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25096 Cambridgeshire County Council - Crisis Payment Scheme

Cambridgeshire County Council

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

25 Aug 2026 at 17:02

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

03 Aug 2026 at 19:46

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

16 Jun 2026 at 13:40

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Cambridgeshire County Council is procuring a countywide Crisis Payment Scheme to replace the Cambridgeshire Local Assistance Scheme. The service will provide one-off cash grants or vouchers and in-kind support for residents facing immediate financial crises, including help with household energy bills and food. It will also provide information, advice and guidance intended to improve service users’ financial resilience and stability. The procurement is for health and social work services (CPV 85000000), delivered across Cambridgeshire. The requirement follows interim support provided by Citizens Advice during the transition to the new scheme. It is a single countywide service rather than geographically divided provision, with the aim of giving residents a consistent service.

The procurement has reached tender: Cambridgeshire County Council invited offers through an open procedure. It is a single lot under the light-touch regime. Queries must be submitted by 27 August 2026 at 23:59, and tender submissions are due by 7 September 2026 at 12:00. The intended award decision date is 21 September 2026. The contract is scheduled to run from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2029, with an option for one mutually agreed 12-month extension, allowing a maximum end date of 31 March 2030. Its estimated value is £3.4 million excluding VAT, or £4.08 million including VAT. Tenders will be evaluated equally on quality and price, weighted 50% each. Electronic submission is allowed in English.

This opportunity suits organisations experienced in delivering financial crisis support, welfare assistance, community support or related health and social work services. It is expressly suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises. Strong bidders are likely to have the capacity to operate a consistent countywide service, administer cash grants, vouchers and in-kind support, and respond effectively to urgent household needs. Relevant capability includes providing information, advice and guidance; working with people experiencing financial hardship; and supporting longer-term financial resilience. Experience of partnership working with advice agencies, local assistance schemes or similar public support programmes would be directly relevant. The equal quality and price weighting makes service design and delivery capability as important as cost.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

25096 Cambridgeshire County Council - Crisis Payment Scheme

Notice Description

In 2021, the Household Support Fund (HSF) was established to provide a short-term boost to funding and mitigate the cost-of-living crisis. In Cambridgeshire this money was used to support households experiencing immediate financial hardship, through the provision of financial vouchers or cash payments to help cover the cost of household energy bills and food. In the year from April 2024-March 2025, more than PS3.6 million was spent on free school meal holiday provisions, whilst more than PS500,000 was split between Citizens Advice Bureau, Cambridgeshire Local Assistance Scheme, and Cambridgeshire ACRE. The Crisis Payment Scheme will replace the Cambridgeshire Local Assistance Scheme (CLAS) as the primary route for financial crisis support in the county. The CLAS scheme ended on 31st March and the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) has been contracted on an interim basis (1st April - 30th September 2026) to provide support before the new CRF crisis payment scheme is fully launched on 1st October 2026. This interim support includes providing one-off cash grants or vouchers, in-kind support to address immediate crises; and information, advice and guidance to improve the resilience and financial stability of service users.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: There is an option for 1 x 12 month extension is both parties agree.

Planning Information

Please go to our website to express you interest and access the market engagement documents which contain a questionnaire and instructions on how to respond. https://procontract.due-north.com/Supplier/Advert/View?advertId=3345f660-7769-f111-813c-005056b64545&fromProjectDashboard=False&fromRfxSummary=False&selectWorkgroup=False&fromAdvertEvent=False&fromActivityDashboard=False

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b5ef
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/081022-2026
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
£3,400,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£3,400,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
25 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
7 Sep 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Nov 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
2028-10-01

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Cambridgeshire 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
ALCONBURY WEALD, HUNTINGDON
Postcode
PE28 4YE
Postcode Area
Peterborough
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH4 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH42 Cambridgeshire CC
Delivery Location
TLH12 Cambridgeshire CC
Local Authority
Huntingdonshire
Electoral Ward
The Stukeleys
Westminster Constituency
Huntingdon

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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