Scope
Reference
PA0027
Description
The overarching requirement of this service is to support the care market regarding the forecast of the future needs of Suffolk customers. To increase awareness of good practice, have a stable workforce, encourage a positive culture with increased staff retention. To work with the council to identify and address gaps in the Suffolk social care workforce skills and training to enable them to deliver a range of care and support, from promoting independence to complex care. And work closely and positively, with all stakeholders to improve market capacity and better equipped to develop and be sustainable.
Suffolk County Council has joined the government's Devolution Priority Programme (DPP), a fast-track programme towards devolution and local government reorganisation.
Under the DPP it is proposed that:
a) a Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) for Norfolk and Suffolk is established, with strategic powers and headed by an elected mayor ("Devolution").
b) the existing two-tier council structure in Suffolk is abolished and replaced with one or more unitary councils covering the current geographical boundary of Suffolk ("LGR").
It is possible that both, one or neither of these changes will happen. These changes are declared as known risks as we do not yet know the implications of Devolution and/or LGR.
As a result of LGR and Devolution, contract modifications may be necessary to novate, transfer or disaggregate the contract from the one you entered into to one or more successor authorities or the MCAA. Impacts could include changes to geographical boundaries, significant increases and/or decreases in the goods and/or services required due to the change in size/scope of any successor authority or the MCAA. This may also change the scope of the contract
Interested Parties should refer to the Invitation to Tender and Contract Terms for the Known Risks.
Total value (estimated)
- £2,000,000 excluding VAT
- £2,400,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029
- Possible extension to 31 March 2032
- 6 years
Description of possible extension:
Extension period of 24 months can be split into 12-month increments. The advertised value includes this extension period.
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Additional funding may become available during the life of the contract. The contract value reflects potential additional funding
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
Contract locations
- UKH14 - Suffolk
Lot 1. Support Activity
Description
Focus on being the trusted source of information, advice, guidance and networking that raises the standards of adult social care
• Organise and lead at least 2 large Care Market events alongside other smaller events and achieve at least 70% attendance capacity
• Ensure events are representative of the whole of the care market, including private & voluntary organisations. Achieving involvement of 70% of care providers across Suffolk
• Follow up on impact of activities at 3 and 6 months after event
• Promote care careers, including different care pathways
• Proactive support to care campaigns and branding, including iCare brand
• Engaging and promoting graphics and other materials on websites/marketing
• Active engagement and support to Community Catalysts / Personal Care Assistants
• Active engagement and support to micro enterprises
• Take active part in market need reviews and provide information for market shaping
• Identify themes and gaps for future development and focus
• Flexibility to meet fluctuating market needs and take advantage of new funding and proactively bidding for opportunities
• Care provider peer support and the promotion of good practice across recruitment, training, retention and organisational culture
• Work effectively across partner organisations and be a Suffolk representative on relevant regional and local events and forums.
• Provision of information / guidance / advice and signposting for the care market and create a comprehensive resource bank of information for providers across a range of accessible platforms
• Work in collaboration with other partner organisations.
• Active engagement and development with key performance indicators as the service progresses
• Incorporate regular (as determined by the local authority) reviews of market needs to provide information for shaping the support provided to and direction of the market, to meet fluctuations.
• Actively gather feedback on activities that care providers have attended, their challenges and concerns,
• Support all activities in Lot 2 where appropriate
Lot value (estimated)
- £1,018,000 excluding VAT
- £1,221,600 including VAT
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations, contract dates and options are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. Training Provision
Description
Focus on the supply of training provision, deliver an online platform to provide training, that raises the skills of adult social care.
• Delivery of a training portal that is accessible to the whole care market
• Maintain / upgrade and develop a training portal that is user friendly including a robust SLA, to be shared if requested
• Design and delivery of training programmes in a timely manner
• Delivery of face to face and online training and ensure other options are available for attendance
• Ensure access for care providers to learning and development opportunities, including the ability to have community-based training sessions across the County
• To use approved training providers including a verification of standard of delivery e.g. from Skills for Care or NHS approved trainer lists, including local SME providers with a proven track record of success
• Identify a range of training and source programmes to satisfy these needs in a cost-effective manner
• Support the use of SME training providers with a proven track record of success.
• Annual survey of the care market to identify training gaps
• Respond to training gaps and source the support for future needs
• Use feedback consultation and collaboration to make amendments of training programmes to best meet the market needs
• Gain feedback on training activities that providers have attended, the challenges and concerns
• Discuss with Suffolk County Council the results of training gaps and collaboratively shape training programmes required
• Flexibility to respond quickly to the changing needs of the care sector
• Proactive support to care campaigns and branding, including iCare brand
• Engaging and promoting graphics and other materials on websites/marketing
• Take advantage of new funding opportunities and evidencing bids for this
• Be a Suffolk representative on relevant regional and local forums / events
• Engaging and promoting graphic and other materials on websites/marketing
• Linking and following the county council on their own social media
• Work effectively across partner organisations with a focus on collaboration and joint working
• Achieving collaboration with 70% of care providers across Suffolk
• Training attendance rate to be reported and a minimum of 70% of full capacity
• To ensure full evaluations are completed / demonstrated including cost effectiveness exercises, for all commissioned training for the care market
• Collate post-training evaluations and attendee satisfaction rate
• Active engagement and development with key performance indicators as the service progresses
• Support all activities in Lot 1 where appropriate
Lot value (estimated)
- £982,000 excluding VAT
- £1,178,400 including VAT
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations, contract dates and options are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Participation
Particular suitability
Lot 1. Support Activity
Lot 2. Training Provision
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Tender submission deadline
2 December 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders must be submitted electronically at www.suffolksourcing.uk.
Instructions for using the Suffolk Sourcing System are either included with the tender documents or can be found by clicking on the "Guidance for Suppliers" link which can be accessed from the Suffolk Sourcing home page via "All Opportunities".
All correspondence must be communicated via the Suffolk Sourcing System at www.suffolksourcing.uk using the Correspondence function at any time up to and including 14/11/25.
Any questions after this date may not be answered.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
19 February 2026
Recurring procurement
Publication date of next tender notice (estimated): 1 August 2031
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Evaluation (Quality) | Quality | 85% |
| Value for Money | Cost | 15% |
Other information
Description of risks to contract performance
Interested Parties should refer to the Invitation to Tender and Contract Terms for the Known Risks.
Known Risks are:
Contract novation, transfer or disaggregation to one or more Successor Authorities or the MCAA within the current geographical boundary of Suffolk.
Contract novation, transfer or disaggregation to one or more Successor Authorities or the MCAA outside the current geographical boundary of Suffolk.
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Contracting authority
Suffolk County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PHVH-1657-HHMV
Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road
Ipswich
IP1 2BX
United Kingdom
Region: UKH14 - Suffolk
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government