---
title: "Cumbria Connect to Work (CtW) Programme"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-055984"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-055984"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055984.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055984.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "CUMBERLAND COUNCIL"
published: "2026-04-01"
---

# Cumbria Connect to Work (CtW) Programme

Buyer: CUMBERLAND COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-055984

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## Summary

The Cumbria Connect to Work (CtW) Programme, managed by Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council, aims to enhance employment opportunities across Cumbria, targeting individuals with complex needs. The project has been commissioned as part of an initiative from the Department for Work and Pensions, with Enterprising Cumbria delivering the programme. Following the open procurement procedure, the contract's estimated maximum value is £9,883,966 excluding VAT, spanning from 2025 to 2028, with potential extensions leading to 2030. Cumberland Council serves as the accountable body, coordinating the programme alongside various service providers, ensuring sustainable job opportunities through integrated referral pathways. The procurement process has progressed to the award stage, with INSPIRA (01) successfully named as the service provider, highlighting various industry classifications including general public services, recruitment services, and training services.

The CtW Programme presents significant business growth opportunities, particularly for enterprises specialising in social services, training, and employment support. SMEs and larger organisations with expertise in employment consultancy, training services, and public service delivery would find themselves well-suited to participate, especially given the programme's focus on delivering evidence-based interventions like Individual Placement Support (IPS) and the Supported Employment Quality Framework. While INSPIRA (01) has secured the contract, the programme anticipates collaborative work with additional delivery partners, fostering expanding opportunities for organisations capable of servicing complex needs across Cumbria. The structured programme, driven by public service initiatives, encourages partnerships for coordinated delivery, ensuring that businesses producing social value align with government strategies for economic resilience and workforce inclusion. This procurement effort encourages dynamic utilisation of local services, consortium-building, and joint ventures.

## Notice

The Cumbria Connect to Work Programme has been commissioned for the Cumberland Council and the Westmorland and Furness Council and is being delivered by Enterprising Cumbria for the whole county, an initiative from the Department for Work and Pensions. Cumberland Council (the Accountable Body for Cumbria Connect to Work Programme) and Westmorland and Furness Council are seeking, through the CtW programme, to break down barriers to employment and provide sustainable job opportunities for individuals with complex needs. The estimated total value of the contract over the total contract period (including the potential extension periods) is a maximum value of PS9,883,966 excluding VAT, but no guarantee is given as to the actual value of the contract.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: There is the potential for two contract extensions of up to 12 months each, depending on both the success in achieving the required outcomes and availability of further funding.

### Planning Information

An engagement session will be held face-to-face in Carlisle on Friday 18th July 2025 at 10am.
To register for this event, visit https://enterprisingcumbria.org.uk/latest-news-4/2025/cumbria-connect-work-market-engagement-session or send an email to CumbriaCTW@cumbria.gov.uk by Tuesday 15th July 2025. Please note only registered attendees will be allowed into the engagement event.
An additional briefing session will be held for those who cannot attend the in-person session. This will be held virtually on Thursday 24th July, 15:30-16:30. If you would to attend, please also email the Registration Form into CumbriaCTW@Cumbria.gov.uk and explicitly state your interest to attend the Virtual Briefing in your email.
A question-and-answer log will be published following the event alongside the slide used at the event. Questions can be sent to use either before the market engagement event, raised at the event, or up to close of business on 24th July, and we will seek to answer all questions either at the event or shortly afterward. Questions after 24th July may not be responded to.
We recognise the burden that maybe placed on smaller local organisations in responding to requests for information from potential Service Coordinators. To help alleviate this,s we
a) will be seeking to build a directory of local services;
b) encourage potential Service Coordinators to use that directory of services as part of any Expression of Interest process they may have.
If you wish your details to be included in a service directory, hosted on Enterprising Cumbria Connect to Work website, please complete and return the service directory form found at https://enterprisingcumbria.org.uk/cumbria-connect-work-service-directory-form.
Particular suitability
Organisations that can deliver and specifically coordinate the deliver across the whole of Cumbria and all participant groups.
Suitability includes consortiums and joint ventures.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030341-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Planning, Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 1 Apr 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 29 Sep 2025 |
| Future notice date | 4 Aug 2025 |
| Award date | 20 Oct 2025 |
| Contract period | 20 Jan 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £9,883,966 |
| Lots value | £9,883,966 |
| Awards value | £9,883,966 |
| Contracts value | £9,883,966 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | CUMBERLAND COUNCIL |
| Locality | CARLISLE |
| Post town | Carlisle |
| Postcode | CA1 1RD |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD1 Cumbria |
| ITL 3 | TLD13 Cumberland |
| Local authority | Cumberland |
| Electoral ward | Castle |
| Westminster constituency | Carlisle |
| Delivery location | TLD1 Cumbria |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | INSPIRA (01 |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 75 - Administration, defence and social security services
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 80 - Education and training services
- 98 - Other community, social and personal services

### Codes

- 75110000 - General public services
- 75131000 - Government services
- 75200000 - Provision of services to the community
- 79600000 - Recruitment services
- 80400000 - Adult and other education services
- 80500000 - Training services
- 98200000 - Equal opportunities consultancy services

## Release History

- 1 Apr 2026 at 11:55 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030341-2026
- 21 Oct 2025 at 15:08 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/067218-2025
- 28 Aug 2025 at 10:48 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/051891-2025
- 17 Jul 2025 at 09:26 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/040782-2025
- 4 Jul 2025 at 17:08 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037595-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030341-2026
  1st April 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/067218-2025
  21st October 2025 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/051891-2025
  28th August 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/040782-2025
  17th July 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037595-2025
  4th July 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-14198
  Cost and methodology details have been redacted as commercially sensitive under Section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Section 94(1)(b) of the Procurement Act 2023. Disclosure could prejudice the provider's commercial interests by revealing pricing structures, operational methodologies and/or intellectual property, giving competitors an unfair advantage or affecting future tenders. The public interest test concluded that the potential harm to the provider's legitimate commercial interests outweighs the benefits of disclosure. Signature blocks have been redacted under Section 99(1) of the Procurement Act 2023 and the UK GDPR because they contain personal data. Removing this information reduces risks such as identity fraud and unauthorised use of personal details. In line with ICO guidance, the public interest does not outweigh the need to protect individuals' privacy.

## Notice URLs

- http://ingeus.co.uk
- http://www.ajtrainingacademy.com/
- http://www.attrain.com
- http://www.inspira.org.uk
- http://www.standguide.co.uk
- https://enterprisingcumbria.org.uk/cumbria-connect-work-service-directory-form
- https://enterprisingcumbria.org.uk/latest-news-4/2025/cumbria-connect-work-market-engagement-session
- https://fedcap.org.uk/employment/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.the-chest.org.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-055984. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055984.json.