Official UK procurement notice
Manchester Worklessness Programme · UK public procurement notice
Authority: Manchester City Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionManchester City Council (MCC) wishes to commission a service which can meet the following key objectives:
- Reduce the barriers to employment for Manchester residents
- Engage and support people who are not in employment to participate in the labour market
- Support people in work, at risk of falling out of work due to health conditions or disabilities, to remain in employment
- Engage employers to provide meaningful work opportunities
- Deliver a coherent, joined-up local work, health and skills offer
The Manchester Worklessness Programme will be based on the following principles:
- Delivering Making Manchester Fairer
- Targeting support in the right places/neighbourhoods and aligning to Live Well
- Intervening early to prevent unemployment and support those furthest away to move closer to work
- Addressing known inequality of access to good employment for racially minoritised groups
- Strengthening the city's approach to the social model for disability
- Delivering Manchester City of Learning
- Working closely with partnerships to develop an integrated local offer between the provider and grass roots organisations
The Worklessness Programme will deliver a Supported Employment and a wider early medium-intervention Employment Support Service, providing participants with holistic support for their barriers to employment, including health-related concerns.
Delivery will follow a keyworker model, ensuring culturally competent, multidisciplinary support tailored to individual needs. Where required, the provider will work with external partners to deliver specialist interventions, including support for mental health, wellbeing, and English language development.
The service will also act as a triage and referral hub, linking participants to the wider local work and health system. Where needs fall beyond the programme's scope, the keyworker will signpost or refer participants to appropriate local services and follow up to ensure support is received.
Further information is provided in the Specification.
Manchester City Council invites Applications for the provision of the Services, from organisations with relevant experience and ability to demonstrate sufficient capacity for providing the Services.
The Contract will be for an initial term of 26 months. The Council may extend for a further period of time of 12 months.
It is intended for the contract to commence 01 February 2027.
The Council currently has approved funding of approximately £1 million in respect of the initial requirements under this procurement. Therefore, the guaranteed minimum value of the contract is £1 million.
The Council may, subject to governance approvals and the availability of funding, seek to procure additional services of a similar nature during the contract term; it is planned for matched third-party funding from the Greater Manchester Integrated Settlement of c£3m to be potentially added to this tender by October 2026. Should such approvals be obtained for this additional funding, the total value of the contract may increase to an estimated maximum value of approximately £4 million.
Bidders should note that the Council gives no guarantee that any expenditure above the currently approved funding level will be commissioned. Any additional requirements will be subject to separate internal approvals and budget availability. Tenderers should therefore not rely on the Council exercising any option to increase expenditure beyond the currently approved requirement.
The Council will assess bidders on their ability to perform the contract as advertised, including the potential requirement to deliver services with an estimated maximum contract value of approximately £4 million.
It is envisaged that the contract will be awarded to one (1) lead provider or consortium.
- How the procedure runs: This Procurement is being conducted in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 and Procurement Regulations 2024, using the Competitive Flexible Procedure. The documentation published with this opportunity describes how the procurement will be conducted, including details of the associated procurement timetable and award criteria (for both participation and tender) and how to respond to this opportunity. Suppliers are strongly encouraged to read the documentation provided on The Chest, including the appendices and all other documentation published as part of this Invitation to Participate and Invitation to Tender (draft) before preparing their submission. Failure to comply with the information in the documentation may result in exclusion from the Procurement and/or the rejection of any submission. This procurement will consist of two stages only: Stage 1 - Invitation to Participate (ITP): Suppliers will be required to complete the Conditions of Participation and Procurement Specific Questionnaire requirements. Responses will be assessed against the published criteria (in the ITP documents) and it is anticipated that up to the five (5) highest-ranked suppliers will be shortlisted. Stage 2 - Invitation to Tender (ITT): Only shortlisted suppliers will be invited to submit a full tender. Tenders will then be evaluated in accordance with the published award criteria (in the ITT documents) to identify the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT). There are no supplementary negotiation or dialogue session activities planned as part of this procurement. Evaluation may include non-scored interviews/clarification meetings with Bidders. As part of the interview/meeting, Bidders may be required to give a presentation on aspects of their Bid. Clarification meetings will be sought from only those bidders whose Bids require clarification. Only those organisations capable of winning the Tender will be invited to attend an interview. The Council reserves the right to clarify responses, where necessary, in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 and the procurement documents. If applicants do not meet the requirements of the PSQ and/or are not shortlisted at Stage 1, they will not be invited to the ITT stage and will be notified that they have been unsuccessful as soon as practically possible after Stage 1 (ITP) has concluded.
