Official UK procurement notice
SCC-JM Independent Expert Assessment Service DPS
Authority: Surrey County Council (Local council)
What is being bought3 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionSurrey County Council (SCC) wishes to establish a ‘Light Touch’ Dynamic Purchasing
System (DPS) for the supply of services in respect of Independent Expert Assessment
Services for an initial period of 3 years + with optional further extension provisions for an
additional 2 years (total term of 5 years).
The contract is divided into 3 Lots and sub-lots under Lot 1:
Lot 1: Assessments Completed by Expert Witnesses
- Lot 1a: Assessments completed by Independent Social Workers (ISWs)
- Lot 1b: Assessments completed Psychologists
- Lot 1c: Assessments completed by Psychiatrists
- Lot 1d: Assessments completed by All Other Experts
Lot 2: Special Guardianship Order (SGO) Assessments
Lot 3: Multi-disciplinary / Community Assessments
Bidders are invited to apply for one lot or sub-lot or multiple lots or sub-lot(s)
CPV: Health and social work services · Social work and related services
How this dynamic market works
From the published notice- Type
- Dynamic market
Lots and requirements (3)Procurement structure
3 lots · no lot values publishedLot #1Assessments Completed by Expert WitnessesRenewal
Expert Witnesses are required to provide high quality, evidence based assessments and reports for children, adolescents, and adults to help inform child protection and care planning decision-making.
This Lot 1 is further divided into sub-lots:
Lot 1a: Assessments completed by Independent Social Workers (ISWs)
Lot 1b: Assessments completed Psychologists
Lot 1c: Assessments completed by Psychiatrists
Lot 1d: Assessments completed by All Other Experts
Lot #2Special Guardianship Order (SGO) AssessmentsRenewal
Qualified Social Workers are required to undertake high quality, evidence-based Special Guardianship Order (SGO) Assessments on behalf of SCC, in locations across the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). Assessments are to be conducted professionally, sensitively and in a timely fashion, in line with the Family Justice Council: Best Practice Guidance: SGOs (2021) , SCC SGO policy and guidance (2023) and Friends and Family policy (2022)
Lot #3Multi-disciplinary / Community AssessmentsRenewal
This service may be requested by the court with a stipulated package of support undertaken in the family home and / or in the family’s local community, over a period of an agreed number of weeks.
The support may include regular planned appointments and observations over a number weeks in the community, or may involve a more intensive home based 24 hour a day, 7 days a week observations, monitoring and support, from a highly skilled team supporting the family. This lot may require a bespoke assessment, which enables opportunities for families to remain together during the assessment period in their own homes, when it is seemed safe and appropriate.
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).
- Staff
- Names and qualifications of delivery staff must be submitted
- “SCC-JM Independent Expert Assessment Service DPS” 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 Surrey County Council buys Health and social work services (CPV 85), and who usually turns up
Surrey 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 South East England.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners are registered outside South East 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 26 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.
Both shares are minimums: 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 bid0% / 5%
2–33% / 6%
4–63% / 16%
7+93% / 72%
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 #1Assessments Completed by Expert WitnessesEstimate not published
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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 bid0%
2–31%
4–61%
7+98%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EmpowerEd Education (Empower Knowledge Ltd)Worked for this buyer | SCC Independent Alternative Provision Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for children and young people with additional needs and disabilities - Admission Round 4notice published May 2026 | Lot 3: Specialist Teachers | — | Similar wording and category |
| Barnardo Services LimitedWorked for this buyer | SCC DW - Family Centres and Family Resilience Servicesnotice published Apr 2024 | Lot 11 - Tandridge | — | Similar wording and category |
| YMCA East SurreyWorked for this buyer | SCC DW - Family Centres and Family Resilience Servicesnotice published Apr 2024 | Lot 8 - Mole Valley | — | Similar wording and category |
| SpurgeonsWorked for this buyer | SCC DW - Family Centres and Family Resilience Servicesnotice published Apr 2024 | Lot 6 - Elmbridge | — | Similar wording and category |
| Guildford NurseryWorked for this buyer | SCC DW - Family Centres and Family Resilience Servicesnotice published Apr 2024 | Lot 3 - Guildford | — | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
Family ActionLarge | £25m38 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 21 live · £22m 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=12 |
| £48m27 awards in 36m · last 4 months ago | 5 live · £2.2m 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=17 | |
Affinity TrustLarge | £15m9 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 2 live · £21m 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=3 |
