---
title: "Connect to Work"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05167a"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05167a"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05167a.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05167a.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2026-03-13"
---

# Connect to Work

Buyer: LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05167a

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05167a)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05167a.json)

## Summary

Lancashire County Council has completed the Connect to Work project through an open procedure, focusing on reversing economic inactivity in Lancashire by aiding specific groups in achieving sustained employment. The procurement process, with the Department for Work and Pensions' oversight, includes several lots, with key areas: East, North, Central & West Lancashire. Contracts have commenced since February 2026 and are expected to operate until March 31, 2029, with potential extensions up to March 2030. The sectors involved include business services such as marketing, consulting, recruitment, and printing, delivered across multiple districts within Lancashire.

This tender provides substantial opportunities for businesses focused on supported employment services. Large organisations like Ingeus UK Limited, Standguide Limited, Maximus UK Services Limited, and others were awarded contracts, highlighting that businesses with expertise in employment services, particularly those adept in handling Individual Placement Support and the Supported Employment Quality Framework, are suited for such opportunities. This tender emphasises the importance of socio-economic value and support for adults with barriers to employment, including those with health conditions, disabilities, and other specific groups. Businesses with innovative solutions that align with these goals and possess the capacity for multi-district service delivery can significantly benefit from similar projects.

## Notice

Connect to Work is a national scheme led by the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) and is a supported employment programme targeted at specific groups of residents to enable sustained employment. The programme is focused on reversing the growth in Economic Inactivity and is targeted towards residents with health conditions and disabilities, as well as a number of groups to face barriers to gaining sustained employment, such as care leavers, carers, refugees, ex-offenders, and veterans, aligning with the Lancashire Economic Inactivity insights report, published in 2023. The Authority is seeking secure a new multi-lotted contract for the external provision of IPS (Individual Placement Support) and SEQF (Supported Employment Quality Framework) as part of the Authority's Connect to Work project. Lot 1 is based on IPS for the East geographical area of Lancashire. (Including delivery in the districts of Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale.) Lot 2 is based on IPS for the North geographical area of Lancashire. (Including delivery in the districts of Fylde, Lancaster and Wyre .) Lot 3 is based on IPS for the Central & West geographical area of Lancashire. (Including delivery in the districts of, Chorley, Preston, South Ribble and West Lancashire.) Lot 4 is based on SEQF for the geographical area of Lancashire.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023238-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 13 Mar 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 4 Sep 2025 |
| Contract period | 24 Feb 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £23,972,049 |
| Contracts value | £23,972,049 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active, Pending |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL |
| Additional buyers | BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN BOROUGH COUNCIL; BLACKPOOL COUNCIL; SOCIAL VALUE PORTAL LTD |
| Locality | PRESTON |
| Post town | Preston |
| Postcode | PR1 0LD |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD4 Lancashire |
| ITL 3 | TLD41 Blackburn with Darwen |
| Local authority | Blackburn with Darwen |
| Electoral ward | Blackburn Central |
| Westminster constituency | Blackburn |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 3 |
| Supplier names | INGEUS; MAXIMUS UK SERVICES; STANDGUIDE |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

## Release History

- 13 Mar 2026 at 19:16 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023238-2026
- 11 Dec 2025 at 16:36 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082197-2025
- 5 Sep 2025 at 14:25 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/054369-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023238-2026
  13th March 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082197-2025
  11th December 2025 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/054369-2025
  5th September 2025 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-13354
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-13356
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-13355
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-13358

## Notice URLs

- http://ingeus.co.uk
- http://mmtrainingconsultancy.com
- http://thesmallbusinessacademy.co.uk
- http://www.activelancashire.org.uk
- http://www.enable.org.uk
- http://www.inspira.org.uk
- http://www.intuitivethinkingskills.com
- http://www.lancaster.gov.uk
- http://www.maximusuk.co.uk
- http://www.pertemps.co.uk
- http://www.phxtraining.co.uk
- http://www.standguide.co.uk
- http://www.triage.net
- http://www.wearebreakthrough.co.uk
- https://calicoenterprise.org.uk/
- https://fedcap.org.uk/employment/
- https://selnet-uk.com/
- https://www.blackpool.gov.uk
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.socialvalueportal.com/
- https://www.thewisegroup.co.uk/

## 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-05167a. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05167a.json.