Official UK procurement notice
ASC25078 Direct Payment Support
Authority: Worcestershire County Council (Local council)
What is being bought2 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThe Council is seeking a supplier to deliver Direct Payment Support across two distinct Lots. A supplier can be awarded either a single Lot or both Lots
o Lot 1 – Direct Payments Strategic Support Partner
o Lot 2 – Direct Payment Finance Partner
The Direct Payments Strategic Support Partner would be required to deliver strategic support to promote the growth of direct payments across Worcestershire and find suitable services to meet the needs of direct payment recipients.
As part of Lot 1 the Strategic Support Partner would act as a micro brokerage service for Direct Payment recipients, advising what may be available to them in their area, both paid for and free services that might be available in the Voluntary Community Sector (VCS). The Supplier would also be required to advise social work staff where required. This wider remit could lead to closer working with the Communities Directorate, social prescribers and public health initiatives, supporting the Council to deliver the right service at the right time and the right price.
There is evidence that this has worked well in other local authorities, especially with voluntary or service-user-led organisations. It is likely that the VCS will benefit from this approach as they have all the skills available to support people to maximise the potential of direct payments.
As part of Lot 2, the Direct Payment Finance Partner would deliver a financial management service with elements within the contract covering support for the payments, including managed accounts and payroll for Personal Assistants (PAs). The Finance Partner would also be operating managed accounts on WCC’s behalf in line with new approval process and are required to employ PA’s to deliver cost-effective services.
- How the procedure runs: The procedure for Lot 1 will be conducted in two (2) stages, stage 1 is conditions of participation, price and quality, stage 2 is presentations. Lot 2 is being conducted in a single stage, conditions of participation, price and quality. (See tender guidance for further details)
CPV: Health and social work services · Social work services
Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure
2 lots · all with a published value (£2,053,254 together) · evaluation weights differ by lotLot #1Direct Payments Strategic Support PartnerAwardedRenewalPublished value£674,254
The source published no individual description for this lot.
Lot #2Direct Payment Finance PartnerAwardedRenewalPublished value£1,379,000
The source published no individual description for this lot.
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).
Lots publish different evaluation splits; there is no single procedure weighting.
| Lot | Quality | Price | Social value | Split |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Direct Payments Strategic Support Partner | 60% | 30% | 10% | |
| 2 · Direct Payment Finance Partner | 60% | 30% | 10% |
- Price carries 30 points on every lot: a 10% discount moves about 3 points.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
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
- Light touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 25 Jul 2025, 11:52 BST
- Last source update
- 11 Jun 2026, 09:12 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 26 Mar 2026
- Authority reference
ASC25078- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-078158- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05662dFind a Tender
- How it runs
The procedure for Lot 1 will be conducted in two (2) stages, stage 1 is conditions of participation, price and quality, stage 2 is presentations. Lot 2 is being conducted in a single stage, conditions of participation, price and quality. (See tender guidance for further details)
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 12 Jan 2026, 16:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 15 Dec 2025, 16:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Please visit www.in-tendhost.co.uk/worcestershire/aspx/… ↗ to access this opportunity. You will need to register for In Tend in order to apply for this opportunity.
Timeline
25 Jul 2025 → 1 Jul 2026 · 11 dates- Planning notice published25 Jul 2025, 11:52 BST
- Market engagement358 days ago22 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
The Council held a virtual open information and feedback session on Thursday 7th August 2025. Slides and supplementary documentation are available via In-Tend.
Worcestershire County Council would now like to invite interested organisations to further feedback on the proposed Service Specification via an MS Forms survey forms.office.com/e/CeMbarQBAA ↗
The specification documents are available via In-Tend.
Your views and feedback will not be used for any part of the tender process and will only be used for the development of the specification.
- Next notice expected356 days ago24 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice published322 days ago28 Nov 2025, 14:47 GMT
- Clarification questions by305 days ago15 Dec 2025, 16:00 GMT
- Submission deadline277 days ago12 Jan 2026, 16:00 GMT
- Assessment summaries sent204 days ago26 Mar 2026
- Award decision expected by203 days ago26 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Standstill ends188 days ago10 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
- Latest notice published127 days ago11 Jun 2026, 09:12 BST
- Contract starts107 days ago1 Jul 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
12 events · 6 releases on Find a Tender · since 25 Jul 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published25 Jul 2025, 11:52 BSTUK2
- Preliminary market engagement notice published14 Oct 2025, 11:19 BSTUK2
- Preliminary market engagement notice published15 Oct 2025, 11:18 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published28 Nov 2025, 14:47 GMTUK4
- Status changed to active28 Nov 2025, 14:47 GMT
- Procurement method changed28 Nov 2025, 14:47 GMT
- Deadline published: 12 Jan 2026, 16:00 GMT28 Nov 2025, 14:47 GMT
- Contract award notice published26 Mar 2026, 09:59 GMTUK6
- Status changed to complete26 Mar 2026, 09:59 GMT
- Contract signature expected1 May 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published11 Jun 2026, 09:12 BSTUK7
- Procurement method changed11 Jun 2026, 09:12 BST
Published amendments (1)
Date for feedback on the specification has been extended
Routine re-releases (6)
- 2025-10: 2 releases · 14 Oct 2025, 15 Oct 2025
- 2025-07: 1 release · 25 Jul 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 · Direct Payments Strategic Support Partner1 award | |||
| Ideal for AllSMEVCSEASC25078 Lot 1: Direct Payment Strategic Support Partner1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2031 · up to 30 Jun 2033Extensions: The contract will run for 5 years to 30th June 2031 with an extension period of 2 years subject to the availability of funding and future priorities. | £577,932 inc. VAT | 25 Mar 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 2 · Direct Payment Finance Partner1 award | |||
| Ideal for AllSMEVCSEASC25078 Lot 2: Direct PAyment Finance Partner1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2031 · up to 30 Jun 2033Extensions: The contract will run for 5 years to 30th June 2031 with an extension period of 2 years subject to the availability of funding and future priorities. | £1,182,000 inc. VAT | 25 Mar 2026 | Awarded |
Contracts
ASC25078 Lot 1: Direct Payment Strategic Support Partner · Ideal for AllSMEVCSE
- Signed
- 9 Jun 2026
- Value
- £577,932 inc. VAT
- Period
- 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2031 · up to 30 Jun 2033 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- The contract will run for 5 years to 30th June 2031 with an extension period of 2 years subject to the availability of funding and future priorities.
ASC25078 Lot 2: Direct PAyment Finance Partner · Ideal for AllSMEVCSE
- Signed
- 9 Jun 2026
- Value
- £1,182,000 inc. VAT
- Period
- 1 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2031 · up to 30 Jun 2033 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- The contract will run for 5 years to 30th June 2031 with an extension period of 2 years subject to the availability of funding and future priorities.
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Direct Payments Strategic Support Partner | 5final-stage tenders | 5 | 1 | — |
| 2 · Direct Payment Finance Partner | 9final-stage tenders | 9 | 1 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Ideal for AllAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (9)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specifications Please visit https://www.in-tendhost.co.uk/worcestershire/aspx/Home to access this opportunity. You will need to register for In Tend in order to apply for this opportunity.
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 award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award 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
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender