Official UK procurement notice
Adult Social Care (ASC) Workforce Support Programme 2026
Authority: Department of Health & Social Care (Central government)
Sectors: IT Services & Software (72)Administration, defence and social security services (75)Education & Training (80) Delivery: UK
Published estimate£52,633,898envelope for 3 lots · £64,122,541 inc. VAT · 1 value update
Submissions closed 15 Aug 2025awarded 19 Nov 2025
Awarded to Ipsos MORI, Skills for Care Ltd7 awards
Contract term Varies by lotfirst lot 3 yrs 3 mo from 2 Jan 2026 · see each lot
What is being bought3 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThe Authority wishes to implement support for the adult social care workforce to deliver against the Authority’s objectives for adult social care
Lot 2 awards a contract for quality assurance service of training and qualifications for the ASC workforce and signpost high-quality training to the sector that is aligned to DHSC’s CWP. This will require the supplier to take over delivery of the QACL Service and work with existing qualification regulators (for example Ofqual), Awarding Organisations, Training Providers, the ASC sector, and those with lived experience.
- How the procedure runs: Two stage procurement: Stage 1 - Conditions of Participation & Initial Tender Stage 2 - Dialogue & Best and Final Offer
CPV: Administrative healthcare services · Administrative services of agencies · Administrative social services · Data services · Education and training services · Health and social work services · Health training services · Supporting services for the government
Lots and requirements (3)Procurement structure
3 lots · all with a published value (£52,633,898 together) · a supplier may bid for at most 2 and win at most 2 of themLot #1Workforce SupportAwardedRenewalPublished value£46,212,978
A large, combined lot including retention, recruitment, upskilling, and adoption activities. This provides subject matter expertise to inform policy and provide implementation support for the sector.
Lot #2Quality Assured Care Learning ServiceAwardedRenewalPublished value£5,435,915
this ensures the availability and provision of quality training that is accessible to the workforce and reflects the needs of the populations they serve.
Lot #3Market researchAwardedPublished value£985,005
targeted sector research and insights to aid policy development.
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
How bids were scored
Lot distribution rule: Lot 1: Workforce Support (three-year contract with the potential for up to two 1-year extensions) – A large, combined lot including retention, recruitment, upskilling, and adoption activities. This provides subject matter expertise to inform policy and provide implementation support for the sector. Lot 2: Quality Assured Care Learning Service (three-year contract with the potential for up to two 1-year extensions) – this ensures the availability and provision of quality training that is accessible to the workforce and reflects the needs of the populations they serve. Lot 3: Market research (two-year contract)– targeted sector research and insights to aid policy development. Suppliers can bid on ALL lots and can be successful in being awarded a contract for ALL lots.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 15 Jul 2025, 18:49 BST
- Last source update
- 19 May 2026, 16:25 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 19 Nov 2025
- Authority reference
C361780- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-040255- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-055fdfFind a Tender
- How it runs
Two stage procurement: Stage 1 - Conditions of Participation & Initial Tender Stage 2 - Dialogue & Best and Final Offer
How it was run
Official noticeRun through: Atamis (Health Family) · Who buys & how to bid on Atamis
Access & registration note: Free · one account PER buying organisation portal · password resets come "from Salesforce.com" (check spam)
- Submission deadline
- 15 Aug 2025, 22:45 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 15 Aug 2025, 22:45 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release
Submissions must be made via DHSC e-potal (Atamis) please register here: atamis-1928.my.site.com/s/Welcome ↗
Timeline
15 Jul 2025 → 19 May 2026 · 8 dates- Tender notice published15 Jul 2025, 18:49 BST
- Clarification questions by15 Aug 2025, 22:45 BST
- Submission deadline15 Aug 2025, 22:45 BST
- Assessment summaries sent331 days ago19 Nov 2025
- Award decision expected by330 days ago19 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Standstill ends321 days ago28 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts287 days ago2 Jan 2026
- Latest notice published149 days ago19 May 2026, 16:25 BST
Notice history
14 events · 10 releases on Find a Tender · since 15 Jul 2025- Tender notice published15 Jul 2025, 18:49 BSTUK4
- Tender notice published15 Jul 2025, 18:57 BSTUK4
- Tender notice published23 Jul 2025, 09:53 BSTUK4
- Deadline moved to 15 Aug 2025, 22:45 BST23 Jul 2025, 09:53 BST+0 days · was 15 Aug 2025, 23:45 BST
- Contract award notice published19 Nov 2025, 17:26 GMTUK6
- Status changed to complete19 Nov 2025, 17:26 GMT
- Contract signature expected19 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMTscheduled
- Contract award notice published26 Mar 2026, 13:32 GMTUK6
- Contract award notice published26 Mar 2026, 14:11 GMTUK6
- Contract award notice published26 Mar 2026, 16:40 GMTUK6
- Contract signature expected10 Apr 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published18 May 2026, 13:22 BSTUK7
- Contract details notice published19 May 2026, 16:22 BSTUK7
- Contract details notice published19 May 2026, 16:25 BSTUK7
Published amendments (2)
