{ "uri": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/api/1.0/ocdsReleasePackages/ocds-h6vhtk-05e68e?limit=100&updatedTo=2026-10-25T06:01:33", "version": "1.1", "extensions": [ "https://standard.open-contracting.org/profiles/eu/latest/en/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_amendment_rationale_classifications_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_budget_breakdown_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_contract_completion_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_documentation_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_pagination_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_suitability_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/portaledcahn/ocds_Links_extension/main/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cabinetoffice/ocds_uk_extension/main/extension.json" ], "publishedDate": "2026-10-06T20:06:35+01:00", "publisher": { "name": "Cabinet Office", "scheme": "GB-GOR", "uid": "D2", "uri": "https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/cabinet-office" }, "license": "http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/", "publicationPolicy": "https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/open-contracting", "releases": [ { "id": "094482-2026", "tag": [ "tender" ], "date": "2026-10-06T20:06:35+01:00", "initiationType": "tender", "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05e68e", "parties": [ { "name": "Essex County Council", "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-PPON", "id": "PWVM-4844-NRQH" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "County Hall, Market Road", "locality": "Chelmsford", "postalCode": "CM1 1QH", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKH36" }, "contactPoint": { "email": "michael.porter@essex.gov.uk" }, "roles": [ "buyer" ], "details": { "classifications": [ { "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE", "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment", "description": "Public authority - sub-central government" } ] } } ], "buyer": { "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "name": "Essex County Council" }, "tender": { "id": "1104", "legalBasis": { "id": "2023/54", "scheme": "UKPGA", "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" }, "title": "The Essex Carers Hub", "description": "The Essex Carers Hub (formerly the Essex Carers Core Offer of Support (ECCOS)). \nEssex County Council (\"the Council\") is committed to delivering high-quality, sustainable and preventative services that improve outcomes for residents and reduce inequalities. The Essex Carers Hub (\"the Service\") will support these ambitions by ensuring unpaid carers are identified early, recognised, valued and able to access timely support that promotes their wellbeing, resilience and independence. Through partnership working and a strengths-based approach, the Service will help carers improve or maintain their quality of life and prevent the escalation of need wherever possible. \nThe Council is seeking a Provider, or lead provider working with delivery partners, to deliver the Essex Carers Hub, a countywide carers specialist support service that improves the wellbeing, resilience and quality of life of unpaid carers aged 18 and over. The Service also includes a counselling offer for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers under the age of 18 who are referred by Essex Youth Service. \nFor the purposes of this tender a Carer is defined as follows;\n\"A person who provides unpaid care and support to a family member, partner, friend or neighbour who could not manage without that support due to illness, frailty, disability, mental health need, substance misuse or other support needs. All the care they give is unpaid. A carer can be a young carer (under the age of 18) or an adult carer (over the age of 18). That is ordinarily resident in the Council's administrative area\" \nThe following services are in scope of this procurement;\n - Specialist Information Advice and Guidance\n - Coaching and Counselling\n - Peer Support Groups\n - Wellbeing grants (ordinarily up to £300)\n - Training and Learning Offer\n - Single Point of Contact\n - Employment support (2 year pilot)\nPlease note that authority for carers assessments and personal budgets will still remain with the Council.\nThe services shall be available to Carers resident within the administrative area of Essex County Council, but will have the scope to be expanded to the administrative areas of Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council.\nFollowing feedback from Carers and the market, the contract is being tendered as a single contract rather than being divided into lots. Carers have expressed a preference for a consistent and co-ordinated service, with clear accountability and minimal disruption. This approach would support continuity of service as it is expected that carers will access more than one of the service elements at any one time, as well as clearer communication and a consistent approach to meeting Carer needs.\nPlease note the contract value includes circa £500k per year available for the provision of the Wellbeing Grants that will be administered by the Provider.", "status": "active", "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "85312300", "description": "Guidance and counselling services" } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": "UKH3", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" } ], "relatedLot": "1" } ], "value": { "amountGross": 12500000, "currency": "GBP" }, "procurementMethod": "open", "procurementMethodDetails": "Competitive flexible procedure", "procedure": { "features": "This is a single tender round undertaken in three (3) stages.\nThe first stage will be the Conditions of Participation and the Procurement Selection Questionnaire (PSQ) (Section A). Bidder responses that meet the published criteria will progress to the next stage. Bidder responses that do not meet the published criteria will be eliminated from process and not progress to the second stage.