Scope
Reference
NCCT43044
Description
Norfolk County Council is seeking to purchase Home Support provision, following a strategic review of the current home care market, to inform the future strategic commissioning approach. This review was undertaken to ensure that the Council can fulfil its duties under the Care Act, concerning individual choice, market sustainability and quality of care provision.
The strategic commissioning approach is focused on meeting the following aims:
• Sustainability - Supporting a diverse homecare market to deliver manageable hours in right sized geographical areas.
• Quality - Enabling the homecare market to meet Good and Outstanding CQC ratings.
• Resilience - Creating a strong and responsive homecare market.
• Capacity - Increasing capacity through redesigning our home support provision.
Informed by the engagement and market research undertaken, we are implementing a Principal Provider model in Norfolk, which will put in place a lead provider within each PCN who will be required to directly deliver up to 70% of the home support demand and will also be expected to meet certain expectations, as described below (not an exhaustive list):
a. Lead on collaboration with other home care providers, within the PCN. This would include working with providers to identify efficiencies in care delivery and sharing of best practice.
b. Support the implementation of the Adult Social Services Quality Improvement Programme
c. To be an active member of any placed based working arrangements, engaging and working with other agencies outside of the home care sector, for example with the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector (VCSE)
d. To work with the Council in response to any provider failure, which may require several packages of care to transfer to another provider. We will expect that the Principal Provider is part of the response to ensure market sustainability. Our priority in this situation is to ensure that people's care and support needs continue to be met.
The Council wishes to appoint one Principal provider to deliver home support services in each Primary Care Network (PCN) within Norfolk. The intention is that the Principal Providers will deliver 70% of the hours and the remaining 30% will be delivered by a small number of PCN framework providers, whose appointment is subject to a separate procurement.
This procurement is split into 4 lots, which covers PCNs in South Norfolk:
The lots area:
1. Mid Norfolk
2. Breckland
3. Kett's Oak
4. SNHIP
Bidders may apply for all lots in each area, but will be awarded no more than 1 Principal Provider contract for this procurement process.
Full details of the requirement can be found in the Service Specification, which forms a Schedule to the Terms and Conditions.
Total value (estimated)
- £92,671,487 excluding VAT
- £111,205,783 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 26 January 2026 to 25 January 2031
- Possible extension to 25 January 2036
- 10 years
Description of possible extension:
The Contract may be extended by up to 60 months at the Council's discretion.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
Contract locations
- UKH17 - Breckland and South Norfolk
Lot constraints
Maximum number of lots a supplier can be awarded: 1
Lot 1. Mid Norfolk
Description
To deliver home support services as Principal Provider in Lot 1 area.
Lot value (estimated)
- £18,890,726 excluding VAT
- £22,668,871 including VAT
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. Breckland
Description
To deliver home support services as Principal Provider to lot 2 in this area.
Lot value (estimated)
- £18,228,787 excluding VAT
- £21,874,544 including VAT
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 3. Kett's Oak
Description
To deliver home support services as Principal Provider in Lot 3 area.
Lot value (estimated)
- £29,176,243 excluding VAT
- £35,011,491 including VAT
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 4. SNHIP
Description
To deliver home support services as Principal Provider in Lot 4 area.
Lot value (estimated)
- £26,375,731 excluding VAT
- £31,650,877 including VAT
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
Lot 1. Mid Norfolk
Lot 2. Breckland
Lot 3. Kett's Oak
Lot 4. SNHIP
Conditions of participation are in the Tender documents and include past performance, references, economic and financial standing, Modern Slavery Act requirements, health and safety, and compliance with equality legislation.
Technical ability conditions of participation
Lot 1. Mid Norfolk
Lot 2. Breckland
Lot 3. Kett's Oak
Lot 4. SNHIP
Conditions of participation are in the Tender documents and include past performance, references, economic and financial standing, Modern Slavery Act requirements, health and safety, and compliance with equality legislation
Particular suitability
Lot 1. Mid Norfolk
Lot 2. Breckland
Lot 3. Kett's Oak
Lot 4. SNHIP
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Submission type
Requests to participate
Deadline for requests to participate
7 July 2025, 8:00am
Submission address and any special instructions
This procurement will be managed electronically via the Council`s e-procurement system. To participate in this procurement and gain access to documents when they are available, applicants must first be registered on the system at https://in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc. Full instructions for registration and use of the system can be found at https://in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/BuyerProfiles. Once registered you will be able to see the procurement project under the `tenders` section and `express an interest` in this tender. If you encounter any difficulties whilst using the system you can contact the In-tend support team by phoning +44 8442728810 or e-mailing support@in-tend.co.uk.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
3 November 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Price per hour | Price | 30% |
| Delivery Model | Quality | 25% |
| Transition and Implementation | Quality | 25% |
| Changes in Demand | Quality | 10% |
| Social Value | Quality | 10% |
Other information
Payment terms
As per the terms and conditions issued with this procurement
Description of risks to contract performance
Please note that Norfolk County Council has joined the government's Devolution Priority Programme.
This process has the potential to lead to the establishment of a county combined authority for Norfolk and Suffolk, with strategic powers, headed by an elected mayor. A consultation is under way.
Government has also invited participation by Norfolk in Local Government Review. This process has the potential to lead to unitary local government in Norfolk. One of these changes could happen without the other. The contract may be assigned or novated to any successor authority(ies) to Norfolk County Council or to any joint body incorporating or formed by any such successor. The County Council or a successor authority or joint body may order services on behalf of other local authorities serving any area within Norfolk's current geographical boundaries.
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Competitive flexible procedure description
1. Preliminary market engagement, develop procurement strategy, prepare tender notice, and associated tender documents.
2. Publish tender notice and any associated tender documents inviting requests to participate.
3. Following the participation period, receive requests to participate, assess conditions of participation, exclusions and any other objective criteria set to limit suppliers.
4. Inform suppliers who will not be invited to tender.
5. Invite those who have made it through the participation stage to tender by issuing the invitation to tender.
6. Following the tendering period, and once you have received the tenders, evaluate tenders against the award criteria and determine the most advantageous tender (MAT)
7. Inform suppliers of the outcome and issue assessment summaries
8. Publish the contract award notice (triggering the mandatory or voluntary standstill period where appropriate, with a minimum of 8 working days)
9. Publish the contract details notice and a copy of the contract (if required).
Documents
Associated tender documents
request to participate Principal VF 28.5.25.docx
Appendix 1 - GP PCN details.xlsx
Appendix 2 Principal Provider Hourly Rate Breakdown.xlsx
ITT for Principal VF 27.5.25 f.docx
This is the ITT and you will only be required to complete this, if you are successful at the first stage.
Appendix A - T&C.zip
Contracting authority
Norfolk County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDYH-3246-XWTR
County Hall, Martineau Lane
Norwich
NR1 2DH
United Kingdom
Email: sourcingteam@norfolk.gov.uk
Region: UKH15 - Norwich and East Norfolk
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government