Scope
Reference
CR/CORP/LCC/25/202
Description
Connect to Work is a national scheme led by the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) and is a supported employment programme targeted at specific groups of residents to enable sustained employment. The programme is focused on reversing the growth in Economic Inactivity and is targeted towards residents with health conditions and disabilities, as well as a number of groups to face barriers to gaining sustained employment, such as care leavers, carers, refugees, ex-offenders, and veterans, aligning with the Lancashire Economic Inactivity insights report, published in 2023.
Lancashire County Council will be the Accountable Body managing this project across the Lancashire area for the next 5 years.
Contract dates (estimated)
- 5 September 2025 to 30 June 2030
- 4 years, 9 months, 26 days
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
Contract locations
- UKD4 - Lancashire
Engagement
Engagement deadline
2 May 2025
The engagement was carried out before this notice was published.
Engagement process description
A face-to-face market engagement event was advertised and held on the 16th January 2025. The focus of the event was to talk in more detail about Connect to Work, as part of the Get Britain Working plans, understanding and research regarding economic inactivity in Lancashire, the added value of the programme and the shift from pre-employment to supported employment and the fidelity models.
The event included support from the DWP, and speakers from Lancashire County Council and Blackpool Council focusing on the SEQF and IPS fidelity models, and the benefits to residents and businesses.
The event included roundtable discussions with questions aimed at gathering information to inform the development of the Authority's delivery plan for the DWP to approve the grant funding agreement.
Key themes and topics were suggested to support employers in becoming more inclusive which has fed into the planning for the employer engagement task and finish group to take forward and progress, such as developing ways to increase understanding of the support available and how to achieve accessibility.
In addition to the above, a further online survey was posted to all attendees of the above event and advertised to any other further interested parties via the Authorities Tender Opportunities Webpage in late February / Early March 2025 for feedback to support the Authority in how it would structure the tender.
Finally, a pre-tender face to face event was openly advertised via the Authorities Tender Opportunities Webpage and conducted on the 2nd May 2025, to provide interested parties a high-level overview of the intentions of how the upcoming tender would likely be structured and provide opportunity for any questions to be taken, prior to the publication of tender documentation.
Contracting authority
Lancashire County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PBBJ-2179-TNXM
PO Box 100, County Hall
Preston
PR1 0LD
United Kingdom
Region: UKD45 - Mid Lancashire
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government
Other organisations
These organisations are carrying out the procurement, or part of it, on behalf of the contracting authorities.
SOCIAL VALUE PORTAL LTD
Summary of their role in this procurement: Evaluation of Social Value
- Companies House: 09197997
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PQHH-4489-TLZM
Tintagel House
London
SE1 7TY
United Kingdom
Email: sales@socialvalueportal.com
Region: UKI45 - Lambeth
BLACKPOOL COUNCIL
Summary of their role in this procurement: Assistance in tender evaluations
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PHHB-5249-RZVD
PO Box 11, Town Hall
Blackpool
FY1 1NB
United Kingdom
Region: UKD42 - Blackpool
Blackburn With Darwen Borough Council
Summary of their role in this procurement: Assistance in tender evaluations
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PYGR-1856-CVXM
Town Hall, King WIlliam Street
Blackburn
BB1 7DY
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@blackburn.gov.uk
Region: UKD41 - Blackburn with Darwen