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Tender for Sensory Impairment Rehabilitation Service in Herefordshire

Herefordshire Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Tender

09 Oct 2026 at 14:45

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

03 Jul 2026 at 14:41

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Herefordshire Council is seeking a provider for a countywide adult sensory impairment rehabilitation service for people aged 18 and over with visual impairment, hearing impairment or dual sensory loss. The service is intended to help residents maintain independence and wellbeing and stay connected with their communities. Work includes specialist assessments, rehabilitation and enablement, information and advice, equipment and assistive technology, and administering sensory impairment registrations for the Council. Referrals may come from residents, health and social care professionals, carers, families and partner organisations. Delivery covers Herefordshire, including rural communities. The service is relevant to health and social care providers with expertise in sensory loss and the ability to deliver accessible support across the county. The procurement is for health and social work services (CPV 85000000).

The Council invited tenders through the Open Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023 and Light Touch Regime. The tender submission deadline was 13 November 2026 at 12:00 UTC; questions were due by 5 November 2026 at 17:00. The contract is expected to start on 1 February 2027, with service delivery from 1 April 2027. Its initial five-year term runs to 31 March 2032, with an option to extend by up to two years, subject to performance, need, funding and approval. The main contract is valued at up to £833,000 excluding VAT over the potential seven-year term. The Council may separately approve up to £259,000 excluding VAT for additional equipment and assistive technology; this spending is demand-led and not guaranteed. Evaluation weights quality at 50%, social value at 12% and price at 38%.

Small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises are identified as suitable suppliers. The requirement suits providers able to combine specialist sensory impairment assessment and rehabilitation with practical enablement, advice, registration administration and provision of equipment or assistive technology. Delivery must serve adults with sight loss, hearing loss or dual sensory loss across both urban and rural Herefordshire, with referrals from multiple health, social care and community sources. The Council expects a suitably qualified and experienced provider. TUPE is expected to apply, so bidders need to assess employment transfer and associated costs and reflect them in their tender. Access to employee information requires a signed confidentiality agreement; bidders must factor this into preparation. Providers should be able to manage fluctuating referral volumes, changing levels of need and equipment demand, and adapt to developments in assistive technology and changes in policy.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Tender for Sensory Impairment Rehabilitation Service in Herefordshire

Notice Description

Herefordshire Council is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced provider to deliver a countywide Sensory Impairment Service for adults aged 18 and over who are living with visual impairment, hearing impairment or dual sensory loss. The service forms part of the Council's prevention and wellbeing offer and supports residents to maintain independence, improve wellbeing and remain connected to their communities. The provider will deliver specialist assessments, rehabilitation and enablement support, information, advice and guidance, equipment and assistive technology provision, and administration of sensory impairment registration functions on behalf of the Council. The Service will be accessible across the County of Herefordshire, including rural communities, and will support approximately 55,000 residents living with hearing loss and 6,000 residents living with sight loss. Referrals may be received from service users, health professionals, social care practitioners, carers, families and relevant partner organisations. The contract is expected to commence on 1 February 2027, with an initial mobilisation and implementation period prior to service commencement on 1 April 2027. The initial contract term will be 5 years, with an option to extend for up to a further 2 years. The procurement is being conducted under the Procurement Act 2023 using the Open Procedure and is subject to the Light Touch Regime. The maximum available Contract Value for the Sensory Impairment Service is PS833,000 (excluding VAT) over the full potential 7-year term. The Contract also includes the ability for the Council to purchase up to PS259,000 (excluding VAT) over the full potential 7-year term of Assistive Technology, Equipment and Aids where required. This additional budget does not form part of the PS833,000 Contract Value and is available only where the Council approves additional purchases. These additional purchases are not guaranteed. The maximum potential Contract Value is therefore up to PS1,092,000 (excluding VAT). TUPE information: TUPE is expected to apply to this contract, and bidders should ensure that the implications of TUPE, including the associated employment and cost implications, are fully considered and reflected in their tender. Bidders must request access to the TUPE information well in advance of the tender closing date. To access the Employee's information, bidders are required to complete and sign the Completion Document 5 (TUPE Confidentiality Letter Agreement) included within the tender pack, and return it via ProContact messaging system at www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk. The TUPE information will be provided following receipt of the completed agreement. Bidders are responsible for ensuring that they request the TUPE information sufficiently early to enable them to take it into account when preparing their Tender. Failure to request or review the TUPE information will not relieve the successful Bidder of its obligations in relation to TUPE.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Options: The Contract includes the ability for the Council to purchase up to PS37,000 per annum (excluding VAT), or up to PS259,000 (excluding VAT) over the full potential 7-year term, of Assistive Technology, Equipment and Aids where required. These purchases are demand-led, subject to further approval by the Council, and are not guaranteed.

Renewal: Any decision to extend the Contract will be subject to the Provider's satisfactory performance, the ongoing requirement for the service, funding, the Council being satisfied that the Contract continues to provide value for money, and any required governance and approval processes being completed.

Planning Information

Herefordshire Council has published this RFI on the 'Supplying the Southwest Portal' (project reference DN821194). Interested parties are invited to review the RFI documentation by registering on the portal (ProContract) and expressing an interest in the opportunity. Closing date for responses - 12.00 noon, Friday 17 July 2026. Please note that responses to this RFI should be submitted via the Procontract e-tendering portal at www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk by the closing date and time as indicated above. To register with ProContract on the Supplying the Southwest Portal, click on the link below or copy and paste the link into your browser's address bar: https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06c394
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/095737-2026
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
£1,092,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£1,092,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Oct 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
13 Nov 20261 months to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Feb 2027 - 31 Mar 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
2033-09-01

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Herefordshire 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
HEREFORD
Postcode
HR4 0LE
Postcode Area
Hereford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG1 Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG11 Herefordshire, County of
Delivery Location
TLG11 Herefordshire, County of
Local Authority
Herefordshire, County of
Electoral Ward
Widemarsh
Westminster Constituency
Hereford and South Herefordshire

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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