Official UK procurement notice
All Age Advocacy Services
Authority: Suffolk County Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionSuffolk County Council is seeking tenders from sufficiently experienced and qualified contractors for the provision of All Age Advocacy Service.
The Suffolk Independent All Age Advocacy Service to provide an integrated, high quality, flexible and cost-effective advocacy service which meets all the statutory requirements placed on Suffolk County Council for the provision of independent advocacy for adults, children and young people.
The maximum contract value is £5,438,400 exclusive of VAT for the duration of the contract including extension.
The VAT amount included is 20% standard rate, however in some circumstances VAT may be exempt or chargeable at a different rate.
The contract term is three years (36 months) with an option to extend for up to a further three x 1-year extensions (36 months).
The Deadline date for submission of the tender is 29/10/2026 at 11.00AM.
Tender Submission will be electronically via the Suffolk Sourcing e-Tendering System at;
supplier.in-tend.co.uk/suffolksourcing/tend… ↗
Please note late returns will NOT be permitted. The deadline for clarification questions is 14/10/2026 at 5.00pm, which must be generated via the correspondence option within Suffolk Sourcing.
CPV: Health and social work services
How this dynamic market works
From the published notice- Type
- Dynamic market
- Market period
- 3 yrs · up to 6 yrs from 1 Apr 2027
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1RenewalPublished value£5,438,400
- Economic & financial standing
Pricing
Confirmation that your proposed pricing does not exceed the maximum budget (exc VAT) indicated in the Invitation to Tender. Any bids over the maximum budget (exc VAT) will not pass this procurement specific requirement and will not be evaluated further.
Insurance
Insurance cover required
Public Liability £10m
Employers Liability £5m
Professional Indemnity £2m
Already has, or can commit to obtain, the insurance requirements prior to the award of the contract.
A minimum Creditsafe credit reference agency score of 50 is required at the time of evaluation. If this threshold is not met (or a Creditsafe score cannot be obtained), the contracting authority may conduct a more detailed assessment - such as ratio analysis - using other financial information. I also understand that our organisation may be required to implement risk mitigation measures as reasonably requested by the contracting authority.
- Technical & professional ability
Experience
Confirmation of the following;
Experience of delivering advocacy services
Experience of delivering a county wide service
Understanding of advocacy legislation relating to the delivery of advocacy to both children and adults
Understanding and experience of full compliance with GDPR legislation
Able to meet and maintain the Advocacy Quality Performance Mark during the lifetime of the contract (main provider only)
To participate in this tender you must be registered on the Government 'Central Digital Platform' See details below;
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).
- Quality: Quality 80%
- Price: Price 20%
- Economic & financial standing
Pricing
Confirmation that your proposed pricing does not exceed the maximum budget (exc VAT) indicated in the Invitation to Tender. Any bids over the maximum budget (exc VAT) will not pass this procurement specific requirement and will not be evaluated further.
Insurance
Insurance cover required
Public Liability £10m
Employers Liability £5m
Professional Indemnity £2m
Already has, or can commit to obtain, the insurance requirements prior to the award of the contract.
A minimum Creditsafe credit reference agency score of 50 is required at the time of evaluation. If this threshold is not met (or a Creditsafe score cannot be obtained), the contracting authority may conduct a more detailed assessment - such as ratio analysis - using other financial information. I also understand that our organisation may be required to implement risk mitigation measures as reasonably requested by the contracting authority.
- Technical & professional ability
Experience
Confirmation of the following;
Experience of delivering advocacy services
Experience of delivering a county wide service
Understanding of advocacy legislation relating to the delivery of advocacy to both children and adults
Understanding and experience of full compliance with GDPR legislation
Able to meet and maintain the Advocacy Quality Performance Mark during the lifetime of the contract (main provider only)
To participate in this tender you must be registered on the Government 'Central Digital Platform' See details below;
- “All Age Advocacy Services” is a dynamic market: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.
Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid
How Suffolk County Council buys Health and social work services (CPV 85), and who usually turns up
Suffolk County Council’s own published record, next to the published market for the same work. This notice is a framework or DPS, so only frameworks and DPS are compared. Whole-market view: Health and social work services (CPV 85) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
i
How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Here, local means registered in East of England.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners are registered outside East of England.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards were announced within 57 days of the bid deadline.
i
How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
The market share is a minimum: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Direct awards or one recorded bid are common here. Check the route before spending time on a bid.
How many bids did past lots attract?
i
How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid8%
2–37%
4–617%
7+68%
How did awards compare with estimates?
i
Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
On a framework or DPS, prices are agreed when work is called off.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Not comparable on a framework or DPS. The notice sets up a supplier panel and a ceiling value; what the work actually costs is agreed later, on each call-off or mini-competition, and those publish as contract notices of their own. The award-vs-estimate record of this market therefore sits on the call-offs; this page shows it on the contracts, not on the panel that frames them.
