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Provision of 'Experts at Hand' Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language and Occupational Therapy Support - Market Engagement

Milton Keynes City Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

10 Aug 2026 at 15:56

Planning Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Milton Keynes City Council is shaping a future service for its “Experts at Hand” SEND reform programme. The commissioning would bring educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists directly into mainstream schools and early years settings across Milton Keynes. The intended service would help settings identify children’s needs earlier and provide timely, time-limited support to develop more inclusive practice. This is a health service opportunity, including psychological, speech and language, occupational therapy and related specialist support. The council is seeking views from providers to inform the delivery model before it proceeds to a future procurement. The work is therefore relevant to organisations that can provide multidisciplinary health and education support for children and young people, working with schools and early years providers in the local area.

This is a planned prior information and market engagement exercise at the planning stage, rather than an invitation to tender. Milton Keynes City Council expects the Experts at Hand initiative to launch in September 2026 and has indicated a future notice date of 12 November 2026. Providers were asked to respond to the market engagement questions by 5pm on 31 August 2026 through the council’s e-tendering correspondence process. The estimated procurement value is £4.5 million, including one planned lot covering educational psychology, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy support. The procurement is identified as a Provider Selection Regime process and is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The market engagement will help shape the future commissioning approach.

The service is likely to suit established providers of educational psychology, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy or a combination of these disciplines. Organisations should be prepared to work directly with mainstream schools and early years settings, support earlier identification of children’s needs, and deliver focused interventions that are time-limited and aimed at improving inclusive practice. Multidisciplinary providers may be well placed to contribute to the future model, while specialist organisations could be relevant for individual areas of expertise. Experience of working across health, education and special educational needs and disabilities services would be useful preparation, particularly where providers can coordinate advice and practical support for education staff. Businesses interested in this market should use the planning stage to understand the proposed delivery model and consider how they could provide capacity across Milton Keynes.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of 'Experts at Hand' Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language and Occupational Therapy Support - Market Engagement

Notice Description

Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) is seeking to engage with the provider market to inform the commissioning approach for Educational Psychologists (EPs), Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) and Occupational Therapy (OT), as part of the 'Experts at Hand' programme of SEND reform. "Experts at Hand" is a Department for Education (DfE) initiative launching in September 2026 to bring health and education specialists directly into mainstream education and early years settings. It is intended to provide support for mainstream schools to identify children's needs earlier and provide timely, time-limited support to develop inclusive practice. This market engagement exercise forms an important step in shaping the future delivery model for 'Experts at Hand' within Milton Keynes. We are keen to hear from providers on the questions published contained within the market engagement document on our e-tendering portal In-Tend . Please respond to the questions latest by 5pm on the 31st August via In-Tend Correspondence section/market engagement stage. The Market Engagement document can be accessed on our e-tendering portal: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/milton-keynes/aspx/Home

Lot Information

Lot 1

Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) is seeking to engage with the provider market to inform the commissioning approach for Educational Psychologists (EPs), Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) and Occupational Therapy (OT), as part of the 'Experts at Hand' programme of SEND reform. "Experts at Hand" is a Department for Education (DfE) initiative launching in September 2026 to bring health and education specialists directly into mainstream education and early years settings. It is intended to provide support for mainstream schools to identify children's needs earlier and provide timely, time-limited support to develop inclusive practice. This market engagement exercise forms an important step in shaping the future delivery model for 'Experts at Hand' within Milton Keynes. We are keen to hear from providers on the questions published contained within the market engagement document on our e-tendering portal In-Tend . Please respond to the questions latest by 5pm on the 31st August via In-Tend Correspondence section/market engagement stage. The Market Engagement document can be accessed on our e-tendering portal: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/milton-keynes/aspx/Home Additional information: This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Prior Information Notice for Market Engagement. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 or the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this procurement.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e07b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075870-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning 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

85100000 - Health services

85121270 - Psychiatrist or psychologist services

85140000 - Miscellaneous health services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£4,500,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
12 Nov 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Milton Keynes 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
MILTON KEYNES
Postcode
MK9 3EJ
Postcode Area
Milton Keynes
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ12 Milton Keynes
Delivery Location
TLJ12 Milton Keynes
Local Authority
Milton Keynes
Electoral Ward
Central Milton Keynes
Westminster Constituency
Milton Keynes Central

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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