Official UK procurement notice
Connect to Work · Norfolk County Council (Sept 2025)
Authority: Norfolk County Council (Local council)
What is being bought6 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThe Get Britain Working White Paper - GOV.UK, released in November 2024, introduced
the key supported employment programme Connect to Work, which aims to help eligible
individuals secure sustainable, long-term employment. Currently, it is estimated that there
are about 3 million economically inactive people in the UK, of whom 1.9million people
would like to work, but require support to do so. Norfolk County Council is expected to
support 1200 individuals (annually in peak years) at an anticipated and average cost of
£3.6million per year, delivered over an initial three-year period, with the opportunity to
extend to 4.5 years. Connect to Work will help connect local work, health and skills
support and help eligible participants to secure sustainable work through a voluntary
supported employment model, adhering to Individual Placement & Support (IPS) and
Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF) frameworks. Through this, Connect to
Work will expand the use of the proven five stage Supported Employment model of 'place,
train and maintain'
CPV: Job search services · Other community, social and personal services · Recruitment services · Services furnished by business, professional and specialist organisations
Lots and requirements (6)Procurement structure
6 lots · all with a published value (£8,804,400 together) · win at most 2 of them · same conditions of participation on every lot · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #11AwardedRenewalPublished value£606,100
North Norfolk
- Economic & financial standing
Form B & Form C in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
- Technical & professional ability
Form F in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
Lot #22AwardedRenewalPublished value£1,516,700
Breckland
- Economic & financial standing
Form B & Form C in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
- Technical & professional ability
Form F in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
Lot #33AwardedRenewalPublished value£1,215,100
Broadland & South Norfolk
- Economic & financial standing
Form B & Form C in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
- Technical & professional ability
Form F in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
Lot #44AwardedRenewalPublished value£1,516,700
King’s Lynn & West Norfolk
- Economic & financial standing
Form B & Form C in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
- Technical & professional ability
Form F in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
Lot #55AwardedRenewalPublished value£1,821,200
Great Yarmouth
- Economic & financial standing
Form B & Form C in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
- Technical & professional ability
Form F in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
Lot #66AwardedRenewalPublished value£2,128,600
Norwich
- Economic & financial standing
Form B & Form C in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
- Technical & professional ability
Form F in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
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 sub-criteria (5)
- F1.1 The Service: 20%
- F1.2 Participant Engagement: 25%
- F1.3 Stakeholder Engagement/Local Integration: 25%
- F1.4 Project implementation and Performance: 20%
- F1.5 Social Value: 10%
Published award criteria (5)
- F1.1 The Service: Please describe how you propose to deliver this service in line with • the IPS fidelity requirements set out in Annex 2a to the Service Specification, • the Service Specification as a whole, and • the eight key principles of delivery described therein, and • how you will deliver it across the delivery area of each lot you are applying for (max 2 lots). The maximum size of the response to this question is 2500 words. Any responses or that limit will not be assessed. Only the part up to 2500 words will be assessed.
- F1.2 Participant Engagement : Participants of this programme may face multiple inequalities. Organisations will need to take equality into consideration and demonstrate how they will engage with residents often most disadvantaged within communities. Please describe how you will effectively engage with the eligible cohorts in the locality, in your service providing support and access to the programme. Please describe the screening process you will undertake of Participants including timescales, how you will ensure that Participants are suitable for triage referral and potential entry to the programme. Please outline your knowledge of the barriers faced by the eligible cohorts within the Locality or Localities you are applying for, outlining your proposed methods to reduce/remove these and the resident's entry to the programme. Please include in your response the participant journey and the local, accessible services that will be involved in that journey. (The maximum size of the response to this question is 2500 words. Any responses or that limit will not be assessed. Only the part up to 2500 words will be assessed.)
