---
title: "Contract for Connect to Work - Individual Placement & Support (IPS) - Darlington, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-On-Tees"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06e8db"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e8db"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e8db.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e8db.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "Hartlepool Borough Council"
published: "2026-08-20"
---

# Contract for Connect to Work - Individual Placement & Support (IPS) - Darlington, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-On-Tees

Buyer: Hartlepool Borough Council  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06e8db

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## Summary

Hartlepool Borough Council is the lead authority for Tees Valley Combined Authority’s Connect to Work programme, delivered with Darlington, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees councils. The contract is for Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services, combining employment support with education, training and related social and community services. It will help disabled people, people with health conditions and people facing complex barriers to enter or remain in work. The primary focus is people who are economically inactive and out of work, with some support for people at high risk of becoming inactive after unemployment. Delivery covers Darlington, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees.

The procurement has reached tender: the councils invited offers through an open procedure. It is a single-lot services contract with an estimated gross value of £2,769,200. Enquiries had to be submitted by 14 September 2026 at 2pm, and offers by 23 September 2026 at 2pm. The planned award decision date is 23 October 2026. The contract is due to run from 4 January 2027 to 31 March 2028, with a possible extension to 31 March 2030. Renewal depends on budget and performance. Bids may be submitted electronically in English. Evaluation is based entirely on quality, weighted at 100%.

This opportunity suits employment-support providers able to deliver IPS-based services for disabled people, people with health conditions and people facing complex barriers to work. Relevant capability includes supporting people who are economically inactive or out of work into employment, helping them remain in work, and providing preventative support to people at risk of becoming inactive after unemployment. Suppliers should be able to operate across Darlington, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees, and manage delivery at substantial programme scale: the wider programme is expected to support nearly 2,000 people a year at peak and more than 5,000 people through to 2030. The opportunity is identified as suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises.

## Notice

Hartlepool Borough Council (the Council) has been appointed as the Lead Authority by Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) for the Connect to Work Programme. As such, the Council is responsible for ensuring successful management and delivery of the programme across Tees Valley. Connect to Work will support disabled people, people with health conditions and those with complex barriers to get into or remain in work. It will be delivered up to 31st March 2030, and the primary focus is on those who are inactive and out of work, but it will also support some people who are at high risk of becoming inactive if they become unemployed. At its peak, the programme will support nearly 2,000 people per year in Tees Valley - and more than 5,000 people over the period to 2030

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079565-2026 |
| Notice type | UK4 - Tender 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 | Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 20 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 23 Sep 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 4 Jan 2027 - 31 Mar 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £2,769,200 |
| Lots value | £2,769,200 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Hartlepool Borough Council |
| Additional buyers | Darlington Borough Council; Middlesbrough Council; Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council; Stockton on Tees Borough Council |
| Locality | DARLINGTON |
| Postcode area | Cleveland |
| Postcode | TS24 8AY |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC3 Tees Valley |
| ITL 3 | TLC31 Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees |
| Local authority | Hartlepool |
| Electoral ward | Victoria |
| Westminster constituency | Hartlepool |
| Delivery location | TLC1 Tees Valley and Durham |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 80 - Education and training services
- 85 - Health and social work services
- 98 - Other community, social and personal services

### Codes

- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
- 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

## Release History

- 20 Aug 2026 at 15:29 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079565-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079565-2026
  20th August 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.middlesbrough.gov.uk
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.open-uk.org/

## 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-06e8db. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e8db.json.