Tender

Supported Employment Services

DORSET COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Tender

10 Oct 2025 at 13:52

Planning

20 Jun 2025 at 13:14

Summary of the contracting process

Dorset Council is currently in the tender stage for the procurement of "Supported Employment Services" aimed at aiding individuals eligible under the Care Act, including those with learning disabilities, mental health requirements, and physical disabilities, to gain employment and voluntary opportunities. This initiative is designed to promote economic well-being and social inclusion for adults aged 16 and above in the Dorset area, with the procurement method being an open procedure under the Procurement Act 2023. The service differs from the "Connect to Work" programme but maintains a direct interface for seamless support. The contract, valued at £900,000 over a potential five-year period, commenced the tendering process with an end date for submissions on 5th November 2025, while the contract itself is set to begin on 1st April 2026.

This procurement presents a growth opportunity for businesses centring on employment and social care services, particularly those with expertise in supporting individuals with disabilities. The use of a single supplier model allows for a concentrated approach, ideal for businesses with robust project management capabilities and a strong track record in delivering impactful social services. With an estimated annual contract value of £180,000, this tender provides an entry point for small to medium enterprises and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (SMEs and VCSEs), offering a chance to collaborate with Dorset Council and leverage their platform for delivering extensive social value in the locality.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Supported Employment Services

Notice Description

Dorset Council is seeking a single supplier to deliver a Dorset Supported Employment Service which supports Care Act eligible people living with learning disabilities, mental health needs and physical disabilities seeking employment and voluntary opportunities and supporting them to achieve economic wellbeing and social inclusion whilst maximising their potential as a person living in Dorset. The service will be for adults 16yrs+ and will be able to support young people as they enter adulthood, allowing them the opportunity to receive support to achieve their own employment goals. This is separate to the Connect to Work programme, however there will be a direct interface. See specification for more details. A Preliminary Market Engagement Event was held on 09 July 2025 in relation to this procurement. This is an open procedure in accordance with section 20(1) and (2)(a) of the Procurement Act 2023. The procedure does not allow for refining of the award criteria, and there is no scope to negotiate. In accordance with Section 18 of the Procurement Act 2023, the use of lots was considered during the planning phase of this procurement and it was determined that dividing the requirement into lots would not be appropriate or beneficial in this instance. Therefore, a single contract approach has been adopted. The Contract will be for an initial 2 years, with three optional 12-month extension periods (1+1+1), subject to satisfactory performance and funding, giving a potential total contract period of 5 years. The estimated annual contract value is PS180,000 with a total contract value of PS900,000 if all extensions are taken. The current funding available is PS160,000, with the additional PS20,000 subject to grant funding. The budget of up to PS180,000 is not guaranteed and is subject to fluctuations. Please note, these figures are exclusive of VAT. The contracting authority reserves the right to use additional funding received under this contract, subject to availability should funds become available during the term. The contracting authority reserves the right to carry out a subsequent procurement of similar goods, services or works in reliance on the direct award justification in paragraph 8 of Schedule 5 to the Procurement Act 2023.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Options: The contracting authority reserves the right to extend or renew the term of the contract as stated above. The contracting authority reserves the right to additional goods, services, or works while the contract is valid. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to modify this contract during its term in accordance with Section 74(1)(a) and Paragraph 1 of Schedule 8 of the Procurement Act 2023. These modifications may include: * Adjustments to service volumes, or delivery locations within Dorset where they are necessary to respond to changes in funding, policy or service demand. * Changes to funding levels, including application of grant funding or budget reductions. * Further extensions (both for time and value), subject to performance and funding availability alongside governance approvals which might be necessary to respond to changes in funding, policy, or service demand. * Extension of the contract term beyond the 10 per cent provided in Section 74(3)a * Inclusion of additional supported employment needs, provided they fall within the broad scope of the original specification Any modification made under this clause will be documented and, where required, published. The contracting authority also reserves the right to carry out a subsequent procurement of similar goods, services or works in reliance on the direct award justification in paragraph 8 of Schedule 5 to the Procurement Act 2023.

Renewal: The Contract will be for an initial 2 years, with three optional 12-month extension periods (1+1+1), subject to satisfactory performance and funding, giving a potential total contract period of 5 years.

Planning Information

Dorset Council is undertaking a preliminary market engagement event, with the aim of requesting feedback from the supported employment provider market. The soft market testing exercise is intended to allow interested organisations with appropriate experience to express an interest in the opportunity and to outline their views and ideas about the future provision of these services, specifically in the following areas: • What works well in your area? • What barriers do we need to consider going forward? • What will make our service a success? We invite relevant companies and organisations to join us at a Preliminary Market Engagement Event on Wednesday 9th of July of 2025 at 2pm-3pm so that we can explore best practice and service design. To register your interest and to receive a MS Teams invite to the market engagement event, please send an email to adultscommissioningteam@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by 5pm on Tuesday the 8th of July 2025. If your organisation is unable to attend the event but would like a copy of the slides, please also email adultscommissioningteam@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk to express an interest.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0550f4
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/064235-2025
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

80400000 - Adult and other education services

85000000 - Health and social work services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£900,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£900,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Oct 20251 months ago
Submission Deadline
5 Nov 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
21 Aug 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DORSET COUNCIL
Contact Name
Alice Crocker
Contact Email
dp@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Contact Phone
+44 1305221250

Buyer Location

Locality
DORCHESTER
Postcode
DT1 1XJ
Post Town
Dorchester
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK6 North Somerset, Somerset and Dorset
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK64 Dorset
Delivery Location
TLK25 Dorset

Local Authority
Dorset
Electoral Ward
Dorchester West
Westminster Constituency
West Dorset

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

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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