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SCE0059 - Soft Market Engagement Questionnaire - Supported Living

Leicester City Council

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Planning

20 Oct 2026 at 12:27

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

08 May 2026 at 16:41

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Planning

22 May 2025 at 15:09

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Leicester City Council plans to recommission its Supported Living Framework, covering health and social care services for people who need supported living. The council is reviewing the service model and specification, including how the framework should be divided into lots, how services should be priced and the operational processes needed to support delivery. A particular area of focus in the market engagement was Mental Health Recovery Support, which is currently covered as a single lot but is intended to form part of a four-lot structure in the new procurement. Services will be delivered in Leicester. The council is seeking a framework arrangement rather than describing a single service delivery contract.

The process is at planning: Leicester City Council has completed early market engagement, and this is not an invitation to tender or a competitive bidding process. Providers contributed views through two soft market tests, with the second focused on Mental Health Recovery Support, and an in-person event; the council will use responses to develop options and the future specification. The council expects to publish the next notice on 2 November 2026. The planned framework is estimated at £395,163,965 excluding VAT (£474,196,758 including VAT). The stated contract period is 1 November 2027 to 31 October 2032, with possible extension to 31 October 2034. The current framework is due to expire in October 2027 if its extension options are used. The framework is planned to have four lots; no future tender evaluation criteria are established in this engagement.

The planned procurement is relevant to providers of supported living services, including organisations with expertise in mental health recovery support. The council has explicitly identified small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises as suitable participants, making the framework relevant beyond large national providers. Suppliers with the capacity to deliver one or more service areas within a four-lot framework may find the developing structure relevant. The council has been exploring alternative service models, specification principles, pricing approaches and operational processes, so providers able to explain practical delivery options and how services can be priced and managed will be well placed to inform the forthcoming specification. Previous engagement has concluded; suppliers should treat this as preparation for a future procurement rather than an invitation to submit a bid now.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

SCE0059 - Soft Market Engagement Questionnaire - Supported Living

Notice Description

THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION Leicester City Council are reviewing our Supported Living Framework as part of a recommissioning process. The current contract (if extension options are exercised) is due to expire October 2027. As part of the recommissioning process, the authority has undertaken early market engagement. Potential providers and stakeholders had the opportunity to contribute to this market engagement exercise. The authority welcomed views regarding the potential service model and specification principles. The feedback and responses to the questions will be utilised by our commissioners to appraise options and further develop the specification for the forthcoming procurement opportunity. This Pre-market engagement did not constitute a formal tender or other competitive bidding process and did not result in the letting of a Contract. The authority used this process solely to test the market, to gather information and ascertain the level of interest in this service. There was therefore no formal criteria used to judge responses and no feedback was provided.

Planning Information

THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION Leicester City Council are reviewing our Supported Living Framework as part of a recommissioning process. The current contract (if extension options are exercised) is due to expire October 2027. As part of the recommissioning process, the authority has undertaken early market engagement. Potential providers and stakeholders had the opportunity to contribute to this market engagement exercise. The authority welcomed views regarding the potential service model and specification principles. The feedback and responses to the questions will be utilised by our commissioners to appraise options and further develop the specification for the forthcoming procurement opportunity. As part of the commissioning process, the authority firstly undertook a Soft Market Test (SMT) which was issued via our proactis tendering portal from 26/01/2026 with a deadline to respond of 10/02/2026. The purpose of this was to give potential providers and other stakeholders the opportunity to express their interests and feed in their views about the potential service model and specification principles. The commissioners were especially interested in exploring whether the Lotting Structure should be remodelled, exploring different pricing models, and considering the operational processes that support the Framework. Following the completion of the soft market questionnaire the Authority held a face-to-face event on Monday 16th February (9:30-13:00, 10:00 start) at City Hall. The purpose of the event was to further develop the specification and ensure this aligned with what the market could deliver. A subsequent engagement activity of another Soft Market Test (SMT) was issued via our proactis tendering portal from 08/05/2026 with a deadline to respond of 28/05/2026. This was carried out with a focus specifically on further exploring the options and approaches to providing the Mental Health Recovery Support service. Within the current contract this is covered under lot 5, however the new tender will be divided into 4 lots. These pre-market engagement events did not constitute a formal tender or other competitive bidding process and did not result in the letting of a Contract. The authority used this process solely to test the market, to gather information and ascertain the level of interest in this service. There was therefore no formal criteria used to judge responses and no feedback was provided.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-051e7b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/098953-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

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
£395,163,965 £100M-£1B
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
2 Nov 20266 days to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Nov 2027 - 31 Oct 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Leicester 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
LEICESTER
Postcode
LE1 1HA
Postcode Area
Leicester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF21 Leicester
Delivery Location
TLF21 Leicester
Local Authority
Leicester
Electoral Ward
Castle
Westminster Constituency
Leicester South

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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