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Manchester Worklessness Programme

Manchester City Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Tender

14 Aug 2026 at 19:17

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

17 Jun 2026 at 16:58

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Manchester City Council is commissioning the Manchester Worklessness Programme, a local employment support service for residents. The service will reduce barriers to employment, help people outside work enter the labour market, and support people at risk of leaving work because of health conditions or disabilities. It will also engage employers to create meaningful work opportunities and provide a joined-up work, health and skills offer. Delivery will use a keyworker model, with culturally competent and multidisciplinary support tailored to individual needs. Providers will arrange specialist support for mental health, wellbeing and English language development where needed, and operate a triage and referral hub linking participants with wider local services. The work will be delivered in Manchester.

The procurement has reached tender: Manchester City Council invited applications through a two-stage selective competitive flexible procedure. Stage 1 is an Invitation to Participate, with up to five highest-ranked suppliers expected to be shortlisted; only shortlisted suppliers may submit a full tender at Stage 2. Expressions of interest are due by 16 September 2026 at 11:00, and enquiries close on 4 September 2026 at 17:00. The intended contract period is 1 February 2027 to 31 March 2029, with a possible 12-month extension to 31 March 2030. The guaranteed minimum is £1 million; the estimated maximum is £4.5 million gross (£3.75 million excluding VAT). Quality is weighted 70%, social value 20% and environment 10%.

This opportunity suits employment support providers, supported employment specialists, careers and job-search organisations, and voluntary, community or social enterprises able to work across Manchester. Applicants need relevant experience, sufficient capacity and the financial resilience to perform a complex, potentially large service contract. Evidence may include relevant contract examples, submitted accounts or other financial information, appropriate insurance and compliance with any financial thresholds in the procurement documents. Strong candidates will be able to provide holistic, early and medium-intervention support; coordinate keyworkers and multidisciplinary teams; engage employers and community organisations; and work effectively with health, skills and local service partners. Experience supporting people with disabilities, health-related barriers, mental health needs, language needs and disadvantaged or racially minoritised groups is particularly relevant. A lead provider or consortium can compete, and the opportunity is identified as suitable for SMEs and VCSEs.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Manchester Worklessness Programme

Notice Description

Manchester City Council (MCC) wishes to commission a service which can meet the following key objectives: - Reduce the barriers to employment for Manchester residents - Engage and support people who are not in employment to participate in the labour market - Support people in work, at risk of falling out of work due to health conditions or disabilities, to remain in employment - Engage employers to provide meaningful work opportunities - Deliver a coherent, joined-up local work, health and skills offer The Manchester Worklessness Programme will be based on the following principles: - Delivering Making Manchester Fairer - Targeting support in the right places/neighbourhoods and aligning to Live Well - Intervening early to prevent unemployment and support those furthest away to move closer to work - Addressing known inequality of access to good employment for racially minoritised groups - Strengthening the city's approach to the social model for disability - Delivering Manchester City of Learning - Working closely with partnerships to develop an integrated local offer between the provider and grass roots organisations The Worklessness Programme will deliver a Supported Employment and a wider early medium-intervention Employment Support Service, providing participants with holistic support for their barriers to employment, including health-related concerns. Delivery will follow a keyworker model, ensuring culturally competent, multidisciplinary support tailored to individual needs. Where required, the provider will work with external partners to deliver specialist interventions, including support for mental health, wellbeing, and English language development. The service will also act as a triage and referral hub, linking participants to the wider local work and health system. Where needs fall beyond the programme's scope, the keyworker will signpost or refer participants to appropriate local services and follow up to ensure support is received. Further information is provided in the Specification. Manchester City Council invites Applications for the provision of the Services, from organisations with relevant experience and ability to demonstrate sufficient capacity for providing the Services. The Contract will be for an initial term of 26 months. The Council may extend for a further period of time of 12 months. It is intended for the contract to commence 01 February 2027. The Council currently has approved funding of approximately PS1 million in respect of the initial requirements under this procurement. Therefore, the guaranteed minimum value of the contract is PS1 million. The Council may, subject to governance approvals and the availability of funding, seek to procure additional services of a similar nature during the contract term; it is planned for matched third-party funding from the Greater Manchester Integrated Settlement of cPS3m to be potentially added to this tender by October 2026. Should such approvals be obtained for this additional funding, the total value of the contract may increase to an estimated maximum value of approximately PS4 million. Bidders should note that the Council gives no guarantee that any expenditure above the currently approved funding level will be commissioned. Any additional requirements will be subject to separate internal approvals and budget availability. Tenderers should therefore not rely on the Council exercising any option to increase expenditure beyond the currently approved requirement. The Council will assess bidders on their ability to perform the contract as advertised, including the potential requirement to deliver services with an estimated maximum contract value of approximately PS4 million. It is envisaged that the contract will be awarded to one (1) lead provider or consortium.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: Upon completion of the initial contract period, the Council may extend the contract for a further period of time of 12 months.

Planning Information

As part of the preliminary market engagement, the Council will be hosting a market engagement webinar on 1 July, 1-3pm. Tickets for the free webinar can be booked via the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/manchester-worklessness-programme-market-engagement-webinar-tickets-1992055534729

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b780
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077891-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

79611000 - Job search services

79634000 - Career guidance services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£3,750,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£3,750,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Aug 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
4 Sep 20262 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
15 Jul 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Feb 2027 - 31 Mar 2029 2-3 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
Manchester City 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
MANCHESTER
Postcode
M60 2LA
Postcode Area
Manchester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD33 Manchester
Delivery Location
TLD33 Manchester
Local Authority
Manchester
Electoral Ward
Piccadilly
Westminster Constituency
Manchester Central

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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