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Connect to Work

Staffordshire County Council

This public procurement record has 5 releases in its history.

Award

03 Feb 2026 at 09:24

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

25 Nov 2025 at 14:02

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

24 Oct 2025 at 15:28

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

14 Aug 2025 at 10:12

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

08 Jul 2025 at 14:37

UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Staffordshire County Council has recently awarded a contract for the "Connect to Work" initiative, which aims to bolster workplace health and reduce hidden unemployment by linking local work, health, and skills support. This project is a part of the "Get Britain Working" strategy funded with £240 million from the government. The initiative covers multiple locations, including Staffordshire Moorlands, Newcastle under Lyme, Stafford, South Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Tamworth, East Staffordshire, and Lichfield. The procurement follows an open procedure under a light touch regime, ensuring adherence to global procurement agreements. The awarded contract, commencing on 25th November 2025, will run until 24th November 2030 with the potential for a framework agreement allowing direct award and further competition options.

This tender presents substantial business growth opportunities through the provision of intensive employment support, including comprehensive training elements, employment coaching, and support for individuals at risk of losing their jobs. The contract structure, including both direct assignments and competitive tenders for individual lots, offers chances for large entities, SMEs, and third sector organisations to participate, especially those skilled in health and employment integration. Businesses that can align with local government strategies and possess solid capabilities in delivering tailored employment services will find fertile ground for partnership and expansion in this initiative.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Connect to Work

Notice Description

The recently launched "Get Britain Working" White Paper outlines the Government's strategy to invest PS240m to support this ambition and help improve workplace health and keep people in work, including trials of combined public services for those out of work due to ill health. The strategy will bring fundamental reform that transforms relationships with local areas and ensures a strong foundation of partnership working to support people into good, sustainable work. Connect to Work is the first major element of the Get Britain Working Strategy. It will take a collaborative, locally led approach to tackling 'Hidden Unemployment'. It will help connect local work, health and skills support. The funding provides a coherent, systematic and joined up approach to maximise the benefits available for individuals and local communities. Connect to Work will support the wider development of locally planned systems to drive growth, working jointly with the Government. It will be an important strand in local plans to tackle inactivity and expand employment opportunity. By encouraging join up between health systems and employment support, Connect to Work will support those, primarily, currently outside the workforce and facing greater labour market disadvantages, to stay in work and get back into work. In turn, supporting the Government's ambition for a more inclusive economy, supporting local people to realise their potential and supporting local and national growth. Connect to Work will provide out of work participants with intensive employment support for up to 12 months. It will also include support for up to 4 months for people in-work who are at risk of losing their job. The support will be based on the well evidenced Individual Placement and Support (IPS) or Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) Fidelity models as appropriate to the participant. Help will include early access to jobs based on job preferences, access to a wide range of support including job and skills matching, on the job training and help to sustain employment, which might include job coaching at work, training, support from a workplace mentor and regular workplace reviews. Support will be provided to the employer as well as the participant. Connect to Work will also provide tailored self-employment support where appropriate. The planned duration of the programme is 5 years commencing 2025/26 and completing at the end of 2029/30 subject to government spending reviews.

Lot Information

Individual Placement Support (IPS) covering Staffordshire Moorlands and Newcastle under Lyme - North

Individual Placement Support (IPS) covering Staffordshire Moorlands and Newcastle under Lyme - North. For further information please refer to the specification.

Individual Placement Support (IPS) covering Stafford, South Staffordshire and Cannock Chase - Southwest

Individual Placement Support (IPS) covering Stafford, South Staffordshire and Cannock Chase - Southwest. For further information please refer to the specification.

Individual Placement Support (IPS) covering Tamworth, East Staffordshire & Lichfield - Southeast

Individual Placement Support (IPS) covering Tamworth, East Staffordshire & Lichfield - Southeast. For further information please refer to the specification.

Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) covering Staffordshire Moorlands and Newcastle under Lyme - North

Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) covering Staffordshire Moorlands and Newcastle under Lyme - North. For further information please refer to the specification.

Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) covering Stafford, South Staffordshire and Cannock Chase - Southwest

Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) covering Stafford, South Staffordshire and Cannock Chase - Southwest. For further information please refer to the specification.

Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) covering Tamworth, East Staffordshire & Lichfield - Southeast

Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) covering Tamworth, East Staffordshire & Lichfield - Southeast. For further information please refer to the specification.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-055b38
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009274-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
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

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80000000 - Education and training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£10,708,007 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£10,708,007 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£12,849,605 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
£12,849,605 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 Feb 20266 months ago
Submission Deadline
25 Sep 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
31 Jul 2025Expired
Award Date
24 Oct 202510 months ago
Contract Period
28 Jan 2026 - 24 Nov 2030 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Staffordshire County 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
STAFFORD
Postcode
ST16 2DH
Postcode Area
Stoke-on-Trent
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG2 Shropshire and Staffordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG24 Staffordshire CC
Delivery Location
TLG2 Shropshire and Staffordshire
Local Authority
Stafford
Electoral Ward
Forebridge
Westminster Constituency
Stafford

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
7
Supplier Names

ACORN TRAINING LTD

INCLUSIVE MEDIA SOLUTIONS LTD

INTUITIVE THINKING SKILLS LTD

NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE COMBINED HEALTHCARE NHS TRUST

ROYAL MENCAP SOCIETY

STOKE ON TRENT COLLEGE

THE GROWTH COMPANY LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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