Scope
Reference
PS/2025/066
Description
Thurrock Council is seeking to engage with providers ahead of a planned procurement exercise for the delivery of a Post 18 Autism Support Service for young people aged 18 to 25 years old with a diagnosis of autism and complex needs.
We invite interested providers to participate in this soft market testing to help shape a service model that is sustainable, innovative, and delivers high-quality outcomes for young adults with complex needs.
Thurrock Council currently provides a specialist support service for up to 10 young adults aged 18-25 with autism and complex needs. Many of these young people are non-verbal or have limited communication and need intensive support to thrive.
This service helps young people stay close to home and family, avoiding the need for expensive out-of-area residential placements. It focuses on giving them the practical, emotional, and social skills they need to live more independently-whether that's in supported housing, eventually on their own or still at home but with less reliance on parental support.
The current service approach uses Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), which many young people in Thurrock are already familiar with through their school experience at Treetops Special School.
The service aims to help young people live full and independent lives in their community. Support is built around four key areas:
• Living independently
• Health and wellbeing
• Building friendships and being part of the community
• Education, training, volunteering, and employment
Support is tailored to each young person, based on their needs, strengths, and goals. This includes:
• Help with daily living skills like cooking, cleaning, shopping, and personal care
• Travel training, road safety, and using public transport
• Attending medical appointments
• Managing money
• Support with communication and emotional regulation
• Help with learning, preparing for volunteering opportunities or work, or gaining qualifications (ASDAN level 1 or 2 in independence skills)
• Involving parents and carers in learning and reinforcing skills at home
The young people accessing this service have high needs and as such the current programme runs daily for 6 hours per day, for 48 weeks a year, over a two year period. Young people have an allocated trained support worker and in some cases 2:1 staffing is required.
We want to understand:
• The level of market interest in delivering this service
• Providers' views on alternative delivery models or approaches, such as Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)
• The appetite for different operating models including flexible block contracts
• Indicative price range for delivering such a specialist service (hourly or per package/per annum)
• The contract duration that would support workforce stability and business sustainability
• Any frameworks or DPS arrangements you are already part of that could support call-off or direct award
• The challenges and enablers to delivering this service, particularly around staffing recruitment and retention
• What additional social value or innovation you could bring to the Thurrock community
For more information and to take part in this exercise, download the market engagement document from the In-Tend portal, at the web address below:
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/thurrockcouncil/aspx/ProjectManage/1620
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2030
- 4 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85310000 - Social work services
- 85320000 - Social services
- 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services
Contract locations
- UKH32 - Thurrock
Engagement
Engagement deadline
4 June 2025
Engagement process description
Questionnaire feedback to be provided through the In-Tend portal:
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/thurrockcouncil/aspx/ProjectManage/1620
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
5 January 2026
Procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Contracting authority
Thurrock Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PMHW-1723-WDCD
New Road
Grays
RM17 6SL
United Kingdom
Email: Procurement@thurrock.gov.uk
Region: UKH32 - Thurrock
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government