--- title: "Advocacy Services" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-078f3d" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078f3d" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078f3d.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078f3d.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "East Ayrshire Council" published: "2026-10-23" --- # Advocacy Services Buyer: East Ayrshire Council Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-078f3d [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078f3d) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078f3d.json) ## Summary East Ayrshire Council is planning to commission independent advocacy services across East Ayrshire for service users, families and carers. The service will help people express their views and wishes, protect their rights and take part in decisions affecting their lives. It is expected to cover statutory mental health advocacy; independent advocacy for adults and young people; collective advocacy; non-instructed advocacy where appropriate; and support for protected groups and people experiencing inequalities. Advocates will travel throughout the area and may meet people in their homes or in settings including hospitals, day and resource centres, nursing homes and HMP Prison Kilmarnock. The service is intended for people normally resident in East Ayrshire. This is at the planning stage: the council has described its intended requirement, but has not invited tenders. The buyer expects to publish a subsequent procurement notice on 8 January 2027. Suitable organisations were asked to email details of their local presence and relevant experience by 20 November 2026; this is an expression of interest, not a tender deadline. The expected procedure is not stated. The service is described as a single lot, with an anticipated annual budget of approximately £378,000, which may change. The council reports 174 active advocacy cases in the previous year. The service is expected to follow the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance principles and standards, and relevant Scottish Government policy. The service is likely to suit an established independent advocacy provider with premises in East Ayrshire and the capacity to serve people across the whole area, including through advocates travelling to different locations. The council is looking for providers with demonstrated experience delivering advocacy locally, established relationships with a diverse range of service users and people with varying needs, and an understanding of local needs and communities. Existing links with local services and stakeholders will be important, as will the ability to work in partnership with health and social care services, third-sector organisations and communities. Providers should be equipped to deliver statutory mental health, adult and young people’s, collective and, where appropriate, non-instructed advocacy, including support for protected groups and people experiencing inequalities. TUPE may apply. ## Notice Advocacy Services to be delivered across East Ayrshire to support Service Users, Families and Carers ### Lot Information Lot 1 The council requires a Service Provider to provide a range of advocacy services throughout East Ayrshire. The service will support Service Users/Individuals to have their views and wishes heard, safeguard their rights and assist them to participate in decisions affecting their lives. The service is expected to include, but not be limited to: -Statutory mental health advocacy. -Independent advocacy for adults and young people. -Collective advocacy opportunities. -Non-instructed advocacy where appropriate -Support for protected groups and those experiencing inequalities. -Partnership working with health and social care services, third sector organisations and communities. The service will be delivered in accordance with the principles set out in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment)(Scotland) Act 2003, the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) Principles and Standards, and relevant Scottish Government policy. The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 imposes a duty on local authorities and health boards to collaborate to ensure the availability of independent advocacy services in their area. The Act gave everyone with mental illness, learning disability, dementia and related conditions the right to access independent advocacy support. The service must be delivered across the whole of East Ayrshire to those normally resident therein with Advocates travelling throughout the area to meet Service User/Individual's needs and may require to be delivered in people's own homes and within a range of settings, such as hospital and office settings (including day/resource centres/nursing homes, HMP Prison Kilmarnock etc). The anticipated annual budget for the service is approximately 378k GBP which may change. It should be noted that for the last year there were 174 active cases for advocacy services. It will be essential that the Service Provider has premises within the East Ayrshire area to ensure Service Users/Individuals can access services directly. It should also be noted that TUPE may also be applicable. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/100585-2026 | | Notice type | Planning Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 23 Oct 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 8 Jan 2027 | | 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 | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | East Ayrshire Council | | Locality | KILMARNOCK | | Postcode area | Kilmarnock | | Postcode | KA3 7BU | | Country | Scotland | | ITL 1 | TLM Scotland | | ITL 2 | TLM9 Southern Scotland | | ITL 3 | TLM93 North Ayrshire and East Ayrshire | | Local authority | East Ayrshire | | Electoral ward | Kilmarnock East and Hurlford | | Westminster constituency | Kilmarnock and Loudoun | | Delivery location | TLM93 North Ayrshire and East Ayrshire | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85312300 - Guidance and counselling services ## Release History - 23 Oct 2026 at 14:43 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/100585-2026 ## Notice URLs - http://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk - https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000845591 - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=845591 - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00223 ## 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-078f3d. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078f3d.json.