\nThe second stage is the Invitation to Tender (ITT) Technical Response questions. In this stage Bidders will be required to respond to a number of technical questions. Responses will be assessed on a scale of 0-5 and bidders will be required to achieve a minimum of score of 2 out of 5 for questions 1-7 and achieve a minimum average score of 3 across questions 1-7. The two highest scoring responses at this stage will progress to the third stage. Bidders whose responses do not achieve a minimum of score of 2 out of 5 for questions 1-7, do not achieve a minimum average score of 3 across questions 1-7 and are not the 2 highest scoring bidders will not progress to the third stage.\nThe third stage is a case study response that will be delivered face to face. Bidder's whose responses meet the criteria at the second stage will be invited to County Hall in Chelmsford, Essex on 2 December 2026 to present a response to a case study that will be provided on the day. The scores for bidder responses that were successful at this stage will be weighted and combined with their scores from the second stage to determine an overall quality score. This will be combined with their their Social Value score and price score to determine their overall score.\nThe Contracting Authority reserves the right to refine the award criteria prior to the time limit for receipt of tenders." }, "mainProcurementCategory": "services", "specialRegime": [ "lightTouch" ], "aboveThreshold": true, "coveredBy": [ "GPA" ], "submissionMethodDetails": "https://open-uk.org/opportunities/overview/public/4b15a94c-42cf-4136-857c-de58c0dd1007", "submissionTerms": { "electronicSubmissionPolicy": "notAllowed", "languages": [ "en" ] }, "tenderPeriod": { "endDate": "2026-11-10T12:00:00Z" }, "enquiryPeriod": { "endDate": "2026-11-03T23:59:59Z" }, "awardPeriod": { "endDate": "2027-01-04T23:59:59Z" }, "lots": [ { "id": "1", "status": "active", "value": { "amountGross": 12500000, "currency": "GBP" }, "awardCriteria": { "criteria": [ { "type": "price", "name": "Price", "numbers": [ { "number": 40, "weight": "percentageExact" } ] }, { "type": "quality", "name": "Quality", "numbers": [ { "number": 50, "weight": "percentageExact" } ] }, { "type": "quality", "name": "Social Value", "numbers": [ { "number": 10, "weight": "percentageExact" } ] } ] }, "selectionCriteria": { "criteria": [ { "type": "economic", "description": "The Bidder must have in place, or commit to obtain prior to award of the contract, the following insurance cover to the values stated below in respect of any one claim or series of claims arising out of one incident,\nEmployer's (Compulsory) Liability Insurance = £5,000,000\nPublic Liability Insurance = £10,000,000\nProfessional Indemnity Insurance = £500,000\nIf the Bidder is a commercial organisation subject to the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, they must confirm that they are fully compliant of the act before award of the contract.\nThe Bidder must not have had any finding of unlawful discrimination been made against your organisation by an Employment Tribunal, an Employment Appeal Tribunal or any other court (or in comparable proceedings in any jurisdiction other than the UK).\nThe Bidder must not have been convicted of breaching environmental legislation, or had any notice served upon it, in the last three years by any environmental regulator or authority (including local authority).\nThe Bidder must have a Health and Safety Policy that complies with current legislative requirements." }, { "type": "technical", "description": "The Bidder must be able to submit invoices and receive orders electronically.\nThe Bidder must have a named manager within their organisation, who has a demonstrable knowledge of safeguarding policy and who is responsible for safeguarding at the highest level.\nThe Bidder must have a current safeguarding policy that has been reviewed in the last two years, and has the following in place as a minimum standard:\nA strategic and/or corporate plan that references safeguarding vulnerable adults and children,\n- Adequately apportioned resources to meet safeguarding responsibilities;\n- Clear lines of accountability for staff through the organisation to named safeguarding person/s;\n- Systems in place to embed safeguarding across all commissioned/contracted services;\n- The organisation has a safeguarding adults/child policy and procedure in place that provides clear guidance on how to recognise and respond to abuse and is easily accessible and regularly updated;\n- Details of when to report to social care/police and timelines involved;\n- Guidance for staff, who work with your people or vulnerable adults with disability (where applicable)\n- Policies for transporting young people or vulnerable adults where required;\n- Specifically for care of young people (residential/fostering), guidance for staff/carers regarding the management of the risk of sexual exploitation, young people missing from care, and how to manage bullying behaviour including social networking sites;\n- E-safety policies and procedures are in place for adults/young people/children and staff;\n- There is a complaints policy and procedure in place;\n- 'Whistle Blowing' procedures for staff to raise safeguarding concerns against colleagues or managers are clearly understood and correctly followed where required;\n- There is a procedure in place for managing abuse of vulnerable adults/child protection allegations made against staff. Including situations where the actions of an individual in their personal life may indicate that their behaviour could be a risk of harm to children they work with e.g. perpetrators of domestic violence, neglect or abuse of their own children;\n- For those aged 16 and over the organisation can demonstrate that consideration of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA)\n- For those aged 18 and over the organisation can demonstrate that consideration of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) is an integral part of relevant decision making and the safeguarding process.