Tender

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Community Early Language Service

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Tender

28 Sep 2026 at 11:43

UK4 - Tender Notice
PlanningUpdate

10 Jul 2026 at 11:33

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Planning

05 May 2026 at 13:48

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council is seeking providers for a Community Early Language Service across Bradford District. The service supports children from birth to age six, particularly those aged two to three, and their parents and carers. It aims to improve speech, language and communication, school readiness and equality of access through prevention, early identification, targeted support and workforce development. The work forms part of the Talking Bradford pathway and Best Start Family Hub model, with delivery alongside public health nursing, Family Hubs, speech and language therapy, early years settings, and voluntary and community organisations. It is divided into three complementary strands: universal prevention and early support; targeted intervention with cross-service integration leadership; and workforce training. The strands are expected to work as one coordinated service throughout Bradford District.

The council invited tenders through an open procedure. The process reached tender stage; submissions were due by 27 October 2026 at 16:00, and enquiries by the same deadline. The planned award decision date was 14 December 2026. The three lots cover universal prevention and early identification, targeted intervention and integration leadership, and workforce development. Suppliers could bid for one, several or all lots, submitting a separate response and price for each; different suppliers may receive different lots. Lot values are £1.2 million, £1.8 million and £600,000 respectively, excluding VAT. Each lot is planned to run from 1 April 2027 to 31 January 2029, with options and a maximum extent to 31 March 2033. Lots 1 and 2 are evaluated on delivery model, community reach, outcomes, partnership, mobilisation, safeguarding, social value and innovation; Lot 3 also weighs pathway integration and system leadership.

The opportunity suits providers able to deliver community-based early-years speech, language and communication support, including organisations experienced in reaching underserved communities and working with families, health services, Family Hubs and early-years settings. Lot 1 calls for outreach, prevention, early identification and proportionate group support. Lot 2 requires evidence-based intervention for children with identified delays, work with parents and carers, validated outcome measures, specialist advice and clear escalation and discharge routes; its lead provider must coordinate shared pathways, tools, outcomes and delivery across all lots. Lot 3 suits organisations with experience designing accessible, evidence-informed training for a broad early-years workforce, and building lasting capability through methods such as train-the-trainer, champions and communities of practice. Small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises are identified as suitable for each lot. All lots require a coherent contribution to shared service outcomes.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Community Early Language Service

Notice Description

The City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (the Authority) invites tenders for the delivery of the Community Early Language Service across Bradford District. The Service will support children from birth up to their sixth birthday and their parents and carers, with an enhanced focus on children aged two to three. It will improve speech, language and communication development, improve school readiness and narrow inequalities through prevention, early identification, early support, targeted intervention and workforce development. The Service forms part of Bradford's Talking Bradford pathway and Best Start Family Hub model and will be delivered in partnership with the Living Well Public Health Nursing Service, Family Hubs, speech and language therapy services, early years settings and voluntary and community organisations. The procurement is divided into three Lots. The Lots must operate as a single coherent Service with consistent pathways, tools, outcomes and messages. The Lot 2 Provider will lead cross-Lot integration while each Provider remains accountable for its own Lot. Suppliers may tender for one, more than one or all Lots. The Authority may award the Lots to different Suppliers. A separate Tender response and price must be completed for each Lot bid for, in accordance with the tender documents.

Lot Information

Lot 1: Universal Prevention; Early Identification and Support

Community-based universal outreach, prevention, awareness and early identification. The Provider will strengthen language-rich home learning environments; increase parent and carer knowledge and confidence; identify emerging speech, language and communication needs; provide timely group-based and proportionate support; engage underserved communities; and coordinate with Family Hubs, the Living Well Public Health Nursing Service and the other Lot Providers.

Options: optional

Renewal: optional

Lot 2: Targeted Intervention and Service Integration Leadership

Evidence-based community early language intervention for children with identified speech, language and communication delay, including children identified through the 2 to 2 1/2 year review and Early Language Identification Measure. The Provider will work with parents and carers, use validated outcome measures, provide specialist advice and establish clear discharge and escalation routes. The Lot 2 Provider will lead integration across all Lots, including shared referral routes, tools, outcomes, messages and coordinated delivery footprint.

Options: optional

Renewal: optional

Lot 3: Workforce Development

A cross-cutting workforce development offer to improve confidence, knowledge and practice across the early years system. The Provider will design and deliver accessible evidence-informed learning for health, Prevention and Early Help, early education and childcare, voluntary and community sector staff and volunteers, managers, commissioners and strategic leaders. The offer will embed consistent tools, messages and pathways and create sustainable capability through approaches such as train-the-trainer, champions and communities of practice.

Options: optional

Renewal: optional

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-069165
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/091358-2026
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

80 - Education and training services

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

80511000 - Staff training services

85312110 - Child daycare services

85323000 - Community health services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£3,600,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£3,600,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
27 Oct 20262 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
5 Aug 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 31 Jan 2029 1-2 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
City of Bradford Metropolitan District 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
BRADFORD
Postcode
BD1 1HX
Postcode Area
Bradford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLE4 West Yorkshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLE41 Bradford
Delivery Location
TLE41 Bradford
Local Authority
Bradford
Electoral Ward
City
Westminster Constituency
Bradford West

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...