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Empowering Families

Southend-on-Sea City Council

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Award

28 Sep 2026 at 10:55

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

24 Apr 2026 at 16:01

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

10 Feb 2026 at 11:02

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

29 Jan 2026 at 16:34

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Southend-on-Sea City Council commissioned a volunteer mentoring service for vulnerable families in Southend-on-Sea. The service matches volunteer mentors with families and supports them through regular, relationship-based contact. The stated baseline is mentoring for at least 50 families over a 12-month period, with the number of matches able to rise in response to demand and changing needs. Mentors are expected to commit to at least a year of weekly engagement with the service provider, with at least one family contact in an average week; the frequency depends on identified needs and family progress. This is a social work and community support service delivered in the Southend-on-Sea City area.

The procurement is complete and was awarded to Volunteering Matters following an open, below-threshold competition. The award date was 24 April 2026. The award and active contract are valued at £153,076 excluding VAT (£183,691.20 including VAT). The initial contract runs from 1 June 2026 to 31 March 2028, with an option for one further 12-month extension, subject to performance, demand and budget; the possible extension runs to 31 March 2029. Five bids were received and all five reached the final stage. Evaluation weighted the technical questionnaire at 70%, covering quality, added value and social value, and the commercial questionnaire at 30%, based on bidders’ costs.

For suppliers assessing future family mentoring work for Southend-on-Sea City Council, this award demonstrates demand for a sustained volunteer-led service supporting vulnerable families, rather than a one-off intervention. A credible provider would need to recruit, support and retain enough volunteer mentors to maintain at least 50 family matches across a 12-month period, with capacity to respond as demand and family needs change. The delivery model calls for mentors able to commit to weekly engagement for at least a year, while adapting contact to each family’s circumstances and progress. The competition assessed both service quality, including added and social value, and price, so providers should be able to evidence their approach and outcomes as well as offer a competitive cost. The opportunity was considered suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Empowering Families

Notice Description

Southend-on-Sea City Council have awarded to Volunteering Matters to deliver a volunteer mentor service for vulnerable families in the Southend-on-Sea City area. The contract duration is as follows: 1st June 2026 - 31st March 2028 (with option to extend to up to 31st March 2029). Volunteer Mentors for a minimum of 50 vulnerable families across a 12-month period. The number of matched mentors and families may increase dependent on demand and changing needs. The expectation is that volunteer mentors will commit to at least one year of weekly engagement with the Service Provider. They will have at least one contact with a family in any given week of an average engagement, dependent on identified needs and the family's progress.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: One (1) twelve month extension following the initial term.

Planning Information

Please contact strategiccommissioning@southend.gov.uk should you wish to express an interest in this tender opportunity.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-061269
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/091322-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

85300000 - Social work and related services

98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£200,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£200,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
£153,076 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
£153,076 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
3 Mar 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
4 Feb 2026Expired
Award Date
24 Apr 20265 months ago
Contract Period
1 Jun 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 1-2 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
Southend-on-Sea City 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
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
Postcode
SS2 6FA
Postcode Area
Southend-on-Sea
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH3 Essex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH31 Southend-on-Sea
Delivery Location
TLH31 Southend-on-Sea
Local Authority
Southend-on-Sea
Electoral Ward
Victoria
Westminster Constituency
Southend East and Rochford

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Volunteering Matters

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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