Scope
Description
Leicester City Council is carrying out a Soft Market Test to gather feedback from potential providers on the proposed Foodbank Plus service. The aim is to understand market interest, capacity, and potential delivery approaches for a model that combines welfare advice with mental wellbeing support in community settings. The feedback received will help shape the final specification, ensuring the service aligns with Leicester's public health and poverty actions. As part of the commissioning process, the authority is undertaking a soft market test. This gives potential providers and other stakeholders the opportunity to express their interests and feed in their views about the potential model and specification principles. The commissioners will use the information to appraise options and further develop the specification. This process does not constitute a formal tender or other competitive bidding process and will not result in the letting of a Contract. The authority is using this process solely to test the market to gather information and ascertain the level of interest in this particular service. There are therefore no formal criteria which we will use to judge your responses and it is not our intention to provide any feedback.
Total value (estimated)
- £315,000 excluding VAT
- £378,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028
- 3 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
Contract locations
- UKF21 - Leicester
Engagement
Engagement deadline
2 December 2025
Engagement process description
Leicester City Council is carrying out a Soft Market Test to gather feedback from potential providers on the proposed Foodbank Plus service. The aim is to understand market interest, capacity, and potential delivery approaches for a model that combines welfare advice with mental wellbeing support in community settings. The feedback received will help shape the final specification, ensuring the service aligns with Leicester's public health and poverty actions.
As part of the commissioning process, the authority is undertaking a soft market test. This gives potential providers and other stakeholders the opportunity to express their interests and feed in their views about the potential model and specification principles. The commissioners will use the information to appraise options and further develop the specification.
This process does not constitute a formal tender or other competitive bidding process and will not result in the letting of a Contract. The authority is using this process solely to test the market to gather information and ascertain the level of interest in this particular service. There are therefore no formal criteria which we will use to judge your responses and it is not our intention to provide any feedback.
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
9 December 2025
Contracting authority
Leicester City Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PXRT-5737-VBQD
City Hall (4th Floor)
Leicester
LE1 1FZ
United Kingdom
Contact name: Robbie Ingram
Email: Robbie.Ingram@leicester.gov.uk
Website: https://www.leicester.gov.uk
Region: UKF21 - Leicester
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government