Tender

Tender for the Provision of Connect to Work Programme Sep 2025

• Buckinghamshire Council

UK4: Tender notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-061219

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05a5a5

Published 1 October 2025, 11:09am

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Scope

Reference

DN759424

Description

As part of the UK Government's Get Britain Working agenda, Buckinghamshire Council has been working in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions to develop the key supported employment programme Connect to Work.

Connect to Work will depend on successful partnerships with referral partners, employers, employability providers and community services. The support to be made available aligns with local work, health and skills provision to enable individuals to reach their potential through different opportunities, and for employers to grow.

Through this tender, we seek to appoint one delivery partner with a proven track record of delivering effective supported employment programmes so that participants with complex barriers can access sustainable employment, employers may access a new pool of talent, and through this, our economy will thrive.

Total value (estimated)

• £6,410,387 excluding VAT
• £7,692,465 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

• 1 April 2026 to 1 March 2030
• 3 years, 11 months, 1 day

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

• 80000000 - Education and training services

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Submission

Enquiry deadline

15 October 2025, 12:00pm

Tender submission deadline

4 November 2025, 12:00pm

Submission address and any special instructions

Through the In-Tend portal, https://in-tendhost.co.uk/buckinghamshire-council/aspx/Home

Tenders may be submitted electronically

Yes

Languages that may be used for submission

English

Award decision date (estimated)

8 January 2026

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Award criteria

Name	Description	Type
Simple description	Evaluation Criteria Weighting 40% Organisations experience, facilities, expertise and qualifications to deliver the Connect to Work programme. Participant support This should include: 1. Organisational... experience of delivering employment support programmes utilising the IPS and/or SEQF fidelity framework, including any fidelity assessments undertaken to date including Case studies of previous experience of participant support in supported employment programmes must be included. 2. Named personnel and their experience in delivering supported employment opportunities - including IPS/SEQF qualifications including a plan to gain IPS/SEQF qualification if required, or how this will be supported. Outline of the programme of support for: o Out of work participants on the IPS pathway o Out of work participants on the SEQF pathway o In-work (retention) participants on the IPS pathway o In-work (retention) participants on the SEQF pathway 3. Outline of the wrap-around support to sustain the participant throughout the programme. 4. Approach to ensuring that Buckinghamshire residents are targeted and supported with the focus within the Opportunity Bucks wards. 30% Organisations experience, facilities, expertise and qualifications to deliver the Connect to Work programme. Employer support This should include: 1. Organisational experience of delivering employment support programmes with job matching to employers for live, competitive vacancies including the Case studies of previous experience of employer support in supported employment programmes. 2. Named personnel and their experience in engaging employers to deliver outcomes. Also outline of the available support to upskill the employer in supporting individuals with complex barriers throughout the programme. 3. Approach to engaging the Buckinghamshire employers with the focus within the Opportunity Bucks wards. Proposed Approach and Methodologies, including: 30% 1. Project plan which details scoping the project, preparing materials, meeting deadlines including the following: • Named project manager within the team • Delivery partners where known/anticipated (List all known subcontractors anticipated to be involved in the delivery of programme) • Approach to engaging participants and employers • Approach to meeting participant numbers and ability to ramp up delivery to meet peak demand. Number of participants to be engaged on: o Out of work participants on the IPS pathway o Out of work participants on the SEQF pathway o In-work (retention) participants on the IPS pathway o In-work (retention) participants on the SEQF pathway 2. Number of participants to be sustained to outcome 3 3. Customer journey 4. Risk register Pricing The expected funding allocation for the services is set out in the Specification. (Not Scored)	Price

Weighting description

Evaluation Criteria

Weighting

40%

Organisations experience, facilities, expertise and qualifications to deliver the Connect to Work programme.

Participant support

This should include:

1. Organisational experience of delivering employment support programmes utilising the IPS and/or SEQF fidelity framework, including any fidelity assessments undertaken to date including Case studies of previous experience of participant support in supported employment programmes must be included.

2. Named personnel...

and their experience in delivering supported employment opportunities - including IPS/SEQF qualifications including a plan to gain IPS/SEQF qualification if required, or how this will be supported.

Outline of the programme of support for:

o Out of work participants on the IPS pathway

o Out of work participants on the SEQF pathway

o In-work (retention) participants on the IPS pathway

o In-work (retention) participants on the SEQF pathway

3. Outline of the wrap-around support to sustain the participant throughout the programme.

4. Approach to ensuring that Buckinghamshire residents are targeted and supported with the focus within the Opportunity Bucks wards.

30%

Organisations experience, facilities, expertise and qualifications to deliver the Connect to Work programme.

Employer support

This should include:

1. Organisational experience of delivering employment support programmes with job matching to employers for live, competitive vacancies including the Case studies of previous experience of employer support in supported employment programmes.

2. Named personnel and their experience in engaging employers to deliver outcomes. Also outline of the available support to upskill the employer in supporting individuals with complex barriers throughout the programme.

3. Approach to engaging the Buckinghamshire employers with the focus within the Opportunity Bucks wards.

Proposed Approach and Methodologies, including:

30%

1. Project plan which details scoping the project, preparing materials, meeting deadlines including the following:

• Named project manager within the team

• Delivery partners where known/anticipated

(List all known subcontractors anticipated to be involved in the delivery of programme)

• Approach to engaging participants and employers

• Approach to meeting participant numbers and ability to ramp up delivery to meet peak demand. Number of participants to be engaged on:

o Out of work participants on the IPS pathway

o Out of work participants on the SEQF pathway

o In-work (retention) participants on the IPS pathway

o In-work (retention) participants on the SEQF pathway

2. Number of participants to be sustained to outcome 3

3. Customer journey

4. Risk register

Pricing

The expected funding allocation for the services is set out in the Specification.

(Not Scored)

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Other information

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes

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Procedure

Procedure type

Open procedure

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Documents

Associated tender documents

CTW_1_30-09-2025.zip

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Contracting authority

Buckinghamshire Council

• Public Procurement Organisation Number: PCLJ-2677-YQXD

The Gateway, Gatehouse Road

Aylesbury

HP198FF

United Kingdom

Contact name: David Kelly

Email: procurement@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Region: UKJ13 - Buckinghamshire CC

Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government