--- title: "Closing the Gap 2 - Market Engagement Nov 24" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04b3e2" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04b3e2" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b3e2.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b3e2.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "READING BOROUGH COUNCIL" published: "2024-11-05" --- # Closing the Gap 2 - Market Engagement Nov 24 Buyer: READING BOROUGH COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04b3e2 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04b3e2) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b3e2.json) ## Summary Reading Borough Council is currently in the planning stage for the procurement of a new contract titled "Closing the Gap 2 - Market Engagement Nov 24," focusing on social services within the Reading borough. This process aims to re-procure community-based preventative services, with current contracts ending on 31st October 2025, and new contracts to begin on 1st November 2025. An engagement session will be held on 19th November 2024, from 09:45am to 12:45pm at Victoria Hall, Reading Town Hall, to gather input from prospective providers. Additional engagement sessions are planned in the coming months to further refine the project's scope and objectives. The "Closing the Gap 2" procurement presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in social services, especially those focusing on areas like mental health, ageing, women's wellbeing, LGBTQ+ support, and community resilience. This tender is especially suited for providers able to collaborate and meet diverse community needs. Participation in the engagement sessions will allow businesses to influence the service offerings and potentially form strategic partnerships. For businesses aiming to expand their footprint in community social services, this procurement process offers a vital platform to showcase expertise and contribute to shaping essential public services in Reading. ## Notice Closing the Gap (CTG) is a contract opportunity for providers to deliver preventative community-based services. The current contracts are due to end on 31st October 2025, and we plan to re-procure early 2025 to start the new contracts on the 1st November 2025. Engaging with providers is a key part of developing what Closing the Gap 2 will look like. As such, we are holding an engagement session to gather views, with more sessions to take place over the coming months. Our next engagement session will take place as part of Reading Voluntary Action's (RVA) Voluntary Care Sector Assembly: o 9:45am - 12:45pm, Victoria Hall, Reading Town Hall, Blagrave Street Reading RG1 1QH. o Prospective providers are invited to help shape the offer to meet local needs and find potential partners. o Book on Eventbrite: Reading VCS Assembly - Making the case for prevention Tickets, Tue, Nov 19, 2024 at 9:45 AM | Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reading-vcs-assembly-making-the-case-for-prevention-tickets-1036646316037?aff=oddtdtcreator For Closing the Gap 2, the contract outcome areas below have been identified, but to note these are high-level, indicative, and subject to change. We still have a way to go, such as being approved via the Council's governance channels. They have been shaped by learning from the current Closing the Gap services, a Needs Analysis, feedback from stakeholders, a working group of cross-council colleagues and external stakeholders and consultations with funding stakeholders regarding alignment to funding outcome requirements. Proposed contract outcome areas: * Carers' Information & Advice Service, * VCS Infrastructure Support, * Ageing Well, * Women's Wellbeing, * Mental Health, * Support with building resilience, independence, and wellbeing within diverse communities, * Learning Disabilities & Autism, * Supporting people to get out and stay out of poverty, * Refugee Support, * Young People's Mental Health, * Men's Mental Health, * Sensory Needs, * LGBTQ+, * HIV Support. PIN expires 18.11.24 ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035713-2024 | | 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 | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 5 Nov 2024 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 31 Mar 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | READING BOROUGH COUNCIL | | Locality | READING | | Post town | Reading | | Postcode | RG1 2LU | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire | | ITL 3 | TLJ16 Berkshire West | | Local authority | Reading | | Electoral ward | Abbey | | Westminster constituency | Reading Central | | Delivery location | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85320000 - Social services ## Release History - 5 Nov 2024 at 08:25 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035713-2024 ## Notice URLs - http://www.reading.gov.uk - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/reading-vcs-assembly-making-the-case-for-prevention-tickets-1036646316037?aff=oddtdtcreator ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04b3e2. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b3e2.json.