\nThe Bidder must have a current safe recruitment policy which includes:\n- Evidence that the policy is up to date and covers how to recruit safely for staff who have contact with children/vulnerable adults and which follows ECC/LSCB/LSAB recruitment standards;\n- Human Resources and recruiting staff follow safe recruitment practices that demonstrate appropriate checks are carried out before staff are employed and induction and appraisal systems are in place;\n- Policies on when Disclosure and Barring Service checks are necessary;\n- Adherence to the Disclosure and Barring Service Referral process;\n- Requirement for job applications and interviews to be completed and recorded (face to face interviews). Verification of identify and qualifications, which can be evidenced by audit activity;\n- Professional and character references are obtained (requirement for 2 references);\n- Previous employment history is checked. Any anomalies or discrepancies are taken up;\n- Induction and supervision procedures are in place. The organisation has procedures to manage and record positive disclosures on DBS checks;\n- The organisation has procedures in place state when cases should be referred to the DBS;\n- The organisations audits/quality assures its recruitment practice;\n- The organisation can demonstrate that agencies commissioned to provide services have safer recruitment in place;\n- Safer recruitment standards are embedded in those contracts, and adherence to these standards is checked as part of the contract management process.\nThe Bidder must have a safeguarding training programme in place and that training is accessed by all those who have a role in recruitment staff who will have contact with children/families/vulnerable adults. In addition, please confirm that training is systematically evaluated and reviewed and impact outcomes used to improve future training programmes.\n- Safeguarding is mandatory and covered effectively within inductions for all staff who will have contact with children/families/vulnerable adults. It should cover familiarisation with safeguarding responsibilities and how to recognise and respond to possible abuse or neglect;\n- The induction includes the awareness of the complaints and \"whistle blowing\" procedures;\n- Training includes temporary/agency staff;\n- All members of staff who have contact with children/families/vulnerable adults have completed their safeguarding induction within the appropriate timescale;\n- There is effective supervision and support for staff engaged in safeguarding children/families/vulnerable adults work;\n- Safeguarding learning and development opportunities are provided to all staff at a level appropriate to their role;\n- The organisation ensures that all safeguarding training is suitable quality assured;\n- Learning from Serious Case Reviews (SCRs), Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) and other safeguarding reviews and audits are disseminated and acted upon effectively;\n- The organisation responds to and learns from national and local developments and guidance relating to safeguarding children/vulnerable adults.\nBidders are required to outline their organisation's management structure with specific details of management levels, experience, qualifications and length of service of the principal managers which have enabled them to undertake similar services. This should include qualifications of staff delivering the counselling, learning and development and employment support.\nBidder are required to identify the resources you routinely draw on which have enabled you to undertake or provide similar requirements, clearly indicating internal and external resources (e.g. sub-contracting, equipment, facilities, recruitment, work placement or apprenticeship schemes, volunteers, employment of people with learning difficulties etc.)\nThe Bidder must have in place or commit to obtain prior to award of the contract a license to use the Carers Star." } ] }, "suitability": { "sme": true, "vcse": true }, "contractPeriod": { "startDate": "2027-05-04T00:00:00+01:00", "endDate": "2030-03-31T23:59:59+01:00", "maxExtentDate": "2032-03-31T23:59:59+01:00" }, "hasRenewal": true, "renewal": { "description": "The Council may serve such extension notice(s) on as many occasions as it shall think fit provided that the duration of such extensions shall not in total exceed twenty-four (24) calendar months from the third anniversary of the Service Commencement Date." }, "hasOptions": true, "options": { "description": "The scope and geographical coverage of the Service may be expanded during the Contract Period. This may include, but is not limited to, the incorporation of additional support for Young Carers, Young Adult Carers or other carer cohorts, the provision of Carer Assessments and the delivery of services within the administrative areas of Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council. \nAny expansion will be subject to the availability of funding, commissioning intentions and any required contractual variations." } } ], "documents": [ { "id": "conflictOfInterest", "documentType": "conflictOfInterest", "description": "Not published" }, { "id": "094482-2026", "documentType": "tenderNotice", "noticeType": "UK4", "description": "Tender notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/094482-2026", "datePublished": "2026-10-06T20:06:35+01:00", "format": "text/html" } ], "riskDetails": "Local Government Reorganisation (LGR): It is anticipated, that during the life of this contract/framework, the LGR process will commence and/or progress potentially impacting this contract/framework. Impacts may include, but are not limited to, modifications such as a transfer of the legal entity you currently contract with, significant increases and/or decreases in the value/volume of goods/services/works required due to the change in size/scope of the Contracting Authority, and/or changes to the scope of the nature of goods/services/works required.\nReduction in scope: Potential reduction in the available budget may require re-prioritisation of deliverables and reduction or removal of some Services." }, "language": "en" }, { "id": "076985-2026", "tag": [ "planningUpdate" ], "date": "2026-08-12T18:21:56+01:00", "initiationType": "tender", "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05e68e", "parties": [ { "name": "Essex County Council", "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-PPON", "id": "PWVM-4844-NRQH" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "County Hall, Market Road", "locality": "Chelmsford", "postalCode": "CM1 1QH", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKH36" }, "contactPoint": { "email": "michael.porter@essex.gov.uk" }, "roles": [ "buyer" ], "details": { "classifications": [ { "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE", "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment", "description": "Public authority - sub-central government" } ] } } ], "buyer": { "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "name": "Essex County Council" }, "planning": { "milestones": [ { "id": "engagement", "type": "engagement", "description": "A provider information event will be held via Microsoft Teams on Monday 10th August, 10:00 to 11:30. The purpose of this event is to present key information relating to the upcoming Carers Support Services tender.