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Connect to Work

Devon County Council

This public procurement record has 5 releases in its history.

Award

15 Jan 2026 at 10:05

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

15 Dec 2025 at 14:32

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

08 Oct 2025 at 10:11

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

06 Oct 2025 at 16:44

UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice
Planning

03 Mar 2025 at 15:48

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The "Connect to Work" programme is a public procurement initiative led by Devon County Council, serving as the lead accountable body on behalf of Torbay, Plymouth, and Devon. The advertised tender falls within the industry categories of job search services, education and training services, and health and social work services, with the aim of aiding individuals with disabilities or long-term health conditions. It is an open procedure under the light-touch regime, which has reached the award stage, as of 15th January 2026. This initiative is set to be geographically executed in several areas across the United Kingdom such as Exeter, East Devon, and Torquay. The main contracting parties are Devon County Council and Torbay Council, with contracts signed and effective from 15th January 2026 for a one-year period with possible extensions, highlighting a collaborative effort between multiple public bodies and service providers.

This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses involved in employment support services, particularly those familiar with delivering support through recognised models like Individual Placement and Support (IPS) and Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF). Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), as well as large organisations with a focus on vocational, community, and health-related services, could find the "Connect to Work" programme particularly beneficial due to the comprehensive integration of employment and health services. Companies capable of delivering tailored support to economically inactive individuals or those at risk of unemployment will contribute significantly to regional employment objectives, offering potential growth opportunities in doing so.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Connect to Work

Notice Description

Connect to Work is a DWP programme grant funded through DCC as the lead accountable body on behalf of Torbay, Plymouth and Devon. The Programme requires the delivery to the following persons with social disability or other priority audiences who are: * Economically inactive or unemployed: Person has not worked for around 6 months due to their disability, long term health condition or disadvantages and feel they need comprehensive tailored employment support to help them to identify the right roles for their needs and to engage in effective job search towards work. * Employed but risk of dropping out of work: Person is working/Self-employed for at least 3 months and is struggling to sustain employment due to their disability, long term health condition or disadvantages. However, it is acceptable to offer support to individuals who have been employed for shorter periods where the Accountable Body judges that would be appropriate. * Maintaining work: Person has never been in employment or a track record of struggling to retain jobs/sustain employment due to their disability, long term health condition or disadvantages The programme is delivered through a Supported Employment model - a place train and maintain model delivered through a five-stage process. There are two approaches, both using recognised international standards (Fidelity Models) and both using the principles that participants are employed in the Open Labour Market, it being Paid Work with Ongoing Support provided. * IPS integrates employment support alongside primary and secondary health services, and other support services. This integration ideally occurs at a physical level, through co-location and other policies, where applicable. IPS has been successfully utilised within the Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) programme to support individuals with mild to moderate mental health and/or physical health conditions. Universal Support will utilise and expand on the approach taken with IPSPC. Whilst Universal Support will complement IPS Severe Mental Illness and IPS Alcohol and Drugs, these will remain separate IPS services. * SEQF is (as required) a more in-depth intervention than the form of IPS used for Universal Support. SEQF is oriented most usually around supporting learning disabled and/or autistic adults as well as others with complex support needs where clinical integration is not needed or appropriate.

Lot Information

IPS in Exeter, East Devon and Mid Devon

IPS services delivered in Exeter, East Devon and Mid Devon.

Renewal: The Authority may extend the Contract up to 1 year (12 months), depending on the Authority's requirements and the supplier's success in achieving the requisite outcomes. The extension would modify the contract budget and volume of participants as set out in Specification documents.

IPS in Torridge and North Devon

IPS services delivered in Torridge and North Devon.

Renewal: The Authority may extend the Contract up to 1 year (12 months), depending on the Authority's requirements and the supplier's success in achieving the requisite outcomes. The extension would modify the contract budget and volume of participants as set out in Specification documents.

IPS in Teignbridge, South Hams and West Devon

IPS services delivered in Teignbridge, South Hams and West Devon.

Renewal: The Authority may extend the Contract up to 1 year (12 months), depending on the Authority's requirements and the supplier's success in achieving the requisite outcomes. The extension would modify the contract budget and volume of participants as set out in Specification documents.

SEQF in Exeter, East Devon and Mid Devon

SEQF services delivered in Exeter, East Devon and Mid Devon.

Renewal: The Authority may extend the Contract up to 1 year (12 months), depending on the Authority's requirements and the supplier's success in achieving the requisite outcomes. The extension would modify the contract budget and volume of participants as set out in Specification documents.

SEQF in Torridge and North Devon

SEQF services delivered in Torridge and North Devon.

Renewal: The Authority may extend the Contract up to 1 year (12 months), depending on the Authority's requirements and the supplier's success in achieving the requisite outcomes. The extension would modify the contract budget and volume of participants as set out in Specification documents.

SEQF in Teignbridge, South Hams and West Devon

SEQF services delivered in Teignbridge, South Hams and West Devon.

Renewal: The Authority may extend the Contract up to 1 year (12 months), depending on the Authority's requirements and the supplier's success in achieving the requisite outcomes. The extension would modify the contract budget and volume of participants as set out in Specification documents.

Torbay IPS

IPS services delivered in Torbay.

Renewal: The Authority may extend the Contract up to 1 year (12 months), depending on the Authority's requirements and the supplier's success in achieving the requisite outcomes. The extension would modify the contract budget and volume of participants as set out in Specification documents.

Torbay SEQF

SEQF services delivered in Torbay.

Renewal: The Authority may extend the Contract up to 1 year (12 months), depending on the Authority's requirements and the supplier's success in achieving the requisite outcomes. The extension would modify the contract budget and volume of participants as set out in Specification documents.

Planning Information

Devon County Council wishes to undertake a virtual Preliminary market engagement in order to better appreciate and understand the market for this service and ensure it can produce a specification, tender process and final contract as attractive as possible to potential suppliers. The Preliminary market engagement event will be held via Microsoft Teams on 27th March 2025 at 1pm. Suppliers wishing to attend the event are required to complete the following form to express their interest. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=gzehjWjLP0S7S5l_d_1b-9hjx28RpvxAptIBOgU_APNUQTU3NkRBTkozMVhCQ1JEWFQ1VkNFV1RIOC4u Please note, forms are to be completed and submitted no later than 12:00 on 24th March 2025. After the deadline, the Authority will send an invite link to all suppliers who have submitted the form. A questionnaire will be sent to all suppliers who expressed their interest by submitting the form after the event. Suppliers will have until 12 noon on April 10th, 2025, to complete the questionnaire.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-04e910
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/003354-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

80 - Education and training services

85 - Health and social work services

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

79611000 - Job search services

80000000 - Education and training services

85000000 - Health and social work services

98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£3,565,300 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£3,565,300 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£2,133,944 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
£2,133,944 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
15 Jan 20268 months ago
Submission Deadline
3 Nov 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
8 Oct 2025Expired
Award Date
15 Dec 20259 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Devon County Council
Additional Buyers

Torbay 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
EXETER,
Postcode
EX2 4QD
Postcode Area
Exeter
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK4 Devon
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK43 Devon CC
Delivery Location
TLK42 Torbay, TLK43 Devon CC
Local Authority
Exeter
Electoral Ward
Newtown and St Leonard's
Westminster Constituency
Exeter

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
4
Supplier Names

CRYSTAL PATHWAYS LTD

United Response

The Pluss Organisation CIC

EAT THAT FROG C.I.C.

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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