Planning

Direct Payments Advice and Guidance Service

SOMERSET COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

08 Oct 2025 at 09:59

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Somerset Council is in the planning stage of a procurement process for the "Direct Payments Advice and Guidance Service" in the Somerset region (UKK23), United Kingdom. The main focus is on health and social work services, with the procurement being part of a light-touch regime. This service includes advising, setting up schemes, providing payroll and holding accounts services, and offering support for personal health budgets. Interested parties are required to express their interest by 24th October 2025, by responding to Somerset Council's designated contact, Steve Barker. The potential contract is anticipated to commence on 1st April 2026 and conclude on 31st March 2031.

This tender presents a significant opportunity for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises (VCSEs), especially those with expertise in health and social work services. Businesses capable of scaling to meet the specified service capacities will find this contract attractive. With requirements such as maintaining considerable staffing levels and administrative capabilities, organisations focusing on innovative and efficient service delivery will be well-suited to compete for this contract, fostering growth and visibility in the public sector.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Start Free Trial Book a Demo
All Features Pricing

Notice Information

Notice Title

Direct Payments Advice and Guidance Service

Notice Description

If you are interested in this potential opportunity, then please express an interest by responding to the requirements set out below by Friday 24th October 2025 at 16:00. Please send responses to stephen.barker@somerset.gov.uk Somerset Council is looking to assess market interest in the following Direct Payment (DP) services: * Advice and guidance * Scheme set up * Payroll service * Holding accounts (also known as managed accounts) * DP plus (extra support) * Personal Health Budget (PHB) Support Interested organisations must be able to meet the following requirements: * Provide advice and guidance Monday to Friday (9:00 till 17:00) via telephone, postal, support or face to face if necessary. * Capacity and staffing to provide advice and guidance for 2,300 people. * Capacity and staffing to provide a payroll service for 600 people. * Capacity and staffing to provide a holding account for 800 people. * Capacity and staffing to provide DP plus (extra support) for 50 people. * Capacity and staffing to support setting up Personal Health Budgets for approximately 30 people at year. The above quoted figures are subject to change.

Planning Information

Please respond to the following taking into account the information provided above: - Would you be interested in bidding for a potential tender for this Service in Somerset? Yes/ No Please set out the estimated cost per annum for each of the following service areas: Advice and guidance Payroll Service Holding Accounts DP Plus Personal Health Budgets Please also set out any additional information on Service Delivery for each service area that you feel would be useful in supporting your estimated costs.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05aa4a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063184-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
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
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
8 Oct 20254 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
24 Oct 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2031 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
SOMERSET COUNCIL
Contact Name
Steve Barker
Contact Email
stephen.barker@somerset.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
TAUNTON
Postcode
TA1 4DY
Post Town
Taunton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK6 North Somerset, Somerset and Dorset
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK62 Somerset
Delivery Location
TLK23 Somerset CC
Local Authority
Somerset
Electoral Ward
Bishop's Hull & Taunton West
Westminster Constituency
Taunton and Wellington

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. 

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-05aa4a-2025-10-08T10:59:26+01:00",
    "date": "2025-10-08T10:59:26+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05aa4a",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PPGC-1434-MQPJ",
            "name": "Somerset Council",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PPGC-1434-MQPJ"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "County Hall, The Crescent",
                "locality": "Taunton",
                "postalCode": "TA1 4DY",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKK23"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Steve Barker",
                "email": "stephen.barker@somerset.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "http://www.somerset.gov.uk",
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PPGC-1434-MQPJ",
        "name": "Somerset Council"
    },
    "planning": {
        "milestones": [
            {
                "id": "engagement",
                "type": "engagement",
                "description": "Please respond to the following taking into account the information provided above: - Would you be interested in bidding for a potential tender for this Service in Somerset? Yes/ No Please set out the estimated cost per annum for each of the following service areas: Advice and guidance Payroll Service Holding Accounts DP Plus Personal Health Budgets Please also set out any additional information on Service Delivery for each service area that you feel would be useful in supporting your estimated costs.",
                "dueDate": "2025-10-24T23:59:59+01:00",
                "status": "scheduled"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "063184-2025",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063184-2025",
                "datePublished": "2025-10-08T10:59:26+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ]
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-05aa4a",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "Direct Payments Advice and Guidance Service",
        "description": "If you are interested in this potential opportunity, then please express an interest by responding to the requirements set out below by Friday 24th October 2025 at 16:00. Please send responses to stephen.barker@somerset.gov.uk Somerset Council is looking to assess market interest in the following Direct Payment (DP) services: * Advice and guidance * Scheme set up * Payroll service * Holding accounts (also known as managed accounts) * DP plus (extra support) * Personal Health Budget (PHB) Support Interested organisations must be able to meet the following requirements: * Provide advice and guidance Monday to Friday (9:00 till 17:00) via telephone, postal, support or face to face if necessary. * Capacity and staffing to provide advice and guidance for 2,300 people. * Capacity and staffing to provide a payroll service for 600 people. * Capacity and staffing to provide a holding account for 800 people. * Capacity and staffing to provide DP plus (extra support) for 50 people. * Capacity and staffing to support setting up Personal Health Budgets for approximately 30 people at year. The above quoted figures are subject to change.",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "85000000",
                        "description": "Health and social work services"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UKK23",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "specialRegime": [
            "lightTouch"
        ],
        "aboveThreshold": true,
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "suitability": {
                    "sme": true,
                    "vcse": true
                },
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2026-04-01T00:00:00+01:00",
                    "endDate": "2031-03-31T23:59:59+01:00"
                },
                "status": "planning"
            }
        ],
        "status": "planning"
    },
    "language": "en"
}