- F1.3 Stakeholder Engagement/Local Integration : Please describe how you will engage with the key stakeholders in the Locality or Localities for your which your applying, ensuring referral routes and any additional support measures are available to participants. Recognising community networks as critical to providing wrap around support for residents and working collaboratively with new & existing community groups - please outline your considerations to the key services /organisations currently available in the Locality. In building effective links between communities and local opportunities including specialist support, training, volunteering, and work placements - Please describe how you will integrate Connect to Work provision in the Locality, ensuring the fullest opportunity for resident access. Please outline how the CtW provision might support other Health, VCSE & Community organisations in the Locality, providing guided routes to employment for participants and the sharing of best collaborative practice in the geography. Please describe your current provision and in-situ partnerships in the locality – outlining your present opportunity on which to develop the above. The maximum size of the response to this question is 2500 words. Any responses or that limit will not be assessed. Only the part up to 2500 words will be assessed.
- F1.4 Project implementation and Performance : Please describe how you will ready the service for start on 1 October 2025, allowing for staff training, and provide a project plan highlighting key dates, dependencies and milestones, and any mobilisation support you will require from NCC staff. Please also describe how you propose to support the required number of Participants in the time provided by the funding. Please describe how and when you will monitor the performance of the contract and the reporting that you will provide on outcomes of the interventions. The maximum size of the response to this question is 2500 words. Any responses or that limit will not be assessed. Only the part up to 2500 words will be assessed.
- F1.5 Social Value : Please provide a method statement as to how you will provide social value and impact from the Locality/s provision. In line with DWP priorities we would anticipate the Tackling of Economic Inactivity and provision of Equal Opportunities to be key social value aims. The maximum size of the response to this question is 2500 words. Any responses or that limit will not be assessed. Only the part up to 2500 words will be assessed.
- Economic & financial standing
Form B & Form C in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
- Technical & professional ability
Form F in the Invitation to Tender (ITT)
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
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA, CPTPP)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 10 Sept 2025, 14:36 BST
- Last source update
- 4 Dec 2025, 08:20 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 23 Aug 2025
- Authority reference
NCCT43197- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-034804- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area in notice
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-052828Find a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 30 Jul 2025, 00:59 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
All correspondence and clarifications regarding the procurement should go through In-Tend: in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc ↗
Timeline
28 May 2025 → 4 Dec 2025 · 10 dates- Planning notice published28 May 2025, 15:33 BST
- Market engagement13 Jun 2025, 00:59 BST
This procurement will be managed electronically via the Council`s e-procurement system. To participate in this procurement and gain access to documents when they are available, applicants must first be registered on the system at intendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc ↗.
Once registered you will be able to see the procurement project under the `tenders` section and `express an interest` in this tender. To express an interest prospective applicants must register for the event through the link provided: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/ea68e4a8-b59f-… ↗
If you encounter any difficulties whilst using the system you can contact the In-tend support team by phoning +44 8442728810 or e-mailing [email protected]
A market engagement webinar, which will be conducted via Microsoft Teams, is taking place on 16 June 2025 14:00 – 16:00pm
- Tender notice published24 Jun 2025, 15:30 BST
- Next notice expected25 Jun 2025, 00:59 BST
- Submission deadline30 Jul 2025, 00:59 BST
- Award decision expected by23 Aug 2025, 00:59 BST
- Contract starts25 Aug 2025
- Assessment summaries sent10 Sept 2025, 00:00 BST
- Standstill ends392 days ago19 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
- Latest notice published316 days ago4 Dec 2025, 08:20 GMT
Notice history
6 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 28 May 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published28 May 2025, 15:33 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published24 Jun 2025, 15:30 BSTUK4
- Tender notice published25 Jun 2025, 12:10 BSTUK4
- Contract award notice published10 Sept 2025, 14:36 BSTUK6
- Contract signature expected20 Sept 2025, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published4 Dec 2025, 08:20 GMTUK7
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 2 · 21 award | |||
| Seetec Business Technology Centre LimitedConnect to Work Lot 2 Breckland1 Nov 2025 – 30 Mar 2030 | £1,516,700 | 8 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
| Lot 3 · 31 award | |||
| Norfolk and Waveney MindSMEConnect to Work Lot 3 Broadland & South Norfolk1 Nov 2025 – 30 Mar 2030 | £1,215,100 | 8 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
| Lot 4 · 41 award | |||
| Standguide LimitedConnect to Work Lot 4 King's Lynn & West Norfolk1 Nov 2025 – 30 Mar 2030 | £1,516,700 | 8 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
| Lot 5 · 51 award | |||
| The Shaw Trust LimitedVCSEConnect to Work Lot 5 Great Yarmouth1 Nov 2025 – 30 Mar 2030 | £1,821,200 | 8 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
| Across several lots1 award | |||
| The NR5 ProjectSMEConnect to Work Lot 1 North Norfolk & Lot 6 Norwich1 Nov 2025 – 30 Mar 2030 | £2,734,700 | 8 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
Contracts
Lot 3 Broadland & South Norfolk · Norfolk and Waveney MindSME
- Signed
- 19 Nov 2025
- Value
- £1,215,100
- Period
- 19 Nov 2025 – 30 Mar 2030
- Status
- active
No agreed KPIs: Contract not over £5m including VAT.