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Lot #1Published estimate£5.4m
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid3%
2–340%
4–615%
7+41%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk Family Carers LimitedWorked for this buyer | Suffolk county-wide support service for young carers aged up to 18 yearsruns to Jun 2028 | — | £984k | Similar wording and category |
| CF Support Services LimitedWorked for this buyer | Dual placement (2-bed) residential children's home for Suffolk children in care aged 12-17 years including those aged 17 yearsruns to Feb 2029 | — | £3.5m | Similar wording and category |
| Best Practice Network LtdWorked for this buyer | Parenting Interventionsruns to Dec 2027 | Lot 2 - Supporting Parents with children with additional needs or a disability. | £150k | Similar wording and category |
| Access Independent LtdWorked for this buyer | Independent Mobility Assessment Contractnotice published Feb 2021 | — | — | Similar wording and category |
| Royal Mencap SocietyWorked for this buyer | Supported Housingruns to Sept 2027 | — | £1.9m | Similar wording and category |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| £2.4m5 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 5 live · £4.3m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=5 | |
| £3.5m2 awards in 36m · last 14 months ago | None on file | no comparable pairs | |
| £66m23 awards in 36m · last 2 months ago | 7 live · £5.5m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=6 | |
| £4.5m12 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 1 live · £135k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | no comparable pairs | |
| £13m5 awards in 36m · last 6 months ago | 4 live · £12m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=5 |
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Open admission
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Light touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Dynamic market
- Who may use this agreement
- Any qualifying supplier may apply while the market is open
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 11 May 2026, 11:35 BST
- Last source update
- 1 Oct 2026, 13:38 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 14 Dec 2026
- Authority reference
PA0049- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-092818- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-069574Find a Tender
- Risks
Interested Parties should refer to the Invitation to Tender and Contract Terms for the Known Risks.
Contract novation, transfer or disaggregation to one or more Successor Authorities or MCAA within the current geographical boundary of Suffolk.
Contract novation, transfer or disaggregation to one or more Successor Authorities or MCAA outside the current geographical boundary of Suffolk.
Other known risks
- Devolution
There is a known unknown risk that the establishment of a Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) for Norfolk and Suffolk, with strategic powers, headed by an elected mayor, may be implemented during the life of this contract ("Devolution").
As a result of Devolution, contract modifications may be necessary to novate, transfer or disaggregate the contract from the one you entered into to one with the Mayoral Combined County Authority.
Impacts could include changes to geographical boundaries, significant increases and/or decreases in the goods and/or services required due to the change in size/scope of any successor authority. This may also change the scope of the contract
Any changes to contract scope should be broadly similar to the current contract scope, but new services of a related nature may be required that were not previously included.
The Authority will work collaboratively with the successful provider(s) to manage any implications arising from Devolution, should it occur, to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of services.
- Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
Due to Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) within Suffolk, there is a known unknown risk that structural changes to local government across Suffolk may be implemented during the lifetime of this contract.
As a result of LGR, contract modifications may be necessary to novate, transfer or disaggregate the contract from the one you entered into to one or more successor authorities.
Impacts could include changes to geographical boundaries, significant increases and/or decreases in the goods and/or services required due to the change in size/scope of any successor authority. This may also change the scope of the contract
How to participate & submission route
Official notice Apply via In-tend- Requests to participate (first stage)
- —
- Admission period ends
- 29 Oct 2026, 11:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- —
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Tender submission should only be uploaded via Suffolk Sourcing at
supplier.in-tend.co.uk/suffolksourcing/tend… ↗
and must not be transmitted or delivered either to the buyer or any other individual using any other method.
Timeline
11 May 2026 → 1 Apr 2027 · 7 dates- Planning notice published164 days ago11 May 2026, 11:35 BST
- Market engagement128 days ago15 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
The aims of the market engagement are to:
Understand the level of market interest in the proposed procurement.
Identify potential suppliers.
Provide a high-level overview of the project and its objectives.
Gather market feedback on the initial draft scope of services and proposed delivery model.
Interested parties are invited to attend a Teams event at 2pm on Tuesday 16th June 2026. Please contact [email protected] no later than 12.00 noon on 15th June 2026 to request a Teams invitation (providing email contacts for your attendees).
- Next notice expected81 days ago1 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice published21 days ago1 Oct 2026, 12:46 BST
- Today22 Oct 2026
- Admission / appointment period endsin 7 days · period end, not a bid countdown29 Oct 2026, 11:00 GMT
- Award decision expected byin 54 days14 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 161 days1 Apr 2027, 00:00 BST
Notice history
9 events · 5 releases on Find a Tender · since 11 May 2026- Pipeline notice published11 May 2026, 11:35 BSTUK1
- Preliminary market engagement notice published3 Jun 2026, 08:32 BSTUK2
- Published value updated to £4,500,0003 Jun 2026, 08:32 BSTwas £4,450,000
- Tender notice published1 Oct 2026, 12:46 BSTUK4
- Published value updated to £5,438,4001 Oct 2026, 12:46 BSTwas £4,500,000
- Status changed to active1 Oct 2026, 12:46 BST
- Deadline published: 29 Oct 2026, 11:00 GMT1 Oct 2026, 12:46 BST
- Tender notice published1 Oct 2026, 13:18 BSTUK4
- Tender notice published1 Oct 2026, 13:38 BSTUK4
Published amendments (1)
Known project risks updated
Routine re-releases (5)
- 2026-06: 1 release · 3 Jun 2026
- 2026-05: 1 release · 11 May 2026
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Nothing awarded yet- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender