Coming up· published 4 Aug 2025
Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service (MDRS)
Cheshire East Council · Cheshire East, North West
Cheshire East Council is planning Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service (MDRS). It is a contract for other health and social care in Cheshire East.
Source: Find a Tender, published 4 Aug 2025. Details are refreshed every 30 minutes.
Key dates
2025
Pipeline notice published
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice · 14:43
View notice2025
Tender notice expected
Date given in the buyer's earlier notice
2026
Contract starts
Next
2029
Contract ends
3 years after it starts
About this tender
In brief
Cheshire East Council is planning Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service (MDRS). It is a contract for other health and social care in Cheshire East. The buyer has published an early notice. It gives providers time to prepare before the tender opens. The contract runs from 31 March 2026 to 31 March 2029. It lasts 3 years.
The buyer marks it as suitable for SMEs and VCSEs. Find a Tender published it on 4 August 2025. The notice number is 045729-2025. The OCDS ID is ocds-h6vhtk-058083. Bids are made through the buyer's ProContract portal.
Summary of the contracting process
Cheshire East Council is in the planning stage of a procurement process for the Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service (MDRS), a statutory service under the Children and Families Act 2014. The council, located in Crewe, United Kingdom, has initiated a soft market testing survey to gauge provider interest in delivering this service.
This engagement revolves around the special education needs (SEN) and involves social work and related services, classified under CPV code 85300000. Responses to the survey are required by 22nd August 2025, and a future notice is anticipated by 1st October 2025. The procurement involves a light-touch regime and setting aside opportunities for SMEs and VCSEs, aiming for a contract period commencement on 1st April 2026.
Engaging with Cheshire East Council during this planning phase could open doors for long-term collaborative partnerships, especially given the contract’s potential extension to 2031, allowing for stability and growth in service delivery. Suitability conditions favour SMEs and VCSEs, making it an accessible opportunity for smaller or socially-focused enterprises.
The notice in full
Mediation service to support children, young people and their parent/carers with mediation and dispute resolution in relation to special education needs (SEN) issues, including where Education, Health and Care Plans assessed by the Council and its key partners are contested by the young person and their parent/carer.
Cheshire East Council is conducting a soft market testing survey to gauge interest from providers in delivering our Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service (MDRS), a statutory requirement under the Children and Families Act 2014. Cheshire East Council has successfully commissioned a Mediation and Dispute Resolution Service (MDRS) since 2015. We are now exploring options for potential recommissioning and invite feedback from the market through this soft market testing survey.
While no final decision has been made regarding the timing or progression of the procurement, your input will be valuable in shaping our approach. Please note that participation in this survey does not imply any commitment from either party, and the procurement may be delayed or terminated depending on future developments. However, gathering insights now will provide a strong foundation should we proceed at a later stage.
This questionnaire aims to gather the thoughts and experiences of providers who may be interested in our proposed recommissioning. The deadline for questionnaire responses is: Friday 22nd August 2025. Please upload your response to the Chest by the specified deadline.
Chest Ref: DN785358 You can access and provide your feedback using the link below procontract.due-north.com/RFx/RFxSummary
Lots: no lot details came through with this notice. The official notice and the tender pack have the full breakdown.
Key facts
Contract
- Service
- Other
- Procurement type
- Standard
- Category
- Services
- Contract period
- 31 Mar 2026 to 31 Mar 2029 (3 years)
- Suitable for
- Small and medium sized businesses (SMEs); Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs)
Procedure
- Notice type
- UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
- Current stage
- Planning
- Stages so far
- Planning
- Published on
- Find a Tender Service
- Buyer's portal
- ProContract
Not stated in the notice: procurement method, awardee scale.
Values
Not stated in the notice: tender value, lots value, awards value, contracts value.
Status
- Tender
- Planning
- Lots
- Planning
Not stated in the notice: awards, contracts.
References
- Find a Tender notice
- 045729-2025
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-058083
- CPV code
- 85300000 - Social work and related services
- CPV division
- 85 - Health and social work services
Location
- Local authority
- Cheshire East
- Town
- Crewe
- Postcode
- CW1 2JZ
- Electoral ward
- Crewe Central
- Constituency
- Crewe and Nantwich
- Delivery area
- Cheshire
- Region
- North West
- Sub-region
- Cheshire East
- Area
- Cheshire
- Country
- England
Buyer
Contracting authority
- Organisation
- Cheshire East Council
- Category
- Services
- Address
- Crewe, CW1 2JZ · North West · England
Not stated in the notice: contact, phone.
Documents and links
- Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tenderfind-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045729-2025
- Procontract.due-north.comprocontract.due-north.com/RFx/RFxSummary
- Legislation.gov.uklegislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- OCDS record ocds-h6vhtk-058083 (JSON)find-tender.service.gov.uk/api/1.0/ocdsReleasePackages/ocds-h…
Questions about Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service (MDRS)
When will the Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service (MDRS) tender open?
Cheshire East Council has not yet given a date for the tender notice. An early notice is the time to answer any market engagement questions and gather the evidence a bid will need.
How long is the Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service (MDRS) contract?
The contract runs from 31 March 2026 to 31 March 2029 (3 years).
Who is the buyer for Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service (MDRS)?
Cheshire East Council, based in Cheshire East, North West.
How do I bid for Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service (MDRS)?
Register on the buyer's ProContract portal, download the tender pack and check every condition of participation before you start writing. The buyer has marked it as suitable for SMEs and VCSEs. Care Sync Experts writes and reviews care tender bids from £1,500 + VAT.
Want help winning this tender?
We write and review care tender bids: quality answers, case studies and social value, checked against how the buyer scores before you submit.
What to do next
- Read the early notice in full.
- Answer any market engagement questions.
- Gather your evidence and case studies now.
- Check your policies are up to date.
- Watch for the tender notice.
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