Planning

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Statutory and non-statutory Advocacy: future service planning

Manchester City Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

05 Oct 2026 at 17:12

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Manchester City Council and Manchester Local Care Organisation are reviewing the delivery of statutory and non-statutory advocacy services for citizens. The work is a social service: advocacy providers support people to understand, express and pursue their rights and choices. The review will consider current challenges, opportunities, future demand pressures and the shape of a future service model. Delivery is in Manchester. The Council is seeking input from organisations that currently provide statutory and/or non-statutory advocacy; providers do not need to operate in Manchester already. No future service model has been chosen. The review is intended to help the Council develop provision that is sustainable, effective and responsive, and supports positive outcomes for citizens.

This is at the planning stage: the Council is conducting preliminary market engagement, not inviting tenders. It will use provider feedback alongside service performance, demand analysis, financial information, benchmarking and statutory requirements before deciding how to commission future services. The Council may decide not to run a competition, or may use an existing framework. It is reviewing arrangements ahead of the current contract ending on 30 September 2027; the planned service period is 1 October 2027 to 30 September 2030. A market-engagement workshop is planned online for 20 October 2026, 3–4.30pm. The Council expects interested providers to complete a survey by 12pm on 19 October 2026 to help shape the workshop. No contract value or future evaluation criteria are set out.

This engagement is relevant to organisations with current experience delivering statutory or non-statutory advocacy, whether locally or elsewhere. The Council is looking for insight into the advocacy landscape, current delivery challenges and opportunities, pressures on future demand, and considerations for a future service model. Providers able to discuss how services can remain sustainable while responding effectively to citizens’ needs are well placed to contribute. The procurement is still being shaped, so the engagement may help the Council design requirements that meet its needs and attract competition. The Council says participation will neither advantage nor disadvantage providers in any later procurement; taking part will not automatically qualify a provider to tender. Small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises are identified as suitable.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Statutory and non-statutory Advocacy: future service planning

Notice Description

Manchester City Council is inviting organisations to participate in a Preliminary Market Engagement exercise regarding a review of statutory and non-statutory Advocacy service delivery. Please note the following explanation of the Council's approach to preliminary market engagement; the core principle for underpinning our approach is to ensure probity be maintained throughout the process by strict adherence to the following guidelines: All potential suppliers are informed that they are invited to participate in soft market testing Any information provided by the authority to a supplier participating in preliminary market engagement will be shared with all suppliers participating in the exercise. Any information provided by a supplier participating in preliminary market engagement will be deemed as commercially sensitive and handled by the authority in such a manner as to ensure commercial confidentiality is not violated. Any information provided by a supplier participating in preliminary market engagement will not be shared with any third party without the express permission and written consent of the participating supplier. The preliminary market engagement exercise is to be undertaken to ascertain if the Council wishes to proceed to a competitive tender process and if so will help inform the design of any future procurement process and will assist the Council to shape their requirements to ensure that they obtain the best solution to meet their needs and that will be most attractive to the market to ensure as much competition as possible. If the outcome of the preliminary market engagement is such that the authority decides to go out for a competitive tender (N.B: the Council reserves the right not to do so if it so decides or to utilise other procurements routes open to it such as pre-tendered national/regional/other frameworks), then all suppliers who have participated in the preliminary market engagement will be notified of the tendering opportunity. Participation in the preliminary market engagement does not mean that you will automatically qualify for the tender opportunity and all prospective tenders, irrespective of previous participation, will be required to register and meet the conditions of participation of the tender at that time. Overview Manchester City Council / Manchester Local Care Organisation is undertaking a review of its Advocacy Services arrangements in advance of the current contract ending on 30th September 2027. Advocacy providers are invited to attend a Preliminary Market Engagement workshop via Teams (to be held at 3pm on Tuesday 20th October 2026) to discuss the matters outlined below. To help shape and inform the structure of the workshop, attendees are asked to complete a supplementary survey via The Chest e-procurement portal, which should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. This preliminary market engagement exercise will help us gain insight on current challenges, opportunities, future demand pressures, and considerations for the development of a future Advocacy services model. This engagement exercise is open to organisations that currently provide statutory and/or non-statutory Advocacy services - Providers do not need to currently deliver services within Manchester to participate. No decisions have been made regarding the future service delivery model at this stage, and feedback gathered through this engagement process will be considered alongside current Advocacy service performance, demand analysis, financial information, benchmarking activity, and statutory requirements before any future commissioning decisions are taken. The Council's key priority going forward is to ensure a sustainable, effective and responsive Advocacy provision, which enables positive outcomes for citizens.

Planning Information

Format of engagement A Preliminary Market Engagement workshop will take place online via Teams on Tuesday 20th October 2026 from 3-4:30PM. Please note participation in the Preliminary Market Engagement will not result in any advantage or disadvantage in any subsequent procurement process. Next Steps The Council is using the e-business portal known as the Chest. Applicants will need to register their details at the following link www.the-chest.org.uk. Once registered, applicants will be emailed a log-in and password which will allow them to gain access to the documentation relating to this Preliminary Market Engagement. Interested parties should be able to demonstrate the requirements detailed in the brief published on the chest. See link below: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=649ca9fa-d0c0-f111-813c-005056b64545&fromProjectDashboard=True To participate in the Preliminary Markey Engagement workshop, please complete our online survey, also accessible via The Chest submitting your response by 12pm of Monday 19th October 2026. Statutory and Non-Statutory Advocacy Service Planning - Preliminary Market Engagement – Fill in form https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforms.cloud.microsoft%2Fe%2FSZ7TdDXrR0&data=05%7C02%7Clouise.causley%40manchester.gov.uk%7C4c1f4b4c8421486cf09b08df22c7e55a%7Cb0ce7d5e81cd47fb94f7276c626b7b09%7C0%7C0%7C639267914077442160%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=aLk0kaIf6FNcNP4HNlFu4SUnDJMF2rrHAevGUQxx%2BDI%3D&reserved=0 The survey results will be used to gather information on local and national Advocacy services and the current Advocacy landscape in relation to the areas outlined above. Further information, including details of how to join the workshop, will be provided following submission of the survey.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078127
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/094008-2026
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
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85320000 - Social services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Oct 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Oct 2027 - 1 Oct 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
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

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.

Loading OCDS record...