\nThe session will provide an overview of the proposed new contract and the procurement process.\nTo attend please register your interest by emailing:\nmichael.porter@essex.gov.uk, including your name and organisation.\nPlease access this link to view a recording of the session,\nhttps://www.essexproviderhub.org/the-essex-market/market-position-statement/market-cohorts/carers/", "dueDate": "2026-08-10T23:59:59+01:00", "status": "scheduled" } ], "documents": [ { "id": "076985-2026", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076985-2026", "datePublished": "2026-08-12T18:21:56+01:00", "format": "text/html" } ] }, "tender": { "id": "1104", "legalBasis": { "id": "2023/54", "scheme": "UKPGA", "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" }, "title": "Essex Carers Core Offer of Support", "description": "Essex County Council (the Council) is procuring a new support service for informal carers in Essex.\nThe Council defines a carer as,\n\"A carer is someone who provides support to family or friends who could not manage without this help. This could be caring for a relative, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental ill-health or substance misuse problems. All the care they give is unpaid. A carer can be a young carer (under the age of 18) or an adult carer (over the age of 18).\"\nThis engagement is a follow up to the preliminary market engagement the Council conducted in late 2025, and we would like to share an update on our plans for the new service.", "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "85000000", "description": "Health and social work services" } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": "UKH3", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" } ], "relatedLot": "1" } ], "value": { "amountGross": 6000000, "currency": "GBP" }, "mainProcurementCategory": "services", "specialRegime": [ "lightTouch" ], "aboveThreshold": true, "lots": [ { "id": "1", "suitability": { "sme": true, "vcse": true }, "contractPeriod": { "startDate": "2027-04-01T00:00:00+01:00", "endDate": "2030-03-31T23:59:59+01:00", "maxExtentDate": "2032-03-31T23:59:59+01:00" }, "hasRenewal": true, "status": "planning" } ], "amendments": [ { "description": "Link to a recording of the session added to the Engagement section of this notice", "id": "076985-2026" } ], "status": "planning" }, "language": "en" }, { "id": "071181-2026", "tag": [ "planning" ], "date": "2026-07-28T12:33:59+01:00", "initiationType": "tender", "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05e68e", "parties": [ { "name": "Essex County Council", "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-PPON", "id": "PWVM-4844-NRQH" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "County Hall, Market Road", "locality": "Chelmsford", "postalCode": "CM1 1QH", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKH36" }, "contactPoint": { "email": "michael.porter@essex.gov.uk" }, "roles": [ "buyer" ], "details": { "classifications": [ { "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE", "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment", "description": "Public authority - sub-central government" } ] } } ], "buyer": { "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "name": "Essex County Council" }, "planning": { "milestones": [ { "id": "engagement", "type": "engagement", "description": "A provider information event will be held via Microsoft Teams on Monday 10th August, 10:00 to 11:30. The purpose of this event is to present key information relating to the upcoming Carers Support Services tender.\nThe session will provide an overview of the proposed new contract and the procurement process.\nTo attend please register your interest by emailing:\nmichael.porter@essex.gov.uk, including your name and organisation.", "dueDate": "2026-08-10T23:59:59+01:00", "status": "scheduled" } ], "documents": [ { "id": "071181-2026", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/071181-2026", "datePublished": "2026-07-28T12:33:59+01:00", "format": "text/html" } ] }, "tender": { "id": "1104", "legalBasis": { "id": "2023/54", "scheme": "UKPGA", "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" }, "title": "Essex Carers Core Offer of Support", "description": "Essex County Council (the Council) is procuring a new support service for informal carers in Essex.\nThe Council defines a carer as, \n\"A carer is someone who provides support to family or friends who could not manage without this help. This could be caring for a relative, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental ill-health or substance misuse problems. All the care they give is unpaid. A carer can be a young carer (under the age of 18) or an adult carer (over the age of 18).\" \nThis engagement is a follow up to the preliminary market engagement the Council conducted in late 2025, and we would like to share an update on our plans for the new service.", "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "85000000", "description": "Health and social work services" } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": "UKH3", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" } ], "relatedLot": "1" } ], "value": { "amountGross": 6000000, "currency": "GBP" }, "mainProcurementCategory": "services", "specialRegime": [ "lightTouch" ], "aboveThreshold": true, "lots": [ { "id": "1", "suitability": { "sme": true, "vcse": true }, "contractPeriod": { "startDate": "2027-04-01T00:00:00+01:00", "endDate": "2030-03-31T23:59:59+01:00", "maxExtentDate": "2032-03-31T23:59:59+01:00" }, "hasRenewal": true, "status": "planning" } ], "status": "planning" }, "language": "en" }, { "id": "076787-2025", "tag": [ "planningUpdate" ], "date": "2025-11-25T11:36:57Z", "initiationType": "tender", "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05e68e", "parties": [ { "name": "Essex County Council", "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-PPON", "id": "PWVM-4844-NRQH" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "County Hall, Market Road", "locality": "Chelmsford", "postalCode": "CM1 1QH", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKH36" }, "contactPoint": { "email": "stacey.sitton@essex.gov.uk" }, "roles": [ "buyer" ], "details": { "classifications": [ { "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE", "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment", "description": "Public authority - sub-central government" } ] } } ], "buyer": { "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "name": "Essex County Council" }, "planning": { "milestones": [ { "id": "engagement", "type": "engagement", "description": "In accordance with the information provided in this engagement briefing, participants to this engagement briefing are asked to provide responses to the following questions:\nA. Service Model\na)\tWhat are your thoughts on the proposed service model, and what similar models have you seen applied by other local authorities (if any)?\nb)\tAre there any innovations or elements which you feel are currently missing from the proposed service model which would help deliver the aims/objectives/outcomes listed in Section 2 (background)?\nc)\tNot being able to have a break has consistently been an issue reported by many carers. Do you have any recommendations on how this could be commissioned as part of this service based on your experience?\nd)\tAre there any elements that would be challenging to deliver, both operationally and financially?\ne)\tWhat challenges would you envisage in resourcing/staffing a service to address the needs detailed in Section 4 (Future Service Demands)?\nf)\tFurther to d), what investments (e.g. I.T., etc.) might need to be made to deliver services of this nature?\ng)\tWould your organisation be able to deliver both lots listed in Section 4 (Future Service Demands), either directly or via subcontracting/consortium/partnership arrangements?\nh)\tWould you be interested in delivering the services on a countywide footprint? Or would you have concerns given the size of Essex? What challenges would a single countywide service create?", "dueDate": "2025-12-12T23:59:59Z", "status": "scheduled" } ], "documents": [ { "id": "076787-2025", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076787-2025", "datePublished": "2025-11-25T11:36:57Z", "format": "text/html" } ] }, "tender": { "id": "1104", "legalBasis": { "id": "2023/54", "scheme": "UKPGA", "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" }, "title": "Essex Carers Core Offer of Support", "description": "CENTRAL SUPPORT SERVICE (LOT 1):\nOne-to-one specialist bespoke support for adult carers (18+ years).\nThis support will be outcomes-focused and goal-orientated and will include the following:\n•\tExpert information, advice and guidance in areas such as getting a break from caring, mental health/emotional support, finance and benefits, carers assessments, loneliness and isolation, planning for the future, navigating social care and healthcare, employment and education and physical health.\n•\tSmall grants to support an activity for wellbeing, and to enable carers to get a personalised short break from their caring role.\nSolution-focused approaches to support adult carers' (18+ years) emotional wellbeing.\nSolution-focused approaches will include:\n•\tCounselling - a confidential counselling service for a limited number of sessions to enable carers to discuss the emotional impact of caring. Counsellors will draw on a range evidence-based approaches to help carers develop strategies to process and tackle issues such as anxiety and/or depression, stress, anger, guilt, grief and compassion fatigue.\n•\tCoaching - The service will embed coaching as an approach to help provide opportunities for individuals and families to think about their options and make informed decisions for themselves. Coaches will also support carers to address specific issues in their life that are having a detrimental effect on their wellbeing or making their caring role more challenging than it needs to be. This could, for example, include supporting carers to balance the pressure of their caring role with their career or educational goals.\nProgramme of peer support for adult carers (18+ years).\nThis will include online and face to face groups, which are equitable across the county. This is a space where carers can connect with others facing similar challenges or having similar interests. These forums allow for sharing experiences, seeking advice, and building a supportive network.\nCurrent services being explored:\nAlongside the current offer for carers shown above, officers are in the process of reviewing how the current offer can respond to the emerging key themes and issues identified by the new carers strategy which is currently being developed. The future areas which are being explored for inclusion in the contract are:\n•\tCarers Assessments - The service will carry out statutory carers' assessments to understand the impact of caring responsibilities, identify carers' support needs, and help them access appropriate services. Where appropriate, the service may also offer a personal budget to give carers greater choice and control, promote independence and personalisation, and support their overall wellbeing.\n•\tA Carers Development and Learning Service - which will include working in partnership with local and national partners to facilitate workshops and courses which are aimed at supporting carers to independently and confidently sustain their caring responsibilities. The types of courses this may cover are: carers wellbeing, assertiveness workshops, legal planning, moving and handling and various other topics.\n•\tCarers Health Breaks - Funding to provide support that enables carers to attend essential appointments (e.g., health or financial), recognizing their importance in preventing carers' health and wellbeing declining.\nLot 2: Digital Support service for adult carers (18+ years).\nOnline information hub\nA central online platform where carers can access up to date, high quality information guidance, and resources to support in their caring role. This will include resources, signposting to local organisations, practical tools, newsletters and carers stories.\nOnline Peer Support Groups\nVirtual spaces where carers can connect with others facing similar challenges or having similar interests. These forums allow for sharing experiences, seeking advice, and building a supportive network.\nMarketing and Engagement\nVirtual outreach and online marketing campaigns with the aim of identifying Essex residents who are unpaid carers. This will include mixed-method, targeted campaigns by promoting support through social media using geo-targeting and search-query based content and tools.\nWe will also be exploring if a joint commissioning arrangement with Health colleagues can be established to establish greater partnership working and integration of services. Due to ICB restructures currently underway, this is limited in what can be confirmed or committed at this stage in the process.\nResponses to this market engagement notice should be through the ProContract portal https://procontract.due-north.com/ the reference for this is DN798289 1104", "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "85100000", "description": "Health services" } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": "UKH3", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" } ], "relatedLot": "1" } ], "mainProcurementCategory": "services", "aboveThreshold": true, "lots": [ { "id": "1", "suitability": { "sme": true, "vcse": true }, "contractPeriod": { "startDate": "2027-04-01T00:00:00+01:00", "endDate": "2029-03-31T23:59:59+01:00" }, "status": "planning" } ], "amendments": [ { "description": "The contract start and end dates are still to be decided, along with any details in the rest of the notice, however the potential start date should have said 01/04/2027 and not 01/04/2026 due to the current contracts we have in place.", "id": "076787-2025" } ], "status": "planning" }, "language": "en" }, { "id": "076159-2025", "tag": [ "planningUpdate" ], "date": "2025-11-21T16:01:52Z", "initiationType": "tender", "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05e68e", "parties": [ { "name": "Essex County Council", "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-PPON", "id": "PWVM-4844-NRQH" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "County Hall, Market Road", "locality": "Chelmsford", "postalCode": "CM1 1QH", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKH36" }, "contactPoint": { "email": "stacey.sitton@essex.gov.uk" }, "roles": [ "buyer" ], "details": { "classifications": [ { "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE", "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment", "description": "Public authority - sub-central government" } ] } } ], "buyer": { "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "name": "Essex County Council" }, "planning": { "milestones": [ { "id": "engagement", "type": "engagement", "description": "In accordance with the information provided in this engagement briefing, participants to this engagement briefing are asked to provide responses to the following questions:\nA. Service Model\na)\tWhat are your thoughts on the proposed service model, and what similar models have you seen applied by other local authorities (if any)?\nb)\tAre there any innovations or elements which you feel are currently missing from the proposed service model which would help deliver the aims/objectives/outcomes listed in Section 2 (background)?\nc)\tNot being able to have a break has consistently been an issue reported by many carers. Do you have any recommendations on how this could be commissioned as part of this service based on your experience?\nd)\tAre there any elements that would be challenging to deliver, both operationally and financially?\ne)\tWhat challenges would you envisage in resourcing/staffing a service to address the needs detailed in Section 4 (Future Service Demands)?\nf)\tFurther to d), what investments (e.g. I.T., etc.) might need to be made to deliver services of this nature?\ng)\tWould your organisation be able to deliver both lots listed in Section 4 (Future Service Demands), either directly or via subcontracting/consortium/partnership arrangements?\nh)\tWould you be interested in delivering the services on a countywide footprint? Or would you have concerns given the size of Essex? What challenges would a single countywide service create?", "dueDate": "2025-12-12T23:59:59Z", "status": "scheduled" } ], "documents": [ { "id": "076159-2025", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076159-2025", "datePublished": "2025-11-21T16:01:52Z", "format": "text/html" } ] }, "tender": { "id": "1104", "legalBasis": { "id": "2023/54", "scheme": "UKPGA", "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" }, "title": "Essex Carers Core Offer of Support", "description": "CENTRAL SUPPORT SERVICE (LOT 1):\nOne-to-one specialist bespoke support for adult carers (18+ years).\nThis support will be outcomes-focused and goal-orientated and will include the following:\n•\tExpert information, advice and guidance in areas such as getting a break from caring, mental health/emotional support, finance and benefits, carers assessments, loneliness and isolation, planning for the future, navigating social care and healthcare, employment and education and physical health.\n•\tSmall grants to support an activity for wellbeing, and to enable carers to get a personalised short break from their caring role.\nSolution-focused approaches to support adult carers' (18+ years) emotional wellbeing.\nSolution-focused approaches will include:\n•\tCounselling - a confidential counselling service for a limited number of sessions to enable carers to discuss the emotional impact of caring. Counsellors will draw on a range evidence-based approaches to help carers develop strategies to process and tackle issues such as anxiety and/or depression, stress, anger, guilt, grief and compassion fatigue.