Lot 4 King's Lynn & West Norfolk · Standguide Limited
- Signed
- 19 Nov 2025
- Value
- £1,516,700
- Period
- 19 Nov 2025 – 30 Mar 2030
- Status
- active
No agreed KPIs: Contract is not over £5m including VAT.
Lot 1 North Norfolk & Lot 6 Norwich · The NR5 ProjectSME
- Signed
- 19 Nov 2025
- Value
- £2,734,700
- Period
- 19 Nov 2025 – 30 Mar 2030
- Status
- active
No agreed KPIs: Contract value is less than £5m including VAT.
Lot 2 Breckland · Seetec Business Technology Centre Limited
- Signed
- 19 Nov 2025
- Value
- £1,516,700
- Period
- 19 Nov 2025 – 30 Mar 2030
- Status
- active
No agreed KPIs: Contract value is not over £5m including VAT
Lot 5 Great Yarmouth · The Shaw Trust LimitedVCSE
- Signed
- 19 Nov 2025
- Value
- £1,821,200
- Period
- 19 Nov 2025 – 30 Mar 2030
- Status
- active
No agreed KPIs: Contract is under £5m including VAT.
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · 1 | 2final-stage tenders | 0 | 2 | — |
| 2 · 2 | 6final-stage tenders · 7 at stage one | 2 | 4 | — |
| 3 · 3 | 2final-stage tenders | 0 | 1 | — |
| 4 · 4 | 5final-stage tenders · 7 at stage one | 1 | 3 | — |
| 5 · 5 | 6final-stage tenders · 7 at stage one | 2 | 1 | — |
| 6 · 6 | 7final-stage tenders | 1 | 3 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
5 commercial parties on the notice- NORFOLK AND WAVENEY MINDAwarded supplier
- SEETEC BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY CENTRE LIMITEDAwarded supplier
- SHAW TRUST LIMITED(THE)Awarded supplier
- STANDGUIDE LIMITEDAwarded supplier
- THE NR5 PROJECTAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (29)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specifications Annex 09
- Bidding documents and specifications Annex 10
- Bidding documents and specifications Appendix A
- Bidding documents and specifications ITT for Connect to Work
- Bidding documents and specifications Terms and Conditions
- Bidding documents and specifications Specification
- Bidding documents and specifications Annex 01
- Bidding documents and specifications Annex 02a
Show 8 more documents
- Bidding documents and specifications Annex 02b
- Bidding documents and specifications Annex 02c
- Bidding documents and specifications Annex 03
- Bidding documents and specifications Annex 04
- Bidding documents and specifications Annex 05
- Bidding documents and specifications Annex 06
- Bidding documents and specifications Annex 07
- Bidding documents and specifications Annex 08
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 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
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
Show 5 more notices
- 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
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender