Tender

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

The Essex Carers Hub

Essex County Council

This public procurement record has 6 releases in its history.

Tender

06 Oct 2026 at 20:06

UK4 - Tender Notice
PlanningUpdate

12 Aug 2026 at 18:21

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

28 Jul 2026 at 12:33

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

25 Nov 2025 at 11:36

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

21 Nov 2025 at 16:01

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

21 Nov 2025 at 15:43

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Essex County Council is procuring the Essex Carers Hub, a countywide specialist support service for unpaid carers aged 18 and over who live in Essex. The aim is to identify carers early and support their wellbeing, resilience and independence. The service covers specialist information, advice and guidance; coaching and counselling; peer-support groups; wellbeing grants, ordinarily up to £300; training and learning; a single point of contact; and an employment-support pilot. It also includes counselling for young and young adult carers under 18 referred by Essex Youth Service. A provider, or lead provider with delivery partners, will deliver the service. The Council retains responsibility for carers’ assessments and personal budgets. Delivery is across Essex, with scope to expand into Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock.

The Council invited offers through an open competitive flexible procedure. This is a single tender round with staged assessment: participation and selection checks, technical responses, then a face-to-face case study for the two highest-scoring technical bidders. The enquiry deadline was 3 November 2026 and the tender submission deadline was 10 November 2026 at 12:00 UTC. Case-study presentations were scheduled for 2 December 2026 in Chelmsford; the expected award decision date was 4 January 2027. The contract is scheduled to run from 4 May 2027 to 31 March 2030, with extensions of up to 24 months. Its stated gross value is £12.5 million. There is one contract, not divided into lots. Overall evaluation weights price at 40%, quality at 50% and social value at 10%.

The opportunity suits providers experienced in coordinated carer support, including advice, counselling, coaching, peer support, training and employment services. Small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises are identified as suitable. Bidders need credible management experience delivering similar services, qualified staff for counselling, learning and development, and employment support, and adequate internal or partner resources to deliver across the county. Strong safeguarding arrangements are central: the provider must have accountable safeguarding leadership, current policies, safe recruitment, staff induction and training, supervision, complaints and whistleblowing procedures, and processes for children and vulnerable adults. The successful provider must hold or obtain a licence to use the Carers Star. Required insurance includes employers’ liability, public liability and professional indemnity cover; bidders must also have a compliant health and safety policy and be able to handle electronic orders and invoices. The contract requires a single accountable provider, though delivery partners may be used.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

The Essex Carers Hub

Notice Description

The Essex Carers Hub (formerly the Essex Carers Core Offer of Support (ECCOS)). Essex County Council ("the Council") is committed to delivering high-quality, sustainable and preventative services that improve outcomes for residents and reduce inequalities. The Essex Carers Hub ("the Service") will support these ambitions by ensuring unpaid carers are identified early, recognised, valued and able to access timely support that promotes their wellbeing, resilience and independence. Through partnership working and a strengths-based approach, the Service will help carers improve or maintain their quality of life and prevent the escalation of need wherever possible. The Council is seeking a Provider, or lead provider working with delivery partners, to deliver the Essex Carers Hub, a countywide carers specialist support service that improves the wellbeing, resilience and quality of life of unpaid carers aged 18 and over. The Service also includes a counselling offer for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers under the age of 18 who are referred by Essex Youth Service. For the purposes of this tender a Carer is defined as follows; "A person who provides unpaid care and support to a family member, partner, friend or neighbour who could not manage without that support due to illness, frailty, disability, mental health need, substance misuse or other support needs. All the care they give is unpaid. A carer can be a young carer (under the age of 18) or an adult carer (over the age of 18). That is ordinarily resident in the Council's administrative area" The following services are in scope of this procurement; - Specialist Information Advice and Guidance - Coaching and Counselling - Peer Support Groups - Wellbeing grants (ordinarily up to PS300) - Training and Learning Offer - Single Point of Contact - Employment support (2 year pilot) Please note that authority for carers assessments and personal budgets will still remain with the Council. The services shall be available to Carers resident within the administrative area of Essex County Council, but will have the scope to be expanded to the administrative areas of Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council. Following feedback from Carers and the market, the contract is being tendered as a single contract rather than being divided into lots. Carers have expressed a preference for a consistent and co-ordinated service, with clear accountability and minimal disruption. This approach would support continuity of service as it is expected that carers will access more than one of the service elements at any one time, as well as clearer communication and a consistent approach to meeting Carer needs. Please note the contract value includes circa PS500k per year available for the provision of the Wellbeing Grants that will be administered by the Provider.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Options: The scope and geographical coverage of the Service may be expanded during the Contract Period. This may include, but is not limited to, the incorporation of additional support for Young Carers, Young Adult Carers or other carer cohorts, the provision of Carer Assessments and the delivery of services within the administrative areas of Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council. Any expansion will be subject to the availability of funding, commissioning intentions and any required contractual variations.

Renewal: The Council may serve such extension notice(s) on as many occasions as it shall think fit provided that the duration of such extensions shall not in total exceed twenty-four (24) calendar months from the third anniversary of the Service Commencement Date.

Planning Information

A provider information event will be held via Microsoft Teams on Monday 10th August, 10:00 to 11:30. The purpose of this event is to present key information relating to the upcoming Carers Support Services tender. The session will provide an overview of the proposed new contract and the procurement process. To attend please register your interest by emailing: michael.porter@essex.gov.uk, including your name and organisation. Please access this link to view a recording of the session, https://www.essexproviderhub.org/the-essex-market/market-position-statement/market-cohorts/carers/

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05e68e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/094482-2026
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
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85312300 - Guidance and counselling services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£12,500,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£12,500,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 Oct 2026Today
Submission Deadline
10 Nov 20262 months to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
4 May 2027 - 31 Mar 2030 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
Essex 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
CHELMSFORD
Postcode
CM1 1QH
Postcode Area
Chelmsford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH3 Essex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH36 Heart of Essex
Delivery Location
TLH3 Essex
Local Authority
Chelmsford
Electoral Ward
Moulsham and Central
Westminster Constituency
Chelmsford

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...