Official UK procurement notice
Connect to Work Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) Programme
Authority: Caerphilly County Borough Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionCaerphilly County Borough Council is inviting applications from suitably qualified and experienced Organisation's to deliver the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) model as part of the UK Government’s DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) Connect to Work programme.
Connect to Work is a voluntary supported employment programme delivered across England and Wales, designed to support disabled people, individuals with health conditions, and people facing complex barriers who are currently outside the labour market and experiencing ‘Hidden Unemployment’, to find and sustain meaningful employment. The programme forms a key component of the Government’s Get Britain Working Strategy, targeting economic inactivity by offering tailored, intensive, and high quality employment support at the right time for the right participants.
Participants of the programme must be working age, eligible, and suitable for the provision. Connect to Work delivers the evidence based “place, train, and maintain” Supported Employment model. The Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) is designed to support individuals facing complex barriers, disabilities, long term health conditions, social, emotional, or environmental barriers.
Tenderers will be required to submit responses in accordance with the requirements set out within the procurement documentation. Submissions will be evaluated against the published criteria.
Full details can be found in the Invitiation to Tender (ITT) Pack
CPV: Counselling services · Guidance and counselling services · Placement services of personnel · Social work and related services · Training programme services · Tutorial services · Vocational rehabilitation services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1RenewalPublished value£1,034,083
- Technical & professional ability
As stated in the tender documentation.
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).
Published award criteria (2)
- Quality: Sub Critera: Tender Response 30% Interview 50%
- Price
- Technical & professional ability
As stated in the tender documentation.
- Price carries 20 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 2 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid
How Caerphilly County Borough Council buys Social work and related services (CPV 8530), and who usually turns up
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s own published record, next to the published market for the same work. Frameworks and DPS are kept out: they attract a different number of bids. Whole-market view: Social work and related services (CPV 8530) →
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 Wales (Cymru).
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners are registered in Wales (Cymru).
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 55 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 bid25% / 24%
2–325% / 44%
4–638% / 24%
7+13% / 7%
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.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Below estimate38% / 27%
Within ±2%63% / 67%
Above estimate0% / 7%
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 #1CPV 8530Published estimate£1.0m
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 bid23%
2–352%
4–622%
7+3%
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.
Based on 18 comparable awards. Each lot reflects its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Middle 50%£964k–£1.0m
Estimate£1.0m
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Parent NetworkWorked for this buyer | Children and Communities Grant Tenderruns to Mar 2029 | Community Forum (Families First, Flying Start and Legacy) | £985k | Similar wording and category |
| Barnardo'sWorked for this buyer | Children and Communities Grant Tenderruns to Mar 2029 | Wellbeing (Families First) | £1.4m | Similar wording and category |
| Gwent Association of Voluntary OrganisationsWorked for this buyer | Children and Communities Grant Tenderruns to Mar 2029 | Early Language Development (Flying Start and Families First) | £600k | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Barnardo'sLarge | £167m83 awards in 36m · last this month | 31 live · £87m 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=38 |
| £19m24 awards in 36m · last 2 months ago | 14 live · £26m 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=10 | |
Hf Trust LimitedLarge | £31m6 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 2 live · £181m 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 |
| £30m24 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 11 live · £44m 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. | 10% below n=3 | |
| £11m1 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 1 live · £11m 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=1 |
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 for tender
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Concession
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 2 Mar 2026, 13:54 GMT
- Last source update
- 8 Oct 2026, 11:39 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 14 Dec 2026
- Authority reference
CCBC/PS3046/MDG- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-095121- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-065fb2Find a Tender
How to participate & submission route
Official notice Submit via ProContract (Due North)- Requests to participate (first stage)
- —
- Tender submission deadline
- 3 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 27 Oct 2026, 17:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
1.Log in to the Proactis Supplier Portal at supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login ↗
- Click the "Sign Up" option on the Portal homepage (If already registered go to point 11.).
- Enter your correct Organisation Name, Details and Primary Contact Details.
- Please make a note of the Organisation ID and User Name, then click "Register".
- You will then receive an email from the system asking you follow a link to activate your account.
- Please enter the information requested, clicking on the blue arrow to move on to the next stage and follow the instructions ensuring that you enter all applicable details.
- In the Classification section please ensure that you select the Product Classification Codes (CPV Codes) that appear in the tender notice, it is essential that only CPV Codes, specific to your organisation are added to your profile.
- Buyer Selection - At this stage you are required to indicate which Buyer Organisations you would like to register with. Please remember to register with Caerphilly this ensures that you will be alerted to all relevant opportunities.
- Terms & Conditions - Read the terms and conditions of the use of this Supplier Portal and tick the box to denote you have read and understood the terms and that you agree to abide by them. If you do not agree you cannot complete the registration process. Once you have agreed click on the blue arrow to move on to the next stage.
10.Insert a password for the admin user and repeat it. The password MUST be between 6 and 50 characters in length. It must contain at least 2 number(s). Once completed select 'Complete Registration' and you will enter the Supplier Home page.
- From the Home Page, go to the "Opportunities" icon, all current opportunities will be listed. Click on the blue arrow under the field 'Show Me' of the relevant opportunity then click to register your interest on the applicable button.
- Refresh your screen by clicking on the opportunities icon located on the left hand side, to view the opportunity click the blue arrow.
13.Note the closing date for completion of the relevant project. To find all available documentation please drop down the 'Request Documents' option and click to download all documents.
- You can now either complete your response or "Decline" this opportunity. All queries are to be made via the messaging system on the Proactis portal. Please note we will NOT accept any questions/queries via telephone/email. If you require assistance please contact Jemma Ford 01443 863163 - [email protected].
- When submitting a tender, an e tendering supplier guide has been produced which will help tenderers through completing a tender submission using our Proactis Plaza system.
Timeline
2 Mar 2026 → 18 Jan 2027 · 8 dates- Planning notice published232 days ago2 Mar 2026, 13:54 GMT
- Market engagement207 days ago26 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
Caerphilly County Borough Council is undertaking preliminary market engagement with suitable providers who are passionate about supporting disabled people, individuals with health conditions, and people facing complex barriers. The Council is looking to commission services that offer Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) delivery, designed to support individuals facing complex disabilities, long‑term health conditions, social, emotional, or environmental barriers. Participants of the programme must be working age, eligible, and suitable for the provision. Connect to Work delivers the evidence‑based “place, train, and maintain” Supported Employment model.
Caerphilly County Borough Council is interested in providers that can demonstrate:
- Proven expertise and experience delivering SEQF or similar Supported Employment models and related fidelity assurance
- Capacity to deliver intensive, high‑fidelity support
- Strong understanding of participant needs, including those with complex barriers
- Established employer links and knowledge of local labour market conditions
- Skilled Employment Specialists experienced in SEQF delivery
- Ability to meet fidelity and performance requirements with robust governance
- Commitment to person‑centred, strengths‑based approaches
This is an opportunity to work in close partnership with the Council to co-design and deliver services that make a real difference. The Council wants to collaborate with service providers who share our commitment to inclusive, responsive, and empowering support for disabled people, individuals with health conditions, and people facing complex barriers who are currently outside the labour market.
This Supplier Engagement aims to:
- Assess the capacity, expertise, and readiness of potential programme providers.
- Shape future commissioning and procurement activity.
- Support the design of a high‑fidelity, high‑quality local delivery model.
- Engage with potential programme providers early to ensure clarity of expectations and standards.
If your organisation is interested, please can you express an interest for the preliminary supplier engagement as per the guidance set out below ;
The Council is holding a preliminary supplier engagement event on Wednesday 18 March 2026 at 10:00 Hours on Microsoft Teams.
To register an interest Service Providers must send their request via email to [email protected].
All requests must be received by 15:00 hours Monday 16 March 2026.
Please note that this notice is not a contract notice for a call for competition, it is to advise the market of the Councils intention to visit the market for such services and to commence preliminary market engagement. Full details of the service specification shall be issued with the call for competition and fully detailed in the tender documents.
- Next notice expected187 days ago16 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice published12 days ago8 Oct 2026, 11:39 BST
- Today20 Oct 2026
- Clarification questions byin 7 days27 Oct 2026, 17:00 GMT
- Submission deadlinein 14 days3 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Award decision expected byin 56 days14 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 90 days18 Jan 2027
Notice history
6 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 2 Mar 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published2 Mar 2026, 13:54 GMTUK2
- Tender notice published8 Oct 2026, 11:39 BSTUK4
- Published value updated to £1,034,0838 Oct 2026, 11:39 BSTwas £998,518
- Status changed to active8 Oct 2026, 11:39 BST
- Procurement method changed8 Oct 2026, 11:39 BST
- Deadline published: 3 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT8 Oct 2026, 11:39 BST
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 (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender