Scope
Description
Enterprise Oxfordshire, alongside Oxfordshire Employment, is supporting the Oxfordshire Connect to Work programme, together with Oxfordshire County Council, with funding provided from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The Connect to Work programme will take a collaborative, locally-led approach to tackling 'hidden unemployment'. It will help connect local work, health and skills support.
The funding provides a coherent, systematic and joined up approach to maximise the benefits available for individuals and local communities.
Connect to Work is the first major element in the new Get Britain Working Strategy which aims to support people into good, sustainable work. It is a voluntary programme to help tackle economic inactivity by providing a specific form of support targeted at the right people at the right time, based on their individual circumstances.
Enterprise Oxfordshire will be responsible for the delivery of the Individual Placement Support (IPS) pathway in conjunction with local-centric delivery partner(s) who will be procured and managed by Enterprise Oxfordshire through this procurement.
Enterprise Oxfordshire will manage fidelity on behalf of its own delivery and that of its delivery partner(s), retaining team leader and programme manager resource to ensure quality and project and participant management as well as being responsible for finance, administration, compliance, etc. for the IPS pathway.
We anticipate that 1,400 to 1,500 participants will be supported through the IPS pathway over the duration of the project.
Enterprise Oxfordshire has £3,657,233 to procure the IPS pathway Employment Advisor delivery.
Contracts will run from November 2025 to 31 March 2030, with an optional 12 to 24 month extension period.
N.B. Support to participants is expected to commence in January 2026.
Contract 2
Supplier
Contract value
- £3,365,555 excluding VAT
- £4,038,666 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Award decision date
10 November 2025
Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers
18 November 2025
Standstill period
- End: 28 November 2025
- 8 working days
Earliest date the contract will be signed
1 December 2025
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 December 2025 to 31 March 2030
- Possible extension to 31 March 2032
- 6 years, 4 months
Description of possible extension:
There is potential scope for the programme to be extended for an additional 12-24 month period. Any extension will be at Enterprise Oxfordshire's discretion and is subject to funding availability and adequate performance by the Supplier.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
Contract locations
- UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
Information about tenders
- 5 tenders received
- 4 tenders assessed in the final stage:
- 1 submitted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- 3 submitted by voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
- 1 supplier awarded contracts
- 3 suppliers unsuccessful (details included for contracts over £5 million)
Submission
Submission type
Tenders
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Supplier
PALLADIUM INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
- Companies House: 02394229
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PYNR-7854-GVZQ
16th Floor, Hylo, 105 Bunhill Row
London
EC1Y 8LZ
United Kingdom
Email: consultancy@thepalladiumgroup.com
Website: https://thepalladiumgroup.com/
Region: UKI43 - Haringey and Islington
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Supported employment provider: No
Public service mutual: No
Associated people/organisations:
Ways into Work
268 Bath Road
Slough
Berkshire Sl1 4DX
Contract 2
Contracting authority
OXFORDSHIRE LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP LIMITED
- Companies House: 09519056
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PLTR-3152-PVJX
County Hall
Oxford
OX1 1AY
United Kingdom
Region: UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government