---
title: "QHM-2026-77697 - EARLY LANGUAGE SUPPORT FOR EVERY CHILD (ELSEC)"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0775b0"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0775b0"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0775b0.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0775b0.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NHS NORTH EAST AND NORTH CUMBRIA INTEGRATED CARE BOARD"
published: "2026-09-22"
---

# QHM-2026-77697 - EARLY LANGUAGE SUPPORT FOR EVERY CHILD (ELSEC)

Buyer: NHS NORTH EAST AND NORTH CUMBRIA INTEGRATED CARE BOARD  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0775b0

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## Summary

NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board is buying early language support for children through the Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) service. The requirement is a health and social care service focused on speech and language support, described in the procurement as “Speech and Language UK”. Services are delivered across North East England, for the ICB’s population and associated health and care settings. The named supplier is Speech and Language UK, a large UK organisation. The requirement concerns service delivery rather than goods, construction or equipment supply, so relevant businesses are specialist speech and language, early-years, child development or health and social care providers able to operate across the North East. The stated classification is CPV 85000000, covering health and social work services.

The procurement has reached its outcome stage: Speech and Language UK was selected under a limited procedure without a prior call for competition, and the contract is recorded as active. The contract value is £180,913. It was signed on 1 July 2026 and covers delivery from 1 April 2026 to 31 August 2026; services were delivered from the start date under an implied contract and are described as ad hoc. The authority’s stated evaluation basis was the existing provider’s ability to continue meeting the requirement to a sufficient standard, with quality and cost criteria each recorded as 100%. The process was initially described as a Provider Selection Regime Direct Award C, but an amendment says that description was published in error: the service was outside PSR scope and fell below the Procurement Act 2023 threshold. The single lot is recorded as cancelled, despite the active award and contract.

This outcome indicates demand for specialist early language and speech and language support for children across the North East. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need demonstrable capability in delivering child-focused speech and language services, including responsive or ad hoc provision, and the operational capacity to serve the ICB’s geographically broad population. The evaluation favoured confidence that the incumbent would continue delivering the service to a sufficient standard, so evidence of consistent service quality, reliable delivery and relevant health or social care experience would be important. Providers should also be able to demonstrate value alongside quality, as both were recorded as evaluation considerations. Organisations with established children’s language-support teams, suitable clinical or specialist expertise and experience working with NHS or comparable public-sector commissioners would be well placed.

## Notice

Speech and Language UK QHM-2026- 77697

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Speech and Language UK QHM-2026- 77697 The relevant authority intends to award a contract to an existing provider under Direct Award C under the Health Care Services (Provider Selections Regime) regulations 2023. The contract value is 180,913. This contract cannot be confirmed as the services carried out within this contract are ad hoc. Contract Start Date: 01/04/2026 Contract End Date: 31/08/2026 Although the contract start is 01/04/2026, the services have been delivered on an implied contract.

### Procurement Information

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 and the Procurement Regulations 2024 do not apply to this award. The publication of this notice marks the start of the Standstill Period. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by midnight on 30/09/2026. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR. A contract will not be awarded until after the 9th working day following standstill.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089434-2026 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 22 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £180,913 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NHS NORTH EAST AND NORTH CUMBRIA INTEGRATED CARE BOARD |
| Locality | SUNDERLAND |
| Postcode area | Sunderland |
| Postcode | SR5 3XB |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear |
| ITL 3 | TLC44 Sunderland |
| Local authority | Sunderland |
| Electoral ward | Castle |
| Westminster constituency | Washington and Gateshead South |
| Delivery location | TLC North East (England) |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Speech and Language UK |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 85 - Health and social work services

### Codes

- 85000000 - Health and social work services

## Release History

- 22 Sep 2026 at 09:47 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089434-2026
- 18 Sep 2026 at 15:29 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088809-2026

## Notice URLs

- https://northeastnorthcumbria.nhs.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-0775b0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0775b0.json.