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IA3617 Communicator Guide

Staffordshire County Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

22 Jul 2026 at 16:30

Award Notice
Tender

22 Apr 2026 at 17:36

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Staffordshire County Council procured a Communicator Guide Service for sensory-impaired people who have developed sight and hearing impairments, often later in life. Suitably trained and qualified communicator guides provide flexible support in the person’s home or in the community, following their Care and Support Plan and assessed outcomes. Support is delivered in the most suitable communication format and is intended to help eligible people live independently, maintain quality of life, reduce isolation and limit the effects of sensory loss on them and their families. The service is a health and social work service and is ultimately delivered across Staffordshire. It operates through a framework agreement, with services supplied as required under call-off contracts. The buyer is Staffordshire County Council.

The procurement has been completed and two suppliers were awarded active positions on the framework: Action Deafness Ltd and Deafblind UK. Both contracts were signed on 22 July 2026. The estimated lot value was £2,753,405, while each recorded contract value is £3,304,086; these figures are reported separately and have not been totalled. The contract period runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2031. The framework was awarded through an open procedure, using quality-based evaluation: service delivery model, service aims and objectives, workforce, quality assurance, eligible-person views and a case study. The tender deadline was 22 May 2026, followed by the award stage. Two bids were recorded, both submitted electronically. The framework includes discretionary extensions and options, subject to its terms, budget and approvals.

This award shows continuing demand from Staffordshire County Council for specialist support for people with combined sight and hearing impairments. A credible future competitor would need suitably trained and qualified communicator guides, with the workforce capacity to provide flexible, person-centred support across a county-wide area. Experience should demonstrate delivery in people’s homes and communities, adapting communication to individual needs and working from care assessments and support plans. Strong evidence would also be needed on service delivery, quality assurance, achievement of assessed outcomes and the involvement of eligible people in shaping or reviewing support. A relevant case study and a clear approach to maintaining independence, quality of life and social inclusion would strengthen a provider’s position when this requirement is next considered.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

IA3617 Communicator Guide

Notice Description

Communicator Guides offer support to Eligible Persons who have developed sight and hearing impairments, often as they get older. These difficulties can cause people to become increasingly withdrawn, depressed and isolated. With the right help, deafblind people can live fulfilling lives at home and in the community. The Communicator Guide Service supports sensory impaired Eligible Persons within Staffordshire by providing suitably trained and qualified 'Communicator Guides.' The Service supports Eligible Persons either in their home or in the community in accordance with their Care Support Plan to achieve their agreed assessed outcomes. The Communicator Guide Service support for each Eligible Persons will depend on their individual needs as stated in their Care and Support Needs Assessment and their Care Support Plan. The Service will to be delivered to meet the support needs of the Eligible Persons. The Service will be delivered within the Contract Area as defined in the Framework Agreement but ultimately will be Staffordshire wide. Communicator Guide Support will be provided to the Eligible Persons through the most suitable format of Communication. The Service's primary objective is to enable Eligible Persons to remain living independently and maintain a good quality of life, and to help them achieve their assessed outcomes, and to limit the extent to which a person's sensory loss detrimentally impacts on their life, and the lives of their family. The delivery and intensity of the Service will be flexible to reflect the support that the Eligible Persons requires, and to enable them to meet their individual outcomes as set out in their Care and Support Needs Assessment.

Lot Information

Lot 1

This Procurement is for a Framework Agreement between the successful supplier(s) and the Authority, to supply Services, as and when required under a Call-Off Contract. The Authority makes no guarantee as to the volume of business on offer and any figures / quantities / volumes given are indicative and are guidance only.

Options: The Framework Agreement will commence on 1st September 2026 and, subject to earlier termination in accordance with its terms, will continue until midnight on 31st August 2028. At the Authority's entire discretion, the term may be extended by Three (3) One (1) year extensions on the same terms for such period(s) in accordance with the contract.

Renewal: Statutory duty Service, subject to budget and internal approvals.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-068910
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069346-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

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
£2,753,405 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£2,753,405 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£3,304,086 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
22 May 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
22 Jul 20261 months ago
Contract Period
1 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2031 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Staffordshire 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
STAFFORD
Postcode
ST16 2DH
Postcode Area
Stoke-on-Trent
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG2 Shropshire and Staffordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG24 Staffordshire CC
Delivery Location
TLG24 Staffordshire CC
Local Authority
Stafford
Electoral Ward
Forebridge
Westminster Constituency
Stafford

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
2
Supplier Names

Action Deafness Ltd

Deafblind UK

Further Information

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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