Scope
Reference
SWE10547
Description
Introduction - Fitness to Practise
Social Work England are looking for two Suppliers to deliver the following aims:
1. Conducting further investigation and preparing cases for Fitness to Practise hearings or meetings.
2. Undertaking pre-hearing case management procedures in accordance with agreed performance targets and in collaboration with other parties to the hearing.
We are looking for up to two Suppliers to prepare cases for Fitness to Practise hearings or meetings and to ensure the presentation of cases before a panel of independent adjudicators.
As part of our duty to protect the public, if a social worker falls seriously short of the standards expected of them, we can either remove them from the register or restrict what they can do professionally. These powers, given to us by Parliament, cover all registered social workers across both child, family and adult social care.
A social workers' fitness to practise may be found impaired for a number of reasons, including but not limited to:
• Conduct
• Competence
• Health
• Caution, Conviction or determination by another regulator
• Not having the necessary knowledge of English
When a service user, member of the public, employers or other public body has a concern about the standard of a social worker's practise, they can raise this with Social Work England.
We will undertake to investigate serious matters which may pose a risk to public protection or public confidence in the profession and take action to restrict a social worker's practice in circumstances where it is necessary to do so.
The successful Bidders will prepare cases for a fitness to practise hearings or meetings and to present cases before Social Work England's adjudicators.
Total value (estimated)
- £34,083,333.33 excluding VAT
- £40,900,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2029
- Possible extension to 31 May 2031
- 5 years
Description of possible extension:
Up to two extensions for 12 months each has been allocated.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 79111000 - Legal advisory services
- 79140000 - Legal advisory and information services
Contract locations
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
5 January 2026
Enquiry deadline
23 February 2026, 11:59pm
Submission type
Tenders
Tender submission deadline
28 February 2026, 11:59pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
1 May 2026
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Contracting authority
Social Work England
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PZYZ-1666-HXBQ
1 North Bank, Blonk Street
Sheffield
S3 8JY
United Kingdom
Contact name: Wayne Kehoe
Email: tenders@socialworkengland.org.uk
Website: https://www.socialworkengland.org.uk/
Region: UKE32 - Sheffield
Organisation type: Public authority - central government