---
title: "Workforce Development Services for Care Providers in Suffolk"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-056147"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-056147"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-056147.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-056147.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2025-11-26"
---

# Workforce Development Services for Care Providers in Suffolk

Buyer: SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-056147

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## Summary

Suffolk County Council is in the process of procuring "Workforce Development Services for Care Providers in Suffolk." The contract, classified under education, training, and health and social work services (CPV: 80000000, 85000000), is based in Ipswich, covering the region of UKH14. The procurement is in the active tender stage, following an open procedure, with electronic submissions to be completed by 2nd December 2025. The main goal is to address future social care workforce needs, supporting skills, training, and retention in the healthcare sector. Key dates include the end of the tender submission period and the projected start of contract activity on April 1st, 2026, with potential extension opportunities.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses involved in education and training services as well as health and social work sectors. With a gross value of £2,400,000, the contract is particularly suitable for SMEs and VCSEs, aiming to partner with Suffolk County Council for workforce improvement and skills development in adult social care. The emphasis on training provision allows for localised business operations through face-to-face and online platforms, creating a demand for both training fulfilment and strategic development. Engaging in this tender aligns contractors with local government strategies towards sustaining and enhancing care sector capabilities, providing expansive growth potential for organisations with proven track records in these fields.

## Notice

The overarching requirement of this service is to support the care market regarding the forecast of the future needs of Suffolk customers. To increase awareness of good practice, have a stable workforce, encourage a positive culture with increased staff retention. To work with the council to identify and address gaps in the Suffolk social care workforce skills and training to enable them to deliver a range of care and support, from promoting independence to complex care. And work closely and positively, with all stakeholders to improve market capacity and better equipped to develop and be sustainable. Suffolk County Council has joined the government's Devolution Priority Programme (DPP), a fast-track programme towards devolution and local government reorganisation. Under the DPP it is proposed that: a) a Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) for Norfolk and Suffolk is established, with strategic powers and headed by an elected mayor ("Devolution"). b) the existing two-tier council structure in Suffolk is abolished and replaced with one or more unitary councils covering the current geographical boundary of Suffolk ("LGR"). It is possible that both, one or neither of these changes will happen. These changes are declared as known risks as we do not yet know the implications of Devolution and/or LGR. As a result of LGR and Devolution, contract modifications may be necessary to novate, transfer or disaggregate the contract from the one you entered into to one or more successor authorities or the MCAA. Impacts could include changes to geographical boundaries, significant increases and/or decreases in the goods and/or services required due to the change in size/scope of any successor authority or the MCAA. This may also change the scope of the contract Interested Parties should refer to the Invitation to Tender and Contract Terms for the Known Risks.

### Lot Information

Support Activity

Focus on being the trusted source of information, advice, guidance and networking that raises the standards of adult social care * Organise and lead at least 2 large Care Market events alongside other smaller events and achieve at least 70% attendance capacity * Ensure events are representative of the whole of the care market, including private & voluntary organisations. Achieving involvement of 70% of care providers across Suffolk * Follow up on impact of activities at 3 and 6 months after event * Promote care careers, including different care pathways * Proactive support to care campaigns and branding, including iCare brand * Engaging and promoting graphics and other materials on websites/marketing * Active engagement and support to Community Catalysts / Personal Care Assistants * Active engagement and support to micro enterprises * Take active part in market need reviews and provide information for market shaping * Identify themes and gaps for future development and focus * Flexibility to meet fluctuating market needs and take advantage of new funding and proactively bidding for opportunities * Care provider peer support and the promotion of good practice across recruitment, training, retention and organisational culture * Work effectively across partner organisations and be a Suffolk representative on relevant regional and local events and forums. * Provision of information / guidance / advice and signposting for the care market and create a comprehensive resource bank of information for providers across a range of accessible platforms * Work in collaboration with other partner organisations. * Active engagement and development with key performance indicators as the service progresses * Incorporate regular (as determined by the local authority) reviews of market needs to provide information for shaping the support provided to and direction of the market, to meet fluctuations. * Actively gather feedback on activities that care providers have attended, their challenges and concerns, * Support all activities in Lot 2 where appropriate

Options: Additional funding may become available during the life of the contract. The contract value reflects potential additional funding

Renewal: Extension period of 24 months can be split into 12-month increments. The advertised value includes this extension period.

