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Experts at Hand: Occupational Therapy, Inclusion and Participation Service

Norfolk County Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

09 Oct 2026 at 15:04

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Norfolk County Council is seeking a provider for an occupational therapy, inclusion and participation service for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The service is intended to bring specialist expertise into mainstream early-years, primary, secondary and post-16 settings, helping staff identify needs and provide timely support. Work includes observation and assessment, identifying targeted support, and building the confidence and capability of setting staff. The wider Experts at Hand model may include occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, educational psychologists and specialist teachers; this contract is specifically for the Occupational Therapy, Inclusion and Participation Service. Delivery is across Norfolk, in the settings serving children and young people there.

The buyer invited offers through a competitive process with dialogue under the Provider Selection Regime 2023. The tender submission deadline was 13 November 2026 at 10:00 UTC, with evaluation scheduled to start at 11:00 UTC. The initial contract is intended to run to 31 March 2029, with service delivery anticipated to begin on 22 February 2027. Its stated initial-term value is £3,829,100; the estimated total, including potential extensions, is £8,400,000 in 2026 prices, excluding inflation. The council may extend the contract by up to three years if further funding is available and governance approval is obtained; extension is not guaranteed. There is one lot. Evaluation weights quality and innovation (40%), integration, collaboration and sustainability (25%), access and reducing inequalities (25%), and social value (10%); price is pass/fail. Applicants first pass basic selection before key criteria and pricing are assessed.

This opportunity is suited to providers able to deliver specialist occupational therapy support for children and young people with SEND within mainstream education settings across Norfolk. The service requires practical expertise in observing and assessing individual needs, identifying appropriate targeted support, and working alongside early-years, primary, secondary and post-16 staff. Providers should be able to strengthen staff confidence and capability while delivering timely, evidence-based support that helps children and young people participate and flourish in their settings. The competitive dialogue process includes an initial basic selection test, followed by assessment of key criteria and price for those who pass. The stated quality priorities favour providers able to demonstrate innovation, collaboration and integration, improved access and reduced inequalities, and social value. The contract is substantial in scope and calls for a provider with the workforce and organisational capacity to serve settings across the county.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Experts at Hand: Occupational Therapy, Inclusion and Participation Service

Notice Description

'Experts at Hand' is designed to transform how support for children and young people with SEND is delivered, by bringing specialist expertise directly into mainstream early years, primary, secondary and post-16 settings. By embedding 'expert roles', such as occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, and specialist teachers, alongside setting staff. The offer supports earlier identification of need, strengthens workforce confidence and capability, and provides timely, evidence-based support within everyday learning environments. The Experts at Hand offer will support mainstream settings across early years, primary, secondary and post-16, to better identify and meet the needs of children and young people with emerging or identified SEND. It will provide dedicated professional expertise tailored to the needs of individual children and young people, through observation, assessment, and identifying appropriated targeted support to help more children and young people flourish within their settings. Norfolk County Council (NCC) is undertaking a procurement exercise and is inviting suitably qualified and experienced applicants to submit offers to deliver the Occupational Therapy, Inclusion and Participation Service. The procurement is being conducted under regulation 11 of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (the Regulations). As the Council's funding is currently confirmed until 31 March 2029, any initial contract term will end on 31 March 2029. The Authority may, at its sole discretion, extend the Contract for up to three (3) years should additional funding become available. Any decision to extend the contract will be subject to the availability of future national funding and internal governance approval. Accordingly, there is no guarantee that any extension will be offered. Any extension will be subject to a further Key Decision in accordance with the Authority's governance arrangements. The value of the initial term is PS3,829,100 split as follows: * Financial Year 2026/27 - PS835,260 * Financial Year 2027/28 - PS1,474,800 * Financial Year 2028/29 - PS1,519,040 It is anticipated that the Contract will be awarded on 20 January 2027, with service delivery commencing on 22 February 2027.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The procurement route adopted is a competitive process with dialogue in accordance with regulation 11 PSR. The procurement will be conducted in the following stages: Applicants must complete the Basic Selection Criteria (BSC) - Form A and the Key Criteria (which includes pricing) - Form B and submit them in accordance with the timetable set out in the procurement documents. Applicants must pass the Basic Selection Criteria (Form A) - before their Key Criteria (Form B) are considered. Applicants who fail Form A will not be considered any further and will be notified at this stage if they are unsuccessful. Applicants that pass Form A will be evaluated against their responses in their Form B and price. Contract award will be based on the information set out within the procurement documents. The Council reserves the right to make adjustments to the structure of the Competitive Process, provided that any such adjustments do not alter the overall nature of the procurement, and are communicated transparently and applied equally to all applicants.

Renewal: The Authority may, at its sole discretion, extend the Contract for up to three (3) years should additional funding become available. Any decision to extend the contract will be subject to the availability of future national funding and internal governance approval. Accordingly, there is no guarantee that any extension will be offered. Any extension will be subject to a further Key Decision in accordance with the Authority's governance arrangements.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0784f0
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/095752-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85323000 - Community health services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Oct 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
13 Nov 20261 months to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
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
Norfolk County 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
NORWICH
Postcode
NR1 2DH
Postcode Area
Norwich
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH5 Norfolk
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH51 Norwich and East Norfolk
Delivery Location
TLH15 Norwich and East Norfolk, TLH16 North and West Norfolk, TLH17 Breckland and South Norfolk
Local Authority
Norwich
Electoral Ward
Lakenham
Westminster Constituency
Norwich South

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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