Award

Refugee Welcome Programme -Work & Skills: Employment Support

GREATER MANCHESTER COMBINED AUTHORITY

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

29 Jan 2026 at 13:00

Tender

24 Oct 2025 at 15:33

Summary of the contracting process

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has completed a procurement process under the title "Refugee Welcome Programme - Work & Skills: Employment Support." This contract, associated with the UK industry category of community, social, and personal services, aims to provide personalised employment support for refugees and asylum seekers in Greater Manchester. The procurement followed an open procedure and has now reached the Award stage, where the winning bid, valued at £235,743, was awarded to the supplier "BREAKING BARRIERS." The contract period is set from 16 February 2026 to 15 February 2028, with key dates including the award notice on 29 January 2026 and a standstill period ending on 9 February 2026. This project is a sub-central government public authority initiative targeting the local region of Manchester.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in providing employment support services, particularly those experienced in working with refugees and asylum seekers. Companies with expertise in employer engagement, guidance for job seekers, and collaboration with local organisations could benefit from similar future contracts. Businesses capable of offering comprehensive support, including 1:1 employment guidance, would be well-suited to compete for such opportunities. The procurement process witnessed active participation with multiple bids, demonstrating the competitive nature of such contracts and highlighting the potential for business growth through public sector engagements.

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.

Notice Title

Refugee Welcome Programme -Work & Skills: Employment Support

Notice Description

The GMCA is looking to procure a personalised employment support for refugees and people seeking asylum with the right to work in Greater Manchester, addressing gaps in local provision and supporting integration, employability, and wellbeing. This builds on the Refugee Welcome Programme (RWP) and learning from the Refugee Transitions Outcomes Fund. The scope of the contract includes. * 1:1 employment support and guidance for eligible participants. * Employer engagement and toolkit development. * Partnership working with local authorities and VCFSEs. * Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting against KPIs.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05d3b0
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/008029-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

98 - Other community, social and personal services


CPV Codes

98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£200,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£200,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
£196,453 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
29 Jan 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
25 Nov 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
26 Jan 20264 weeks ago
Contract Period
16 Feb 2026 - 15 Feb 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
GREATER MANCHESTER COMBINED AUTHORITY
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
procurement@manchesterfire.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
MANCHESTER
Postcode
M1 6EU
Post Town
Manchester
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD33 Manchester
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Manchester
Electoral Ward
Deansgate
Westminster Constituency
Manchester Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