CPV: Career guidance services · Job search services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1RenewalPublished value£3,750,000
- Economic & financial standing
Applicants must demonstrate sufficient economic and financial standing to perform the Contract.
The Authority will assess:
- Financial viability based on submitted accounts and/or financial information.
- Appropriate levels of insurance
- Any minimum financial thresholds set out in the procurement documents.
Further details of the assessment methodology and evidence requirements are contained within the tender documents.
In applying the conditions of participation relating to financial standing, the Council will exercise its discretion, in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 and Procurement Regulations 2024, to determine whether a Tenderer's economic and financial standing is suitable.
The Council's assessment will be undertaken on a proportionate and objective basis, having regard to:
- the subject matter, value, complexity and risk profile of the Contract(s);
- the duration of the Contract(s) and any associated financial exposure;
- the information provided by the Applicant in response to the ITP; and
- other relevant information lawfully available to the Authority, including the outcomes of financial checks and analyses described in the ITP
No single element of the financial assessment (including any individual financial ratio, credit indicator, or accounting metric) will necessarily be determinative. The Council reserves the right to take a holistic view of an Applicant's financial standing and its suitability.
The Council may determine that an Applicant satisfies the conditions of participation relating to financial standing where, in the Council's reasonable opinion, the Applicant demonstrates sufficient financial resilience, stability and capacity to perform the Contract, even where:
- individual financial ratios fall outside benchmark ranges;
- there are year‑on‑year fluctuations explained by market conditions, investment activity or corporate restructuring; or
- alternative evidence appropriately mitigates identified financial risks
Conversely, the Council may determine that an Applicant does not satisfy the conditions of participation where the overall assessment indicates an unacceptable level of financial risk.
- Technical & professional ability
Suppliers must demonstrate that they have relevant experience. This will be assessed in line with the information and scoring methodology found in the 'Award Criteria' section within the Invitation to Participate document.
A scored criteria is being utilised on the 'Relevant experience and contract examples' section of the PSQ, suppliers should read the 'Award Criteria' section and the PSQ to understand how to ensure compliance with this section.
Failure to follow the instructions may lead to the Supplier's application being excluded from the procurement.
Exclusion grounds may apply at any point in the procurement process up to the award of contract.
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 (3)
- Quality: 70%
- Social Value: 20%
- Environment: 10%
Published award criteria (3)
- Quality: 5no. quality method statement questions: Q1.1 - Delivery Model (20%) Q1.2 - Mobilisation and Implementation (10%) Q1.3 - Engagement and Partnerships (20%) Q1.4 - Performance and Management (10%) Q1.5 - Scaling and Mobilisation (10%)
- Social Value: 4no. social value method statement questions: Q2.1 - Real Living Wage (Pass/Fail) Q2.2 - Zero Hour Contracts (Pass/Fail) Q2.3 - Good Employment and Fair Work (5%) Q2.4 - Supporting Community Based Organisations (15%)
- Environment: Q3.1 - Zero Carbon and Decarbonisation (10%)
- Economic & financial standing
Applicants must demonstrate sufficient economic and financial standing to perform the Contract.
The Authority will assess:
- Financial viability based on submitted accounts and/or financial information.
- Appropriate levels of insurance
- Any minimum financial thresholds set out in the procurement documents.
Further details of the assessment methodology and evidence requirements are contained within the tender documents.
In applying the conditions of participation relating to financial standing, the Council will exercise its discretion, in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 and Procurement Regulations 2024, to determine whether a Tenderer's economic and financial standing is suitable.
