---
title: "CBC-2138-RFI-SK ( Request for Information) Social Isolation and Loneliness)"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f42e"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f42e"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f42e.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f42e.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "Central Bedfordshire Council"
published: "2026-09-08"
---

# CBC-2138-RFI-SK ( Request for Information) Social Isolation and Loneliness)

Buyer: Central Bedfordshire Council  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f42e

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f42e)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f42e.json)

## Summary

Central Bedfordshire Council is exploring a future Social Isolation and Loneliness Service for adults experiencing loneliness, social isolation or reduced engagement with their communities. The service is expected to provide outreach, befriending, signposting, wellbeing activities and other community-based interventions. Its aims are to improve social connectedness and wellbeing, increase access to local support and services, and help people live independently in their communities. This is a community and social care service, covering social work, welfare, guidance and counselling, and community health activity. Delivery will take place within the council’s area of Central Bedfordshire, through local, community-based interventions rather than residential provision. The requirement is classified as a light-touch service and is relevant to organisations delivering adult wellbeing, prevention, inclusion or community support services.

The process is at the planning stage. The council is conducting a voluntary request for information to understand the market, potential delivery models, supplier capability and innovation; it is not an invitation to tender or a formal evaluation. Interested organisations are expected to submit the RFI questionnaire by 25 September 2026, with responses informing future procurement options. The council’s indicative date for the next notice is 1 November 2026. The planned service period is 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028, with the possibility of renewal or extension to 1 April 2029. The requirement is structured as one planned lot. The future procurement is intended to be suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises.

This will suit organisations with practical experience supporting adults who are lonely, socially isolated or less connected to their communities. Relevant capability includes outreach and engagement, befriending, community development, wellbeing activities, guidance, counselling, social prescribing or signposting to local services. Providers should be able to design and deliver interventions in community settings, build trusted relationships with individuals and community groups, and support people to live independently. Experience of working with local health, social care, voluntary-sector and community networks is likely to be valuable, as is the ability to demonstrate improved wellbeing, social connection and access to support. The council is specifically seeking market insight, alternative delivery models and innovation at this stage, so established providers, smaller specialist organisations and VCSE organisations may wish to prepare their service models and evidence of impact.

## Notice

Central Bedfordshire Council is undertaking a Request for Information (RFI) to inform the future commissioning of a Social Isolation and Loneliness Service. The purpose of this RFI is to engage with the market, gather information on potential service delivery models, and understand supplier capability and innovation. The proposed service will support adults experiencing loneliness, social isolation, or reduced community engagement through outreach, befriending, signposting, wellbeing activities, and community-based interventions. The service aims to improve social connectedness, enhance wellbeing, increase access to local support and services, and enable individuals to live independently within their communities. This RFI does not constitute a call for competition and is intended solely to inform future procurement activity.

### Planning Information

Interested organisations are invited to complete and submit the RFI questionnaire via the In-Tend portal by the stated deadline. Responses will be used to inform the Council's understanding of the market and potential future procurement options. Participation is voluntary and does not form part of any formal procurement or evaluation process.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084715-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 8 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 1 Nov 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2028 |
| 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 | Planning |
| Lots status | Planning |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Central Bedfordshire Council |
| Locality | SHEFFORD |
| Postcode area | Stevenage |
| Postcode | SG17 5TQ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLH East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLH25 Central Bedfordshire |
| Local authority | Central Bedfordshire |
| Electoral ward | Shefford |
| Westminster constituency | Hitchin |
| Delivery location | TLH25 Central Bedfordshire |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85310000 - Social work services
- 85311100 - Welfare services for the elderly
- 85312300 - Guidance and counselling services
- 85312400 - Welfare services not delivered through residential institutions
- 85323000 - Community health services

## Release History

- 8 Sep 2026 at 09:50 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084715-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084715-2026
  8th September 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://in-tendhost.co.uk/centralbedfordshire/aspx/Home
- 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-06f42e. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f42e.json.