Coming up· published 23 Jul 2025
Provision of the Connect to Work Programme In Herefordshire - - Market Engagement RFI
Herefordshire Council · Shropshire, West Midlands
Herefordshire Council is planning Provision of the Connect to Work Programme In Herefordshire - - Market Engagement RFI. It is a contract for other health and social care in Shropshire.
Source: Find a Tender, published 23 Jul 2025. Details are refreshed every 30 minutes.
Key dates
2025
Pipeline notice published
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice · 15:24
View notice2025
Tender notice expected
Date given in the buyer's earlier notice
2026
Contract starts
Next
2026
Contract ends
1 year after it starts
About this tender
In brief
Herefordshire Council is planning Provision of the Connect to Work Programme In Herefordshire - - Market Engagement RFI. It is a contract for other health and social care in Shropshire. The buyer has published an early notice. It gives providers time to prepare before the tender opens. The contract runs from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026. It lasts 1 year.
The buyer marks it as suitable for SMEs and VCSEs. Find a Tender published it on 23 July 2025. The notice number is 042497-2025. The OCDS ID is ocds-h6vhtk-0564db. Bids are made through the buyer's ProContract portal.
Summary of the contracting process
Herefordshire Council, in collaboration with Shropshire Council, has initiated a public procurement process under the planning stage for the "Provision of the Connect to Work Programme in Herefordshire - Market Engagement RFI". This procurement falls under the services category and is primarily focused on job search, career guidance, education and training, and social services, aiming to support disabled and economically inactive individuals.
The procurement process is currently in the planning stage, with the deadline for responses set for 6th August 2025. The programme will be executed in the region of Herefordshire (UKG11) and is anticipated to support up to 599 residents over five years, starting from January 2026.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are encouraged to participate, with the procurement method offering two distinct lots: Individual Placement and Support and Local Supported Employment Services.
The notice in full
Herefordshire Council is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) for the purpose of establishing whether there are any organisations that are interested in delivering the Connect to Work programme in Herefordshire. Connect to Work is a new employment programme, funded by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). The programme will primarily support people who are disabled and economically inactive.
It will focus on vocational profiling, early engagement with employers and supporting people into work quickly. Ongoing support is then provided to the participant and their employer to help sustain them in work. The programme also involves flexibility to support adults at risk of unemployment due to complex needs to be supported to sustain and improve their employment.
Herefordshire Council will be working in partnership with Shropshire Council (who is the Accountable Body for the Marches geographic area responsible for Connect to Work) on the commissioning, implementation and management of this exciting programme which will support up to 599 residents in Herefordshire over the expected 5-year programme (subject to government spending reviews).
There will be 2 Lots: Lot 1 - Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Lot 2 - Local Supported Employment Services (SEQF) Our ambition is to deliver this programme in partnership with one high-quality provider for each Lot who can meet set annual targets for supporting economically inactive adults across Herefordshire into work delivering the IPS and SEQF elements of the programme.
We anticipate contracts will be awarded and commence from December 2025 with service commencement (referrals and starts on programme) from January 2026. For this RFI, we are keen hear from providers who have previously or are currently delivering supported employment programmes and those interested in supporting the delivery of Connect to Work. Closing date for responses: Wednesday 06 August 2025 at 12:00
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 health and social care
- Procurement type
- Standard
- Category
- Services
- Contract period
- 1 Jan 2026 to 31 Dec 2026 (1 year)
- 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
- 042497-2025
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-0564db
- CPV code
- 79611000 - Job search services; 79634000 - Career guidance services; 80000000 - Education and training services; 85300000 - Social work and related services; 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services
- CPV division
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security; 80 - Education and training services; 85 - Health and social work services; 98 - Other community, social and personal services
Location
- Local authority
- Shropshire
- Town
- Hereford
- Postcode
- HR4 0LE
- Electoral ward
- Porthill
- Constituency
- Shrewsbury
- Delivery area
- Herefordshire, County of
- Region
- West Midlands
- Sub-region
- Shropshire
- Area
- Shropshire and Staffordshire
- Country
- England
Buyer
Contracting authority
- Organisation
- Herefordshire Council
- Category
- Services
- Address
- Hereford, HR4 0LE · West Midlands · England
Not stated in the notice: contact, phone.
Documents and links
- Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tenderfind-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/042497-2025
- Legislation.gov.uklegislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- ProContract portal, to register and bidsupplyingthesouthwest.org.uk
- OCDS record ocds-h6vhtk-0564db (JSON)find-tender.service.gov.uk/api/1.0/ocdsReleasePackages/ocds-h…
Questions about this tender
When will the Provision of the Connect to Work Programme In Herefordshire - - Market… tender open?
Herefordshire 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 Provision of the Connect to Work Programme In Herefordshire - - Market… contract?
The contract runs from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026 (1 year).
Who is the buyer for Provision of the Connect to Work Programme In Herefordshire - - Market…?
Herefordshire Council, based in Shropshire, West Midlands.
How do I bid for Provision of the Connect to Work Programme In Herefordshire - - Market…?
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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