The Council's assessment will be undertaken on a proportionate and objective basis, having regard to:
- the subject matter, value, complexity and risk profile of the Contract(s);
- the duration of the Contract(s) and any associated financial exposure;
- the information provided by the Applicant in response to the ITP; and
- other relevant information lawfully available to the Authority, including the outcomes of financial checks and analyses described in the ITP
No single element of the financial assessment (including any individual financial ratio, credit indicator, or accounting metric) will necessarily be determinative. The Council reserves the right to take a holistic view of an Applicant's financial standing and its suitability.
The Council may determine that an Applicant satisfies th…
- Technical & professional ability
Suppliers must demonstrate that they have relevant experience. This will be assessed in line with the information and scoring methodology found in the 'Award Criteria' section within the Invitation to Participate document.
A scored criteria is being utilised on the 'Relevant experience and contract examples' section of the PSQ, suppliers should read the 'Award Criteria' section and the PSQ to understand how to ensure compliance with this section.
Failure to follow the instructions may lead to the Supplier's application being excluded from the procurement.
Exclusion grounds may apply at any point in the procurement process up to the award of contract.
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
- Closed
- 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
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 17 Jun 2026, 16:58 BST
- Last source update
- 14 Aug 2026, 19:17 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 16 Nov 2026
- Authority reference
P-1629- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-077891- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b780Find a Tender
- How it runs
This Procurement is being conducted in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 and Procurement Regulations 2024, using the Competitive Flexible Procedure. The documentation published with this opportunity describes how the procurement will be conducted, including details of the associated procurement timetable and award criteria (for both participation and tender) and how to respond to this opportunity.
Suppliers are strongly encouraged to read the documentation provided on The Chest, including the appendices and all other documentation published as part of this Invitation to Participate and Invitation to Tender (draft) before preparing their submission. Failure to comply with the information in the documentation may result in exclusion from the Procurement and/or the rejection of any submission.
This procurement will consist of two stages only:
Stage 1 - Invitation to Participate (ITP): Suppliers will be required to complete the Conditions of Participation and Procurement Specific Questionnaire requirements. Responses will be assessed against the published criteria (in the ITP documents) and it is anticipated that up to the five (5) highest-ranked suppliers will be shortlisted.
Stage 2 - Invitation to Tender (ITT): Only shortlisted suppliers will be invited to submit a full tender. Tenders will then be evaluated in accordance with the published award criteria (in the ITT documents) to identify the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT).
There are no supplementary negotiation or dialogue session activities planned as part of this procurement.
Evaluation may include non-scored interviews/clarification meetings with Bidders. As part of the interview/meeting, Bidders may be required to give a presentation on aspects of their Bid. Clarification meetings will be sought from only those bidders whose Bids require clarification. Only those organisations capable of winning the Tender will be invited to attend an interview. The Council reserves the right to clarify responses, where necessary, in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 and the procurement documents.
If applicants do not meet the requirements of the PSQ and/or are not shortlisted at Stage 1, they will not be invited to the ITT stage and will be notified that they have been unsuccessful as soon as practically possible after Stage 1 (ITP) has concluded.
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 16 Sept 2026, 11:00 BST
- Submission deadline
- 16 Sept 2026, 11:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 4 Sept 2026, 17:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
17 Jun 2026 → 1 Feb 2027 · 7 dates- Planning notice published131 days ago17 Jun 2026, 16:58 BST
- Market engagement103 days ago15 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
As part of the preliminary market engagement, the Council will be hosting a market engagement webinar on 1 July, 1-3pm. Tickets for the free webinar can be booked via the following link:
- Tender notice published73 days ago14 Aug 2026, 19:17 BST
- Clarification questions by52 days ago4 Sept 2026, 17:00 BST
- Submission deadline41 days ago16 Sept 2026, 11:00 BST
- Today27 Oct 2026
- Award decision expected byin 20 days16 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 96 days1 Feb 2027
Notice history
5 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 17 Jun 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published17 Jun 2026, 16:58 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published14 Aug 2026, 19:17 BSTUK4
- Published value published: £3,750,00014 Aug 2026, 19:17 BST
- Status changed to active14 Aug 2026, 19:17 BST
- Procurement method changed14 Aug 2026, 19:17 BST
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