Correction to contract Value
1. New response deadline time of 22:45 2. New CoP question added for Prompt payment in accordance with PPN015.
Routine re-releases (10)
- 2026-03: 3 releases · 26 Mar 2026, 26 Mar 2026
- 2025-11: 1 release · 19 Nov 2025
- 2025-07: 3 releases · 15 Jul 2025, 23 Jul 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecastAwards 7some still in standstill
Awarded value £82,057,8784 awards exc. VAT
Bids received 95 from SMEs
Named bidders 6published on the award notice
Contracts signed 3latest 18 May 2026
| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 · Workforce Support2 awards | |||
| Skills for Care LtdSMEDHSC: ASC: Adult Social Care Workforce Programme Lot 110 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2029 · up to 31 Mar 2031Extensions: Contract Term could be extended 12 months increments for up to 2 years. · Options: Option to extend contract Term | £25,635,798 | 19 Nov 2025standstill to 8 Apr 2026 | Standstill |
| Skills for Care LtdVCSE | — | — | Awarded |
| Lot 2 · Quality Assured Care Learning Service2 awards | |||
| Skills for Care LtdSMEDHSC: ASC: Adult Social Care Workforce Programme Lot 210 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2029 · up to 31 Mar 2031Extensions: Contract Term could be extended in 12 months increments for up to 2 years. · Options: Option to extend contract Term | £2,975,107 | 19 Nov 2025standstill to 8 Apr 2026 | Standstill |
| Skills for Care LtdVCSE | — | — | Awarded |
| Lot 3 · Market research2 awards | |||
| Ipsos MORIDHSC: ASC: Workforce Programme - Lot 310 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2029 | £905,000 | 9 Nov 2025standstill to 8 Apr 2026 | Standstill |
| Ipsos MORI | — | — | Awarded |
| Across several lots1 award | |||
| Ipsos MORI, Skills for Care LtdSMEjoint awardAdult Social Care (ASC) Workforce Support Programme1 Jan 2026 – 31 Mar 2029 · up to 31 Mar 2031Extensions: two 12 month extension options for Lot 1 & Lot 2 Only · Options: option to extend for lots 1 & 2 only | £52,541,973 | 19 Nov 2025standstill to 28 Nov 2025 | Standstill |
Contracts
DHSC:ASC:Workforce Support Programme Lot 2 · Skills for Care LtdVCSE
- Signed
- 18 May 2026
- Value
- £2,975,107
- Period
- 18 May 2026 – 31 Mar 2029 · up to 31 Mar 2031 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- Contract Term could be extended in 12 months increments for up to 2 years.
- Options
- Possible option to extend to 31 March 2031
1 agreed KPI: Access to Quality Assured training provider list.
- Access to Quality Assured training provider list., YOY increase in access to the QA’d training provider list. Measurement Period: Annually with Quarterly update reports.
Adult Social Care: Workforce Support Programme Lot 1 · Skills for Care LtdVCSE
- Signed
- 11 May 2026
- Value
- £25,635,798
- Period
- 11 May 2026 – 31 Mar 2029 · up to 31 Mar 2031 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- Contract Term could be extended 12 months increments for up to 2 years.
- Options
- Option to extend contract Term
3 agreed KPIs: Year on Year Increase in Adult Social Care (ASC) Providers/Employers using the Care Workforce Pathway (CWP) · Increase in uptake of Registered Manager offer · Increase in the number of Regulated Professional Leaders receiving relevant CPD via Skills for Care delivered sessions (first-time participants)
- Year on Year Increase in Adult Social Care (ASC) Providers/Employers using the Care Workforce Pathway (CWP), This KPI tracks the growth in the number of ASC providers and employers actively using the CWP. The goal is to drive adoption across the sector, reflecting both direct engagement with providers and broader influence through local authorities, integrated care boards, and other stakeholders. Success is measured by year-on-year increases in reported usage, demonstrating the effectiveness of adoption activities and ecosystem-level interventions. Measurement Period: Annually with Quarterly update reports.
- Increase in uptake of Registered Manager offer, This KPI measures the growth in engagement of Registered Managers with the Skills for Care generated resources. The offer focuses on support for managing people, recruitment and retention and learning and development for managers. Measurement Period: Annually with Quarterly update reports.
- Increase in the number of Regulated Professional Leaders receiving relevant CPD via Skills for Care delivered sessions (first-time participants), Measures the growth in the number of Regulated Professional Leaders who attend CPD sessions delivered by SfC for the first time. This KPI tracks the effectiveness of SfC’s outreach and training programmes in engaging new professional leaders and expanding their participation in relevant CPD activities. Measurement Period: Annually with Quarterly update reports.
Adult Social Care: Workforce Support Programme Lot 3 · Ipsos MORI
- Signed
- 24 Apr 2026
- Value
- £905,000
- Period
- 24 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2029
- Status
- active
No agreed KPIs: N/A
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 · Quality Assured Care Learning Service | 4final-stage tenders | 2 | 1 | — |
| 3 · Market research | 5final-stage tenders | 3 | 1 | — |
Who bid
- wonSkills for Care LtdVCSE · Yorkshire and the Humber · 1
- wonIPSOS Mori · Greater London + Paratus PartnersSME · South East England · consortium · 1
- did not winQMCSME · East of England · 1
- did not winParatus PartnersSME · South East England · all lots
- did not winMatt Hamnett & AssociatesSME · South East England · 3
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
6 commercial parties on the notice · 3 awarded- IpsosAwarded supplier
- Matt Hamnett & AssociatesBidder / tenderer
- Paratus PartnersBidder / tenderer
- QMCBidder / tenderer
- Skills for Care LtdAwarded supplier
- Skills for Care LtdAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (13)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
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