--- title: "DHSC: ASC: Leadership Development Programme for new and aspiring DASS" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-077585" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077585" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077585.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077585.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "Department of Health and Social Care" published: "2026-09-18" --- # DHSC: ASC: Leadership Development Programme for new and aspiring DASS Buyer: Department of Health and Social Care Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-077585 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077585) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077585.json) ## Summary The Department of Health & Social Care is exploring a leadership development programme for new and aspiring Directors of Adult Social Services (DASS). This is a specialist training and adult social care service intended to build leadership capacity, confidence and capability across two participant streams: aspiring DASSs and people recently appointed to the role. The programme is expected to support up to 50 participants and help leaders drive sustainable improvement in councils, improve retention in the DASS role and increase the number of councils rated Good or Outstanding in the Care Quality Commission’s local authority adult social care assessments. Delivery is intended across England, covering the North East, North West, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London and the South West. This procurement is at the planning stage and is currently preliminary market engagement, not a competition or invitation to tender. DHSC expects to use the GCA Learning and Training Services Dynamic Purchasing System, RM6219, as its route to market; suppliers wishing to participate in a future tender should register on that system and meet its relevant filters. The planned procurement has one lot and an estimated value of up to £909,000 excluding VAT, or £1,090,800 including VAT. The proposed contract term is 15 months, expected to start on 4 January 2027 and end on 31 March 2028, with evaluation concluding in March 2028. DHSC expects the next notice on 26 October 2026. Market feedback is requested by 17:00 on 2 October 2026. This will suit leadership development, executive coaching, management training and adult social care improvement providers with experience supporting senior or aspiring local government social care leaders. Relevant suppliers should be able to design and mobilise a programme rapidly, deliver across two cohorts, and provide structured development for both people preparing to become DASSs and those newly in post. Strong understanding of adult social care reform, local authority operating environments, workforce retention and improvement activity will be important. Providers able to demonstrate measurable development outcomes and support strategic improvement in councils are likely to be well placed. The buyer is seeking broad market participation, including SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises, and will consider collaborative bids. Future participation will depend on registration and eligibility for the proposed dynamic purchasing system. ## Notice DHSC is undertaking preliminary market engagement to understand supplier interest, capability and capacity to deliver a Leadership Development Programme for new and aspiring Directors of Adult Social Services (DASS). This exercise gives potential bidders an opportunity to review the requirement and provide market feedback to help DHSC develop the final Invitation to Tender (ITT) fairly and transparently. The government recognises that its significant ambitions for adult social care reform and improvement will require strong leadership at local level. We need to ensure that new and aspiring DASSs are equipped with the confidence and capability to harness the benefits of reforms and to deliver improvements in outcomes for residents. In order to develop leadership capacity, support career progression and enable reform and improvement across adult social care, we are exploring a new leadership development programme for new and aspiring DASSs. The proposed Leadership Development Programme for adult social care aims to help develop adult social care leadership capacity and capability, specifically amongst those new to leadership. The programme should support up to 50 participants across two streams, one for aspiring DASSs and one for those recently appointed to the role. Its aims are to: * Rapidly equip a cohort of aspiring DASSs with the necessary capability and confidence to be exemplary leaders. * Support a cohort of new to post DASSs to develop their capability and confidence-contributing to improving attrition rates within the sector by helping DASSs remain in post for longer periods. * Support DASSs to drive sustainable, strategic improvement in councils. * Help to increase the number of councils rated as 'Good' and 'Outstanding' in the CQC's local authority adult social care assessments. Although this PME is being made available via the open market, DHSC currently expects to conduct the procurement through the GCA Learning and Training Services Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), RM6219. We have identified this as our proposed route to market due to the benefits it provides for both DHSC and potential bidders. Organisations wishing to participate in any tender which may follow this market engagement, should ensure they are registered on this DPS. If the DPS is used as the procurement strategy, only suppliers listed in the DPS according to the specified filters will receive an ITT. DHSC is also keen to maximise opportunities to participate in procurement for Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs). Consideration will be given to collaborative bids. Contract Value: The estimated total value of the contract is up-to PS909,000 excluding VAT, PS1,090,800 including VAT. The funding is expected to be divided broadly equally between the two financial years, reflecting the substantial work required to develop and mobilise the programme rapidly during the final quarter of 2026/27 and to support delivery throughout 2027/28. Contract Term: A term of 15-months. The programme is expected to commence in January 2027, with programme evaluation to conclude in March 2028. There is not expected to be an option to extend at this stage. Disclaimers - this PME: * Does not signify the commencement of a competitive procurement. * Does not constitute any commitment by the Department of Health and Social Care to procure services. * Does not create any obligation on the Department. * Does not provide a competitive advantage to any suppliers engaging with DHSC at this early stage, and DHSC will ensure equal treatment of all interested parties at all times. Any funding estimates referenced are indicative only and subject to change. The Department makes no commitment at this stage to the final scope or funding envelope of any future contractual activity. ### Planning Information This is not a call for competition, but an opportunity to gather feedback to better understand market capabilities, develop the final specification, confirm the procurement strategy, encourage supplier engagement and identify any barriers. We are sharing programme aims with the market, alongside expected deliverables, to invite feedback from interested parties. Interested parties can access the relevant documentation via the Atamis system at https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome using the contract reference C470300. The completed questionnaire should be returned via email to ccsinbox@dhsc.gov.uk by no later than 17:00 on Friday 2nd October 2026. Responses should cite the subject reference “C470300 – PME Questionnaire – Leadership Development Programme for new and aspiring Directors of Adult Social Services”. The input by suppliers will help shape DHSC’s final approach. Alongside structured responses, the questionnaire will also allow suppliers to provide any additional information which they feel might be of value or to highlight any additional items that need to be taken into consideration by DHSC. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088724-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Dynamic | | 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 | 18 Sep 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 26 Oct 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 4 Jan 2027 - 31 Mar 2028 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £909,000 | | 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 | Department of Health and Social Care | | Locality | LONDON | | Postcode area | South West London | | Postcode | SW1H 0EU | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West | | ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London | | Local authority | Westminster | | Electoral ward | St James's | | Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster | | Delivery location | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 80 - Education and training services - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 80000000 - Education and training services - 80510000 - Specialist training services - 85000000 - Health and social work services ## Release History - 18 Sep 2026 at 14:13 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088724-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088724-2026 18th September 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care - 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-077585. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077585.json.