Scope
Reference
GMCA 1862
Description
The Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit wishes to commission a service for parents and carers (guardians) designed to strengthen their resilience and provide the confidence, skills, and knowledge necessary to address concerns effectively. This may include recognising both their own and their child's experiences of trauma. We expect that this support will encompass: • A universal service available to parents and carers who have concerns or need support, especially when early signs of criminality, violence, or exploitation appear—rather than waiting for a crisis. This includes access to information on a dedicated website, opportunities to speak with a triage worker at scheduled times, signposting, ongoing support, or referrals to other services. • Personalized one-to-one support is offered, such as face-to-face sessions which may provide information and advice, advocacy, emotional support, help to address trauma, and intelligence gathering. • Professionals can also receive support on how child exploitation affects entire families, which may include advice, guidance, or training. • Peer support groups and empowerment programs for parents and carers use a strength-based approach. These groups may help develop support networks, explore various parenting styles, and share ideas on strengthening parent-child relationships, covering topics like social media, communication, and exploitation. We expect the programme to continue to evolve through co-production with parents, carers, and professional and be responsiveness to identified areas of needs. The provider must demonstrate use of evidence-based interventions. However, the VRU are not specifying how the Service should engage parents and carers nor what interventions the Service should use. This is down to the Provider and will need to be outlined in the bidders’ tender documentation along with the evidence base that supports their approach and their expected outcomes. Innovation is welcomed, along with collaborations and joint bids, and the VRU will allow for flexibility of approaches to achieve the best outcomes for parents and carers and their families.
Total value (estimated)
- £1,425,000 excluding VAT
- £1,425,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 July 2026 to 31 March 2027
- Possible extension to 31 March 2029
- 2 years, 9 months
Description of possible extension:
A contract period of nine months, plus options to extend for two x twelve month periods.
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Ongoing service development.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85312000 - Social work services without accommodation
- 85321000 - Administrative social services
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
- 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
Joint and several liability.
Technical ability conditions of participation
See GMCA 1862 Service Specification.
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
18 March 2026, 5:00pm
Tender submission deadline
25 March 2026, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tender submissions must be submitted via the The Chest e-tendering platform at:
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
30 April 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | Quality inclusive of Social Value 90% |
Quality | 90.00% |
| Price | Price 10% |
Price | 10.00% |
Other information
Payment terms
See Invitation to Tender documentation.
Description of risks to contract performance
See Invitation to Tender documentation.
Applicable trade agreements
- Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Justification for not publishing a preliminary market engagement notice
The service specification is well developed and provider market well understood. Procurement carried out under Light Touch Regime.
Contracting authority
Greater Manchester Combined Authority
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PXBN-3793-LCTQ
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters
Salford
M27 8US
United Kingdom
Contact name: Andrew Elliott
Telephone: +44 7715489282
Email: andrew.elliott@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
Website: http://www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/
Region: UKD34 - Greater Manchester South West
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government