\n•\tCoaching - The service will embed coaching as an approach to help provide opportunities for individuals and families to think about their options and make informed decisions for themselves. Coaches will also support carers to address specific issues in their life that are having a detrimental effect on their wellbeing or making their caring role more challenging than it needs to be. This could, for example, include supporting carers to balance the pressure of their caring role with their career or educational goals.\nProgramme of peer support for adult carers (18+ years).\nThis will include online and face to face groups, which are equitable across the county. This is a space where carers can connect with others facing similar challenges or having similar interests. These forums allow for sharing experiences, seeking advice, and building a supportive network.\nCurrent services being explored:\nAlongside the current offer for carers shown above, officers are in the process of reviewing how the current offer can respond to the emerging key themes and issues identified by the new carers strategy which is currently being developed. The future areas which are being explored for inclusion in the contract are:\n•\tCarers Assessments - The service will carry out statutory carers' assessments to understand the impact of caring responsibilities, identify carers' support needs, and help them access appropriate services. Where appropriate, the service may also offer a personal budget to give carers greater choice and control, promote independence and personalisation, and support their overall wellbeing.\n•\tA Carers Development and Learning Service - which will include working in partnership with local and national partners to facilitate workshops and courses which are aimed at supporting carers to independently and confidently sustain their caring responsibilities. The types of courses this may cover are: carers wellbeing, assertiveness workshops, legal planning, moving and handling and various other topics.\n•\tCarers Health Breaks - Funding to provide support that enables carers to attend essential appointments (e.g., health or financial), recognizing their importance in preventing carers' health and wellbeing declining.\nLot 2: Digital Support service for adult carers (18+ years).\nOnline information hub\nA central online platform where carers can access up to date, high quality information guidance, and resources to support in their caring role. This will include resources, signposting to local organisations, practical tools, newsletters and carers stories.\nOnline Peer Support Groups\nVirtual spaces where carers can connect with others facing similar challenges or having similar interests. These forums allow for sharing experiences, seeking advice, and building a supportive network.\nMarketing and Engagement\nVirtual outreach and online marketing campaigns with the aim of identifying Essex residents who are unpaid carers. This will include mixed-method, targeted campaigns by promoting support through social media using geo-targeting and search-query based content and tools.\nWe will also be exploring if a joint commissioning arrangement with Health colleagues can be established to establish greater partnership working and integration of services. Due to ICB restructures currently underway, this is limited in what can be confirmed or committed at this stage in the process.\nResponses to this market engagement notice should be through the ProContract portal https://procontract.due-north.com/ the reference for this is DN798289 1104", "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "85100000", "description": "Health services" } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": "UKH3", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" } ], "relatedLot": "1" } ], "mainProcurementCategory": "services", "aboveThreshold": true, "lots": [ { "id": "1", "suitability": { "sme": true, "vcse": true }, "contractPeriod": { "startDate": "2026-04-01T00:00:00+01:00", "endDate": "2028-03-31T23:59:59+01:00" }, "status": "planning" } ], "amendments": [ { "description": "Adjusted the areas of delivery for the Contract to Essex only", "id": "076159-2025" } ], "status": "planning" }, "language": "en" }, { "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05e68e", "id": "076145-2025", "tag": [ "planning" ], "date": "2025-11-21T15:43:07Z", "initiationType": "tender", "parties": [ { "name": "Essex County Council", "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-PPON", "id": "PWVM-4844-NRQH" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "County Hall, Market Road", "locality": "Chelmsford", "postalCode": "CM1 1QH", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKH36" }, "contactPoint": { "email": "stacey.sitton@essex.gov.uk" }, "roles": [ "buyer" ], "details": { "classifications": [ { "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE", "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment", "description": "Public authority - sub-central government" } ] } } ], "buyer": { "id": "GB-PPON-PWVM-4844-NRQH", "name": "Essex County Council" }, "planning": { "milestones": [ { "id": "engagement", "type": "engagement", "description": "In accordance with the information provided in this engagement briefing, participants to this engagement briefing are asked to provide responses to the following questions: \nA. Service Model\na)\tWhat are your thoughts on the proposed service model, and what similar models have you seen applied by other local authorities (if any)?\nb)\tAre there any innovations or elements which you feel are currently missing from the proposed service model which would help deliver the aims/objectives/outcomes listed in Section 2 (background)?\nc)\tNot being able to have a break has consistently been an issue reported by many carers. Do you have any recommendations on how this could be commissioned as part of this service based on your experience?\nd)\tAre there any elements that would be challenging to deliver, both operationally and financially?\ne)\tWhat challenges would you envisage in resourcing/staffing a service to address the needs detailed in Section 4 (Future Service Demands)?\nf)\tFurther to d), what investments (e.g. I.T., etc.) might need to be made to deliver services of this nature?\ng)\tWould your organisation be able to deliver both lots listed in Section 4 (Future Service Demands), either directly or via subcontracting/consortium/partnership arrangements?