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All-Age Independent Advocacy Service

Cornwall Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Tender

01 Oct 2026 at 16:41

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

13 Feb 2026 at 13:28

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Cornwall Council is procuring an integrated, all-age independent advocacy service across Cornwall, together with statutory adult advocacy for the Isles of Scilly. The service is intended to help children, young people, adults and eligible parents understand and exercise their rights, express their views and desired outcomes, take part in decisions, and seek representation or challenge where appropriate. It covers health, social care, children’s social care and community settings. The provision includes an advocacy hub and single point of access; statutory adult advocacy; children and young people’s advocacy, independent visiting and parents’ advocacy; and community, general and specialist advocacy. This is a health and social work service, delivered under a single contract as a coordinated model.

The Council invited tenders through an open procedure. The tender submission deadline was 12:00 on 12 November 2026, and the deadline for enquiries was 16:00 on 29 October 2026. The estimated contract value is £6,416,447. The initial term runs from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030, with options to extend for a further two years and then one year, up to a maximum term of six years. The Council expected to complete the award decision by 18 January 2027. There is one lot. Evaluation weights quality at 60%, price at 25% and social value at 15%. Bids are to be submitted electronically through the ProContract e-tendering portal, in English.

The opportunity is suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises. It will suit providers able to deliver advocacy for different age groups and across both statutory and non-statutory settings, including specialist provision, independent visiting and parents’ advocacy. Suppliers need relevant experience of advocacy services of comparable size, scale and complexity, and the capability to meet the service specification. The Council also requires evidence of adequate financial standing and robust arrangements for data protection, safeguarding, equality and diversity, health and safety, advocacy quality standards and modern slavery. Providers should be equipped to mobilise and manage an integrated service, maintain specialist advocacy expertise and respond to changing demand while protecting the independence, accessibility and visibility of the service.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

All-Age Independent Advocacy Service

Notice Description

Cornwall Council is inviting tenders for the delivery of an All-Age Independent Advocacy Service across Cornwall and statutory adult advocacy provision for the Isles of Scilly. The Service will provide coordinated, accessible and rights-based independent advocacy for children, young people, adults and eligible parents across health, social care, children's social care and community settings. The Service will support people to understand and exercise their rights, express their views, wishes, feelings and desired outcomes, participate meaningfully and seek appropriate representation or challenge in decisions that affect their lives. The Service will comprise: * Advocacy Hub and single point of access; * Adults Statutory Advocacy; * Children and Young People's Advocacy, Independent Visiting and Parents' Advocacy; and * Community, General and Specialist Advocacy. The Service will be commissioned through a single contract and delivered as an integrated all-age advocacy model. The estimated total value of the Contract over the maximum six-year term is approximately PS6,416,447. The Contract will commence on 01 April 2027.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: The Contract will be awarded for an initial term of three (3) years. The Council may extend the Contract by a further two (2) years and, following the exercise of that extension, by a further one (1) year. The maximum Contract term will not exceed six (6) years.

Planning Information

Cornwall Council is undertaking further preliminary market engagement to inform the future commissioning approach for Independent Advocacy across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. This phase of engagement includes a written Soft Market Test (SMT) and a series of market engagement events. Suppliers are invited to review the SMT documentation, available via the ProContract procurement portal (Project DN774644), and submit written responses by 16:00 on Wednesday 11 March 2026. Written responses form a core part of this engagement process and will be used to understand market views on potential service models, collaborative approaches, lot structures and workforce considerations. In addition to written submissions, the Council will host an in‑person market engagement event during the week commencing 16 March 2026, followed by two to three online workshops during March and April 2026. These events will provide opportunities for suppliers to discuss key themes arising from the SMT, share insights on feasible delivery models and explore partnership or consortia approaches. Details of how to book onto these sessions will be published through the ProContract portal. Suppliers may participate in any or all parts of the engagement process. Participation is entirely voluntary and will not prejudice involvement in any future procurement. All information gathered through the SMT and events will be used solely to support the development of the Council’s Outline Business Case and to inform future commissioning decisions. This engagement is not a call for competition and does not commit the Council to any procurement procedure or contracting route.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0653f2
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093025-2026
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
Open procedure
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
£6,416,447 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£6,416,447 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
1 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
12 Nov 20265 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
23 Sep 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2030 3-4 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
Cornwall 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
TRURO
Postcode
TR1 3AY
Postcode Area
Truro
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK3 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK30 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Delivery Location
TLK3 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Local Authority
Cornwall
Electoral Ward
Truro Boscawen & Redannick
Westminster Constituency
Truro and Falmouth

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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