Scope
Reference
PM3 6700
Description
Lot 1 Market Engagement : Support in the Community
This Notice is a Preliminary Market Engagement Notice UK2
THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION THIS IS MARKET ENGAGEMENT
Surrey County Council assures all participants that the advice received will not have the effect of distorting competition, and we abide by principles of non-discrimination and transparency.
Surrey County Council are undertaking a series of market engagement events to seek providers who have the experience, capability and capacity to deliver services set out below across the County of Surrey (countywide services).
The engagement events are an opportunity for providers in the market to hear our commissioning intentions and for us to gather market insight and experiences.
The services are divided into the following Lots
1. Community and Life Skills, including Centre Based Support
2. Residential Short Breaks
3. Shared Lives
4. Supported Employment
All services will support:
• Adults (18+) whose primary needs are a Learning Disability and /or Autism that have been assessed and have found to be eligible under Surrey County Council Adult Social Care eligibility criteria.
• People may also require support if they have a Physical Disability- Autism or other Neurodivergence - Mental Health - Sensory Impairment - Brain Injury / Neurological Condition or have a multiple diagnosis.
The services seek outcomes related to the following underpinning principles:
• Community Inclusion
• Independence, Choice and Control
• Strengths-based Practice
• Personalisation
• Progression/ maintaining current skills
• User engagement
• Supporting unpaid Carers, Family and Friends
• Partnership with other providers in Surrey
1: Community and Life Skills, including Centre Based Support
Services will be delivered to people with differing needs and will be person centred, strength based and will support people to connect to their local communities and be part of that community. Delivery of services may be from a fixed site or use community assets; delivery may be a combination of both depending on the requirements of the individuals being supported.
People with eligible transport needs will be supported to get to the service that meets their eligible needs. Providers will be required to provide transport from the persons home to the service.
The vision currently is that there will be a requirement to travel train people who will benefit from this service and have eligible adult social care needs.
Travel training can be accessed by any person who meets the eligibility criteria and will not be exclusive to whose attending Community and Life Skills, including Centre Based Support
An essential element of this service is Non-Residential Short breaks.
These are for people whose carers may need a break from their carer role (meeting the carer eligibility criteria). These are in the form of evening and weekend options, including other identified options.
2: Residential Short Breaks- The purpose is to enable the person and their families to have an overnight break and provides temporary overnight accommodation to people of varying needs including people with complex packages of support. To be able to deliver these services your organisation will need to be CQC registered for each setting.
There are two settings located in the county;
1. Woking
2. Banstead. Which is under construction and is anticipated to be ready for use from the beginning of July 2026.
3: Shared Lives: This service is for the management and recruitment of shared lives providers. The scope of the service will include:
• Long term arrangements
• Non-residential short breaks
• Residential short breaks
• Emergency placements
Shared Lives is care that centres on sharing homes, family and community life and are an alternative to home care, supported living and residential care for people with eligible adult social care needs.
To be able to deliver the scheme your organisation will need to be CQC registered.
Shared Lives providers will be person-centred and strength-based and will be flexible in addressing the changing needs of the people that they support.
The provider will manage the Shared Lives Scheme by ensuring that the need of the people being supported are met. This will include but is not limited to:
• Ensuring relevant safeguards are in place
• Recruitment vetting and training for Shared Lives Carers
• Retention of staff
• Supervision of Shared Lives carers
• Monitoring outcomes
• Matching carers with people
4: Supported Employment
The provider will be required to support people in preparation for employment and in the first few months of employment.
The provider will forge relationships with employers so that tailored job opportunities can be created and job carving can be explored.
The reason for commissioning this service :
Some of the council`s existing contracts for services are due to come to an end and we are re-commissioning these services as well as others.
This re-commissioning exercise is as an opportunity to develop a range of services to deliver better outcomes for residents. Aligning to our vision and values; Our vision and values - Surrey County Council.
Please note: An expression of interest to attend or participate in these Market Engagement Events are no indication of a commitment to participate in the future tender process nor does it infer any special status on those Providers who do attend. An expression of interest in these market engagements will not automatically entitle involvement in any future procurement exercise. Any procurement conducted as a result of these market engagements will be advertised separately and all organisations wanting to participate will need to respond to the advertisement as and when it is published. Providers who do not attend these Market Engagement Events will still be able to apply for the Procurement in the future. Please note that these Market Engagement Events does not represent a formal stage in the procurement process and attendance will play no part in any subsequent evaluation process.
Should providers need to seek clarification with regards to the information provided please send a message via the dialogue function. This will ensure there is one clear audit trail for communication.
Total value (estimated)
- £78,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2029
- Possible extension to 30 June 2031
- 5 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
Contract locations
- UKJ - South East (England)
Engagement
Engagement deadline
8 August 2025
Engagement process description
Previous published project notices.
Pipeline Notice - 2025/S 000-020787
Planned Procurement - 2025/S 000-020529
Market Engagement : Support in the Community
Purpose of the Engagement
The purpose of these market engagements is to:
Share commissioning intentions for the services
Understand potential gaps in the market
Understand recent market growth
Market Engagement Events will take place on Microsoft Teams (a link to join will be shared) on the following dates and times:
1. 13 August 2025 at 14:30 to 16:00
Introduction to Support in the Community. This event will provide an overview on all services which the council are looking to re-commissioning. There will also be information provided about key aspects for submitting a tender under the Procurement Regulations 2023 (PA23). This session will provide time for providers to ask questions and share information.
2. 20 August 2025 at 10:00 to 11:00
Supported Employment (Commissioning Event). This is a focused event. This session will also provide time for providers to ask questions and share information.
3. 21 August 2025 at 14:30 to 15:30
Residential Short Breaks (Commissioning Event). This is a focused event. This session will also provide time for providers to ask questions and share information.
4. 27 August 2025 at 13:00 to 14:00
Shared Lives (Commissioning Event). This is a focused event. This session will also provide time for providers to ask questions and share information.
5. 28 August 2025 at 14:30 to 15:30
Community and Life Skills including Centre Based Support (Commissioning Event). This is a focused event. This session will also provide time for providers to ask questions and share information.
6. 22 September at 12:00 to 13:00 - Pretender go live market engagement event. This event will describe the services being commissioned and aspects for submitting a tender under the Procurement Act Regulations 2023 (PA23).
Please log into the council's tender portal Proactis - Supplier Network to find out how to register for the events. Under Project Number RFX1000739
All requests to join the events are to only take place through the council's tender portal.
Please note: An expression of interest to attend or participate in these Market Engagement Events are no indication of a commitment to participate in the future tender process nor does it infer any special status on those Providers who do attend. An expression of interest in these market engagements will not automatically entitle involvement in any future procurement exercise. Any procurement conducted as a result of these market engagements will be advertised separately and all organisations wanting to participate will need to respond to the advertisement as and when it is published. Providers who do not attend these Market Engagement Events will still be able to apply for the Procurement in the future. Please note that these Market Engagement Events does not represent a formal stage in the procurement process and attendance will play no part in any subsequent evaluation process.
Should providers need to seek clarification with regards to the information provided please send a message via the dialogue function. This will ensure there is one clear audit trail for communication.
Procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Contracting authority
Surrey County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PWRH-8974-TNBV
Woodhatch Place, 11 Cockshot Hill,
Reigate,
RH2 8EF
United Kingdom
Region: UKJ26 - East Surrey
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government