| £4.7m2 awards in 36m · last 6 months ago | 2 live · £4.7m 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=2 | |
| £13m13 awards in 36m · last 4 months ago | 8 live · £8.9m 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=13 |
Lot #2Special Guardianship Order (SGO) AssessmentsEstimate not published
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 bid0%
2–31%
4–62%
7+97%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EmpowerEd Education (Empower Knowledge Ltd)Worked for this buyer | SCC Independent Alternative Provision Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for children and young people with additional needs and disabilities - Admission Round 4notice published May 2026 | Lot 3: Specialist Teachers | — | Similar wording and category |
| Barnardo Services LimitedWorked for this buyer | SCC DW - Family Centres and Family Resilience Servicesnotice published Apr 2024 | Lot 11 - Tandridge | — | Similar wording and category |
| YMCA East SurreyWorked for this buyer | SCC DW - Family Centres and Family Resilience Servicesnotice published Apr 2024 | Lot 8 - Mole Valley | — | Similar wording and category |
| Guildford NurseryWorked for this buyer | SCC DW - Family Centres and Family Resilience Servicesnotice published Apr 2024 | Lot 3 - Guildford | — | Similar wording and category |
| SpurgeonsWorked for this buyer | SCC DW - Family Centres and Family Resilience Servicesnotice published Apr 2024 | Lot 6 - Elmbridge | — | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £95m8 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 3 live · £79m 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=4 | |
| £48m27 awards in 36m · last 4 months ago | 5 live · £2.2m 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=17 | |
Affinity TrustLarge | £15m9 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 2 live · £21m 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=3 |
| £20k1 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 1 live · £20k 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. | 2% below n=2 | |
| £236k5 awards in 36m · last 9 months ago | None on file | 5% below n=2 |
Lot #3Multi-disciplinary / Community AssessmentsEstimate not published
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 bid0%
2–31%
4–61%
7+98%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EmpowerEd Education (Empower Knowledge Ltd)Worked for this buyer | SCC Independent Alternative Provision Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for children and young people with additional needs and disabilities - Admission Round 4notice published May 2026 | Lot 3: Specialist Teachers | — | Similar wording and category |
| Barnardo Services LimitedWorked for this buyer | SCC DW - Family Centres and Family Resilience Servicesnotice published Apr 2024 | Lot 11 - Tandridge | — | Similar wording and category |
| Millbrook Healthcare LimitedWorked for this buyer | SCC WT Community Equipment Servicesnotice published Nov 2021 | — | — | Similar wording and category |
| SpurgeonsWorked for this buyer | SCC DW - Family Centres and Family Resilience Servicesnotice published Apr 2024 | Lot 6 - Elmbridge | — | Similar wording and category |
| YMCA East SurreyWorked for this buyer | SCC DW - Family Centres and Family Resilience Servicesnotice published Apr 2024 | Lot 8 - Mole Valley | — | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £95m8 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 3 live · £79m 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=4 | |
| £48m27 awards in 36m · last 4 months ago | 5 live · £2.2m 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=17 | |
Affinity TrustLarge | £15m9 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 2 live · £21m 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=3 |
SpurgeonsLarge | £7.8m2 awards in 36m · last 19 months ago | None on file | at estimate n=1 |
| £4k2 awards in 36m · last 9 months ago | None on file | no comparable pairs |
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
- Restricted procedure
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Open admission
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- 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
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Yes
- First published
- 9 Apr 2024, 16:18 BST
- Last source update
- 5 Jul 2024, 11:52 BST
- Authority reference
DN2603- FTS notice number
2024/S 000-020562- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0450cfFind a Tender
How to participate & submission route
Official notice Apply via ProContract (Due North)- Requests to participate (first stage)
- —
- Admission period ends
- 31 Jul 2029, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- —
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
5 Jul 2024 → 31 Jul 2029 · 2 dates- Notice published5 Jul 2024, 11:52 BST
- Today22 Oct 2026
- Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown31 Jul 2029, 12:00 BST
Notice history
2 releases on Find a TenderPublished amendments (1 · 1 deadline change)
| When | What | Before | After | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | DeadlineIV.2.2 | 15 May 2024 | 31 Jul 2029 | +1903 d |
1 amendment published without a description.
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
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- High CourtReview body
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice; the tender pack is on the portal.