BREAKING BARRIERS

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-05d3b0-2026-01-29T13:00:35Z",
    "date": "2026-01-29T13:00:35Z",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05d3b0",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PXBN-3793-LCTQ",
            "name": "Greater Manchester Combined Authority",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PXBN-3793-LCTQ"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "56 Oxford Street",
                "locality": "Manchester",
                "postalCode": "M1 6EU",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKD33"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "procurement@manchesterfire.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-COH-CE003404",
            "name": "BREAKING BARRIERS",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-COH",
                "id": "CE003404"
            },
            "additionalIdentifiers": [
                {
                    "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                    "id": "PWMC-2463-GRYP"
                }
            ],
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "WeWork, 71-91 Aldwych, London",
                "locality": "London",
                "postalCode": "WC2B 4HN",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKI32"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "c.hill@breaking-barriers.co.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "supplier"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "http://www.breaking-barriers.co.uk",
                "scale": "large",
                "vcse": false,
                "publicServiceMissionOrganization": false,
                "shelteredWorkshop": false
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PXBN-3793-LCTQ",
        "name": "Greater Manchester Combined Authority"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "GMCA 1612",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "Refugee Welcome Programme -Work & Skills: Employment Support",
        "description": "The GMCA is looking to procure a personalised employment support for refugees and people seeking asylum with the right to work in Greater Manchester, addressing gaps in local provision and supporting integration, employability, and wellbeing. This builds on the Refugee Welcome Programme (RWP) and learning from the Refugee Transitions Outcomes Fund. The scope of the contract includes. * 1:1 employment support and guidance for eligible participants. * Employer engagement and toolkit development. * Partnership working with local authorities and VCFSEs. * Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting against KPIs.",
        "status": "complete",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "98000000",
                        "description": "Other community, social and personal services"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UK",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "value": {
            "amountGross": 240000,
            "amount": 200000,
            "currency": "GBP"
        },
        "procurementMethod": "open",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Open procedure",
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "aboveThreshold": true,
        "submissionMethodDetails": "https://www.the-chest.org.uk/",
        "submissionTerms": {
            "electronicSubmissionPolicy": "allowed",
            "languages": [
                "en"
            ]
        },
        "tenderPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2025-11-25T12:00:00Z"
        },
        "enquiryPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2025-11-14T12:00:00Z"
        },
        "awardPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2026-01-05T23:59:59Z"
        },
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "status": "complete",
                "value": {
                    "amountGross": 240000,
                    "amount": 200000,
                    "currency": "GBP"
                },
                "awardCriteria": {
                    "criteria": [
                        {
                            "type": "quality",
                            "name": "Technical Questions",
                            "description": "Project Delivery and Management 30% Mobilisation 10% Staffing 10% Cultural Competency and asylum Literacy 10% Partnerships 10% Monitoring and KPIs 10%",
                            "numbers": [
                                {
                                    "number": 80,
                                    "weight": "percentageExact"
                                }
                            ]
                        },
                        {
                            "type": "quality",
                            "name": "Social value",
                            "description": "Social Value",
                            "numbers": [
                                {
                                    "number": 10,
                                    "weight": "percentageExact"
                                }
                            ]
                        },
                        {
                            "type": "price",
                            "name": "Price submisison",
                            "description": "Price Submission",
                            "numbers": [
                                {
                                    "number": 10,
                                    "weight": "percentageExact"
                                }
                            ]
                        }
                    ]
                },
                "suitability": {
                    "sme": true,
                    "vcse": true
                },
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2026-01-12T00:00:00Z",
                    "endDate": "2027-12-11T23:59:59Z"
                }
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "conflictOfInterest",
                "documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
                "description": "Not published"
            },
            {
                "id": "L-1",
                "documentType": "biddingDocuments",
                "description": "All Tender documents can be found under DN794338 on the chest",
                "url": "https://www.the-chest.org.uk/"
            },
            {
                "id": "068331-2025",
                "documentType": "tenderNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK4",
                "description": "Tender notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068331-2025",
                "datePublished": "2025-10-24T16:33:24+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ]
    },
    "language": "en",
    "bids": {
        "statistics": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "measure": "bids",
                "value": 11,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "2",
                "measure": "finalStageBids",
                "value": 9,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "3",
                "measure": "smeFinalStageBids",
                "value": 9,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "4",
                "measure": "vcseFinalStageBids",
                "value": 0,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ]
    },
    "awards": [
        {
            "id": "1",
            "title": "Refugee Welcome Programme - Work & Skills: Employment Support",
            "status": "pending",
            "date": "2026-01-26T00:00:00Z",
            "value": {
                "amountGross": 235743,
                "amount": 196453,
                "currency": "GBP"
            },
            "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
            "aboveThreshold": true,
            "suppliers": [
                {
                    "id": "GB-COH-CE003404",
                    "name": "BREAKING BARRIERS"
                }
            ],
            "items": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "additionalClassifications": [
                        {
                            "scheme": "CPV",
                            "id": "98000000",
                            "description": "Other community, social and personal services"
                        }
                    ],
                    "deliveryAddresses": [
                        {
                            "region": "UK",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        }
                    ],
                    "relatedLot": "1"
                }
            ],
            "standstillPeriod": {
                "endDate": "2026-02-09T23:59:59+00:00"
            },
            "contractPeriod": {
                "startDate": "2026-02-16T00:00:00Z",
                "endDate": "2028-02-15T23:59:59Z"
            },
            "relatedLots": [
                "1"
            ],
            "documents": [
                {
                    "id": "008029-2026",
                    "documentType": "awardNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK6",
                    "description": "Contract award notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/008029-2026",
                    "datePublished": "2026-01-29T13:00:35Z",
                    "format": "text/html"
                }
            ],
            "assessmentSummariesDateSent": "2026-01-29T00:00:00Z",
            "milestones": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "type": "futureSignatureDate",
                    "dueDate": "2026-02-11T23:59:59Z",
                    "status": "scheduled"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}