This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

17 Jul 2026 at 10:34

Summary of the contracting process

The London Borough of Newham is in the planning stage to procure a new service titled "Newham Best Start Family Hubs Befriending, Navigation and Peer Support Service." The procurement process, initiated under the Procurement Act 2023, is reserved for Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary Community and Social Enterprises (VCSE) registered in England. This service is aimed at supporting families in Newham from pregnancy to age five through a flexible and accessible befriending and navigation model. The service is expected to utilise multi-channel access methods and provide a first point of contact outside normal operational hours. The preliminary market engagement notice was published on 17th July 2026, with a scheduled engagement milestone on 11th August 2026. The contract, valued at £450,000, is set to run from 1st December 2026 to 30th November 2028, potentially extending until November 2029.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses specialising in social work and related services. With a focus on delivering a peer support service reflecting Newham's diverse communities, there is scope for local businesses to recruit and train volunteers, thus enhancing community ties and social value. Enterprises adept in outreach, community engagement, and digital communication channels will find this an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their innovation in reaching underrepresented groups. SMEs and VCSEs with expertise in providing emotional and practical support, particularly through digital means and outside regular hours, are encouraged to participate in shaping and executing this community-focused service to support vulnerable families in Newham.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Newham Best Start Family Hubs Befriending, Navigation and Peer Support Service

Notice Description

The London Borough of Newham is looking to commission a new Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS)-led befriending and navigation service, to complement our existing Best Start Family Hubs offer. This service should be flexible and accessible, supporting Newham families from pregnancy to age five. We are particularly interested in commissioning a model with multi-channel access, for instance with a telephone helpline and additional options such as text, WhatsApp, web-based or other virtual channels. At this stage, we want to test the market on a model that could act as a trusted first point of contact for parents and carers, particularly during out of hours periods such as evenings and weekends when other services are less available. The intention is that the service would combine informal emotional support, 'a listening ear', with practical advice, including signposting and referrals. The overall aim is to reduce isolation, build parental confidence, engage seldom heard groups, and support families to navigate local services and systems. This service will utilise a peer support approach that reflects Newham's diverse communities, recruiting and training local volunteers to deliver elements of the offer. We would expect the service to connect closely into the Best Start Family Hubs network, enabling warm handovers and ongoing light-touch support until families are successfully linked into wider provision. Alongside the core phone offer, we are also interested in how providers might use outreach, community engagement and digital channels to extend reach, particularly to underrepresented groups who may not access traditional services. Through this market engagement, we are looking to shape a realistic and deliverable approach that will support vulnerable families in Newham. Feedback will be used to directly inform the service design and subsequent service specification. For access to the event please register via the below link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/newham-best-start-family-hubs-befriending-service-market-engagement-tickets-1994028739638

Planning Information

The Procurement Process will be undertaken using the Procurement Act 2023 regulations. Procurement Policy Note 005 applies as the tender will be reserved for Small Medium Enterprise (SME) organisations and Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE). Organisations will need to be registered in England for this procurement. We welcome organisations participation in this event and for them to bring their knowledge and expertise for the ongoing development of the service and the procurement.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06cdab
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/067671-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

85300000 - Social work and related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£450,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Jul 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
11 Aug 20265 days to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Dec 2026 - 30 Nov 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
LONDON BOROUGH OF NEWHAM
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
E16 2QU
Post Town
East London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI41 Hackney and Newham
Delivery Location
TLI41 Hackney and Newham

Local Authority
Newham
Electoral Ward
Royal Albert
Westminster Constituency
West Ham and Beckton

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.

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