Training Provision

Focus on the supply of training provision, deliver an online platform to provide training, that raises the skills of adult social care. * Delivery of a training portal that is accessible to the whole care market * Maintain / upgrade and develop a training portal that is user friendly including a robust SLA, to be shared if requested * Design and delivery of training programmes in a timely manner * Delivery of face to face and online training and ensure other options are available for attendance * Ensure access for care providers to learning and development opportunities, including the ability to have community-based training sessions across the County * To use approved training providers including a verification of standard of delivery e.g. from Skills for Care or NHS approved trainer lists, including local SME providers with a proven track record of success * Identify a range of training and source programmes to satisfy these needs in a cost-effective manner * Support the use of SME training providers with a proven track record of success. * Annual survey of the care market to identify training gaps * Respond to training gaps and source the support for future needs * Use feedback consultation and collaboration to make amendments of training programmes to best meet the market needs * Gain feedback on training activities that providers have attended, the challenges and concerns * Discuss with Suffolk County Council the results of training gaps and collaboratively shape training programmes required * Flexibility to respond quickly to the changing needs of the care sector * Proactive support to care campaigns and branding, including iCare brand * Engaging and promoting graphics and other materials on websites/marketing * Take advantage of new funding opportunities and evidencing bids for this * Be a Suffolk representative on relevant regional and local forums / events * Engaging and promoting graphic and other materials on websites/marketing * Linking and following the county council on their own social media * Work effectively across partner organisations with a focus on collaboration and joint working * Achieving collaboration with 70% of care providers across Suffolk * Training attendance rate to be reported and a minimum of 70% of full capacity * To ensure full evaluations are completed / demonstrated including cost effectiveness exercises, for all commissioned training for the care market * Collate post-training evaluations and attendee satisfaction rate * Active engagement and development with key performance indicators as the service progresses * Support all activities in Lot 1 where appropriate

Options: Additional funding may become available during the life of the contract. The contract value reflects potential additional funding

Renewal: Extension period of 24 months can be split into 12-month increments. The advertised value includes this extension period.

### Planning Information

Interested Providers are requested to complete a questionnaire - the deadline for this is 7 Aug
From this the commissioner may contact providers who have made pertinent comments relating to the service
Comments may have influence on the specification and points that could affect the evaluation criteria
Link for Market Engagement Questionnaire
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=7GqcEEZQlUqPPIT2O6GK9HLcCX-syTtEk4X3GALxfF5UM0NIMFNGRzRWS0hGSTZEUDNXM1BTTktLQS4u
Potential providers are also encouraged to register for our e-tendering portal at: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/suffolksourcing/aspx/Registration (if not already done so).

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077057-2025 |
| Notice type | UK12 - Procurement Termination Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning, Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 26 Nov 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 2 Dec 2025 |
| Future notice date | 16 Sep 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 |
| Recurrence | 2031-08-01 |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £2,000,000 |
| Lots value | £2,000,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Cancelled |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Cancelled |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL |
| Additional buyers | Missing |
| Locality | IPSWICH |
| Post town | Ipswich |
| Postcode | IP1 2BX |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLH East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLH6 Suffolk |
| ITL 3 | TLH62 Ipswich |
| Local authority | Ipswich |
| Electoral ward | Gipping |
| Westminster constituency | Ipswich |
| Delivery location | TLH14 Suffolk CC |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 80 - Education and training services
- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 85000000 - Health and social work services

## Release History

- 26 Nov 2025 at 07:36 - TenderCancellation - UK12 - Procurement Termination Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077057-2025
- 3 Nov 2025 at 06:49 - TenderUpdate - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070282-2025
- 31 Oct 2025 at 14:37 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070136-2025
- 17 Jul 2025 at 13:03 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/040958-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077057-2025
  26th November 2025 - Procurement termination notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070282-2025
  3rd November 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070136-2025
  31st October 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/040958-2025
  17th July 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- www.suffolksourcing.uk

## Notice URLs

- http://www.suffolksourcing.uk
- https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=7GqcEEZQlUqPPIT2O6GK9HLcCX-syTtEk4X3GALxfF5UM0NIMFNGRzRWS0hGSTZEUDNXM1BTTktLQS4u
- https://in-tendhost.co.uk/suffolksourcing/aspx/Registration
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-056147. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-056147.json.