impower Consulting Limited. The procurement aims at addressing challenges in the realm of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) within the West Midlands region. This diagnostic project is scheduled to run from July to October 2026, aligning with the Council's ambition to implement a more inclusive and sustainable SEND system. Key objectives include a detailed examination of current practices and improvement opportunities for Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) and overall SEND processes.

This contract presents significant opportunities for consultancy firms specialising in educational and healthcare reform, particularly those with expertise in SEND system diagnostics and strategic consultancy services. Although specifically awarded to Impower Consulting Limited, similar opportunities may arise for businesses able to demonstrate capabilities in process improvement, stakeholder collaboration, and systemic transformation within public sector settings. The contract completion by October 2026 could provide benchmarks and insights for future tendering opportunities in the same domain, offering potential growth avenues for similar enterprises wishing to engage in public sector consultancy projects.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

CWC26105 - SEND Reforms Consultancy Services

Notice Description

Wolverhampton, in line with national trends, faces sustained growth in the number and complexity of children requiring additional SEND support. Specifically, the Council continues to experience rising demand for Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments (EHCNAs), and an increasing number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) being issued and maintained. This increase in demand is also creating sufficiency and financial pressures, with specialist placement demand increasing. Reliance on high cost, external specialist independent provision is a significant issue. Given the system-wide issues that are nationally recognised around SEND, there is a need for significant transformation. Publication of a Government SEND reform White Paper sets out a multi-year programme of reform intended to create a more sustainable national system. Within Wolverhampton, the partnership is taking a proactive approach and has a strong ambition to move towards a more inclusive, proactive and financially sustainable SEND system - with schools at the centre, improved collaboration between education, health and care partners, and decisions driven by robust, shared intelligence rather than immediate pressure. At this stage, the priority for CWC is a focused diagnostic phase to help the Council better understand a small number of persistent system challenges and identify practical opportunities for improvement, specifically: * Understand the system and process barriers affecting the timeliness and effectiveness of statutory processes, particularly Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) * Explore how specialist provision is currently being used, whether this is aligned to children and young people's needs, and where greater clarity or consistency may be required * Review the role of alternative provision within the wider SEND and inclusion system, including how and when it is used and the extent to which it is supporting positive pathways * Bring together insight from education, health and social care partners so that the diagnostic reflects the whole system rather than the local authority alone * Provide a clear evidence base, practical findings and agreed next steps to inform subsequent improvement activity from autumn 2026 onwards This service is a 15-week diagnostic project running from July to October 2026. The work is designed to explore current practice in depth, understand what is driving pressure or delay, and identify where targeted changes could improve system effectiveness and outcomes for children and young people.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-8b7c887c-fc20-4625-8deb-b4f3af9d2c2f
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/89128cec-7ccc-4948-9931-cb9bd1e97997
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£178,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£178,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Jul 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
11 Jul 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
10 Jul 20263 weeks ago
Contract Period
12 Jul 2026 - 31 Oct 2026 1-6 months
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
WOLVERHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WOLVERHAMPTON
Postcode
WV1 1RL
Post Town
Wolverhampton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG3 West Midlands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG39 Wolverhampton
Delivery Location
TLG West Midlands (England)
Local Authority
Wolverhampton
Electoral Ward
St Peters
Westminster Constituency
Wolverhampton West

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

IMPOWER CONSULTING

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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