\nh)\tWould you be interested in delivering the services on a countywide footprint? Or would you have concerns given the size of Essex? What challenges would a single countywide service create?", "dueDate": "2025-12-12T23:59:59Z", "status": "scheduled" } ], "documents": [ { "id": "076145-2025", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076145-2025", "datePublished": "2025-11-21T15:43:07Z", "format": "text/html" } ] }, "tender": { "id": "1104", "legalBasis": { "id": "2023/54", "scheme": "UKPGA", "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" }, "title": "Essex Carers Core Offer of Support", "description": "CENTRAL SUPPORT SERVICE (LOT 1):\nOne-to-one specialist bespoke support for adult carers (18+ years). \nThis support will be outcomes-focused and goal-orientated and will include the following: \n•\tExpert information, advice and guidance in areas such as getting a break from caring, mental health/emotional support, finance and benefits, carers assessments, loneliness and isolation, planning for the future, navigating social care and healthcare, employment and education and physical health. \n•\tSmall grants to support an activity for wellbeing, and to enable carers to get a personalised short break from their caring role.\nSolution-focused approaches to support adult carers' (18+ years) emotional wellbeing. \nSolution-focused approaches will include: \n•\tCounselling - a confidential counselling service for a limited number of sessions to enable carers to discuss the emotional impact of caring. Counsellors will draw on a range evidence-based approaches to help carers develop strategies to process and tackle issues such as anxiety and/or depression, stress, anger, guilt, grief and compassion fatigue.\n•\tCoaching - The service will embed coaching as an approach to help provide opportunities for individuals and families to think about their options and make informed decisions for themselves. Coaches will also support carers to address specific issues in their life that are having a detrimental effect on their wellbeing or making their caring role more challenging than it needs to be. This could, for example, include supporting carers to balance the pressure of their caring role with their career or educational goals.\nProgramme of peer support for adult carers (18+ years). \nThis will include online and face to face groups, which are equitable across the county. This is a space where carers can connect with others facing similar challenges or having similar interests. These forums allow for sharing experiences, seeking advice, and building a supportive network.\nCurrent services being explored: \nAlongside the current offer for carers shown above, officers are in the process of reviewing how the current offer can respond to the emerging key themes and issues identified by the new carers strategy which is currently being developed. The future areas which are being explored for inclusion in the contract are:\n•\tCarers Assessments - The service will carry out statutory carers' assessments to understand the impact of caring responsibilities, identify carers' support needs, and help them access appropriate services. Where appropriate, the service may also offer a personal budget to give carers greater choice and control, promote independence and personalisation, and support their overall wellbeing.\n•\tA Carers Development and Learning Service - which will include working in partnership with local and national partners to facilitate workshops and courses which are aimed at supporting carers to independently and confidently sustain their caring responsibilities. The types of courses this may cover are: carers wellbeing, assertiveness workshops, legal planning, moving and handling and various other topics.\n•\tCarers Health Breaks - Funding to provide support that enables carers to attend essential appointments (e.g., health or financial), recognizing their importance in preventing carers' health and wellbeing declining. \nLot 2: Digital Support service for adult carers (18+ years).\nOnline information hub\nA central online platform where carers can access up to date, high quality information guidance, and resources to support in their caring role. This will include resources, signposting to local organisations, practical tools, newsletters and carers stories.\nOnline Peer Support Groups\nVirtual spaces where carers can connect with others facing similar challenges or having similar interests. These forums allow for sharing experiences, seeking advice, and building a supportive network.\nMarketing and Engagement \nVirtual outreach and online marketing campaigns with the aim of identifying Essex residents who are unpaid carers. This will include mixed-method, targeted campaigns by promoting support through social media using geo-targeting and search-query based content and tools. \nWe will also be exploring if a joint commissioning arrangement with Health colleagues can be established to establish greater partnership working and integration of services. Due to ICB restructures currently underway, this is limited in what can be confirmed or committed at this stage in the process.\nResponses to this market engagement notice should be through the ProContract portal https://procontract.due-north.com/ the reference for this is DN798289 1104", "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "85100000", "description": "Health services" } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": "UKC", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKD", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKE", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKF", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKG", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKH", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKI", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKJ", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKK", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" } ], "relatedLot": "1" } ], "mainProcurementCategory": "services", "aboveThreshold": true, "lots": [ { "id": "1", "suitability": { "sme": true, "vcse": true }, "contractPeriod": { "startDate": "2026-04-01T00:00:00+01:00", "endDate": "2028-03-31T23:59:59+01:00" }, "status": "planning" } ], "status": "planning" }, "language": "en" } ] }