Award

Visual Impairment Enablement/Support Service

LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

31 Mar 2026 at 10:21

Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process is led by Leicestershire County Council, alongside Leicester City Council and Rutland County Council, for the commissioning of Visual Impairment Enablement/Support Services. The contract is awarded under a direct procurement method due to urgency, aiming to maintain statutory services for visually impaired individuals within the councils' jurisdictions. The industry category encompasses social work services without accommodation. Located primarily in the UKF2 region, notably within Leicestershire, Leicester, and Rutland, the contract process reached the award stage on 31 March 2026 with a designated contract period from 1 May 2026 to 31 March 2029. Interested businesses should note the scheduled milestone for signature set for 7 April 2026. The direct award approach was deemed necessary given the immediate need to ensure continuation of services and the limited availability in the supply market.

This procurement provides significant opportunities for businesses specialised in social and community services, particularly those capable of delivering visual impairment support. BID SERVICES, known for its expertise in handling services for vulnerable individuals, secured the contract valued at £2,160,000, illustrating the potential for substantial investment opportunities. With a focus on reablement services and maintaining statutory registers for individuals with visual impairments, the contract offers growth prospects for businesses that can provide specialised and sustainable support under strict statutory requirements. Organisations that are well-positioned to deliver tailored support services and have the capacity to operate across multiple local authorities in high-demand service areas stand to benefit greatly from contracts of this nature. The direct procurement process underscores the urgency and specificity required for these critical services, presenting avenues for expert providers to expand their footprint.

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

Notice Title

Visual Impairment Enablement/Support Service

Notice Description

These services meet the Councils' statutory requirements to maintain a register of people with a visual impairment and also provide a range of related reablement support services.

Procurement Information

The current provider of these services, who was the same for each of the 3 Councils, gave notice on all contracts in February 2026. There is unavoidable urgency as the Councils need to maintain provision of these services, of which some elements are a statutory requirement for each Council to provide and the elements that are not statutory are important as they support potentially vulnerable people. Before notice was served to each Council, there were no financial or contractual issues or indications that would have enabled the Councils to foresee a need to procure new services. The supply market for this type of service is very small and requires highly specialised capabilities. Due to this, the Councils have decided to award one contract across all three of their areas to ensure that a new provider is able to establish a sustainable service in the area. The Councils have undertaken a rapid engagement with the supply market regionally and have taken a decision to award to a provider that the Councils consider to be able to establish a sustainable and effective service by the commencement date required.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0678c7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029525-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

85312000 - Social work services without accommodation

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£1,800,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Mar 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
31 Mar 20263 days ago
Contract Period
30 Apr 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
Additional Buyers

LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL

RUTLAND 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
LEICESTER
Postcode
LE3 8RA
Post Town
Leicester
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF22 Leicestershire CC and Rutland
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Rutland
Electoral Ward
Oakham South
Westminster Constituency
Rutland and Stamford

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

BID SERVICES

Further Information

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-0678c7-2026-03-31T11:21:39+01:00",
    "date": "2026-03-31T11:21:39+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-0678c7",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PNHT-9235-VXDV",
            "name": "Leicestershire County Council",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PNHT-9235-VXDV"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "County Hall",
                "locality": "Leicester",
                "postalCode": "LE3 8RA",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKF22"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "Commissioning.Support@leics.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "http://www.leics.gov.uk",
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PXRT-5737-VBQD",
            "name": "Leicester City Council",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PXRT-5737-VBQD"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "115 Charles Street",
                "locality": "Leicester",
                "postalCode": "LE1 1FZ",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKF21"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "Procurement@leicester.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PMQJ-3429-NZWQ",
            "name": "Rutland County Council",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PMQJ-3429-NZWQ"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Catmos House",
                "locality": "Oakham",
                "postalCode": "LE15 6HP",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKF22"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "commissioning@rutland.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-COH-03124204",
            "name": "BID SERVICES",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-COH",
                "id": "03124204"
            },
            "additionalIdentifiers": [
                {
                    "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                    "id": "PLGH-5495-JLZX"
                }
            ],
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Deaf Cultural Centre, Ladywood Road",
                "locality": "Birmingham",
                "postalCode": "B16 8SZ",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKG31"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "funding@bid.org.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "supplier"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "http://www.bid.org.uk",
                "scale": "sme",
                "vcse": true
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PNHT-9235-VXDV",
        "name": "Leicestershire County Council"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-0678c7",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "Visual Impairment Enablement/Support Service",
        "description": "These services meet the Councils' statutory requirements to maintain a register of people with a visual impairment and also provide a range of related reablement support services.",
        "status": "complete",
        "procurementMethod": "direct",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Direct award",
        "procurementMethodRationale": "The current provider of these services, who was the same for each of the 3 Councils, gave notice on all contracts in February 2026. There is unavoidable urgency as the Councils need to maintain provision of these services, of which some elements are a statutory requirement for each Council to provide and the elements that are not statutory are important as they support potentially vulnerable people. Before notice was served to each Council, there were no financial or contractual issues or indications that would have enabled the Councils to foresee a need to procure new services. The supply market for this type of service is very small and requires highly specialised capabilities. Due to this, the Councils have decided to award one contract across all three of their areas to ensure that a new provider is able to establish a sustainable service in the area. The Councils have undertaken a rapid engagement with the supply market regionally and have taken a decision to award to a provider that the Councils consider to be able to establish a sustainable and effective service by the commencement date required.",
        "specialRegime": [
            "lightTouch"
        ],
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "status": "complete"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "conflictOfInterest",
                "documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
                "description": "Not published"
            }
        ],
        "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
            {
                "id": "urgency"
            }
        ]
    },
    "awards": [
        {
            "id": "1",
            "title": "Visual Impairment Enablement/Support Services",
            "status": "pending",
            "value": {
                "amountGross": 2160000,
                "amount": 1800000,
                "currency": "GBP"
            },
            "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
            "aboveThreshold": true,
            "suppliers": [
                {
                    "id": "GB-COH-03124204",
                    "name": "BID SERVICES"
                }
            ],
            "items": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "additionalClassifications": [
                        {
                            "scheme": "CPV",
                            "id": "85312000",
                            "description": "Social work services without accommodation"
                        }
                    ],
                    "deliveryAddresses": [
                        {
                            "region": "UKF2",
                            "country": "GB",
                            "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                        }
                    ],
                    "relatedLot": "1"
                }
            ],
            "contractPeriod": {
                "startDate": "2026-05-01T00:00:00+01:00",
                "endDate": "2029-03-31T23:59:59+01:00"
            },
            "relatedLots": [
                "1"
            ],
            "documents": [
                {
                    "id": "029525-2026",
                    "documentType": "awardNotice",
                    "noticeType": "UK5",
                    "description": "Transparency notice on Find a Tender",
                    "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029525-2026",
                    "datePublished": "2026-03-31T11:21:39+01:00",
                    "format": "text/html"
                }
            ],
            "milestones": [
                {
                    "id": "1",
                    "type": "futureSignatureDate",
                    "dueDate": "2026-04-07T23:59:59+01:00",
                    "status": "scheduled"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "language": "en"
}