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Coming up· published 9 Nov 2025

Soft Market Test for Respite Service Solutions

Sheffield City Council · Sheffield, Yorkshire and the Humber

Sheffield City Council is planning Soft Market Test for Respite Service Solutions. It is a contract for other health and social care in Sheffield.

Get help with this bidView the official noticeOCDS data

Source: Find a Tender, published 10 Nov 2025. Details are refreshed every 30 minutes.

Key dates

  1. 2025

    Pipeline notice published

    UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice · 17:30

    View notice

  2. 2026

    Tender notice expected

    Date given in the buyer's earlier notice

  3. 2026

    Contract starts

  4. Next

    2030

    Contract ends

    4 years after it starts

01

About this tender

In brief

Sheffield City Council is planning Soft Market Test for Respite Service Solutions. It is a contract for other health and social care in Sheffield. The buyer has published an early notice. It gives providers time to prepare before the tender opens. The estimated value is £1,200,000. The contract runs from 12 September 2026 to 11 September 2030. It lasts 4 years.

The buyer marks it as suitable for SMEs and VCSEs. Find a Tender published it on 10 November 2025. The notice number is 072570-2025. The OCDS ID is ocds-h6vhtk-05de1d. Bids are made through the buyer's EU-Supply portal.

Summary of the contracting process

Sheffield City Council is currently in the planning stage of a procurement process titled "Soft Market Test for Respite Service Solutions" under the industry category of Health and Social Work Services. This procurement is part of the sub-central government's activities and is located in Sheffield, United Kingdom. The official milestone for this market engagement is scheduled for completion by 8th December 2025.

The procurement process is in the form of a soft market test to uncover innovative respite service solutions, with an estimated contract value of £1.2 million, set to commence by 12th September 2026 and run until 11th September 2030. Interested parties should be aware that the process follows the 'light touch' procurement regime, with future notices expected on 1st April 2026.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as well as voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs), are particularly well-suited to participate, given the contract's suitability criteria for these organisations. This engagement allows for early collaboration and exchange of ideas with the city council, providing a unique platform to influence the services.

The notice in full

Sheffield City Council's is conducting this soft market test to identify and explore innovative approaches to respite provision.

Lots: no lot details came through with this notice. The official notice and the tender pack have the full breakdown.

02

Key facts

Every field the notice carries. Anything it leaves blank is listed under its table.

Contract

Service
Other
Procurement type
Standard
Category
Services
Contract period
12 Sep 2026 to 11 Sep 2030 (4 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
EU-Supply

Not stated in the notice: procurement method, awardee scale.

Values

Tender value
£1,200,000

Not stated in the notice: lots value, awards value, contracts value.

Status

Tender
Planning
Lots
Planning

Not stated in the notice: awards, contracts.

References

Find a Tender notice
072570-2025
Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05de1d
CPV code
85000000 - Health and social work services
CPV division
85 - Health and social work services
03

Location

Sheffield City Council is based in Sheffield. The area the service covers can be wider, so check the notice and the lots.
Local authority
Sheffield
Town
Sheffield
Postcode
S1 2HH
Electoral ward
City
Constituency
Sheffield Central
Region
Yorkshire and the Humber
Sub-region
Sheffield
Area
South Yorkshire
Country
England
04

Buyer

Contracting authority

Organisation
Sheffield City Council
Category
Services
Contact
Shaheen Choudhry
Phone
+44 1142053646
Address
Sheffield, S1 2HH · Yorkshire and the Humber · England
Call +44 1142053646
05

Documents and links

Official sources for this notice. The tender pack itself sits on the buyer's portal.
06

Questions about Soft Market Test for Respite Service Solutions

When will the Soft Market Test for Respite Service Solutions tender open?

Sheffield City 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 much is the Soft Market Test for Respite Service Solutions contract worth?

The estimated value is £1,200,000. The contract runs from 12 September 2026 to 11 September 2030 (4 years).

Who is the buyer for Soft Market Test for Respite Service Solutions?

Sheffield City Council, based in Sheffield, Yorkshire and the Humber. The named contact is Shaheen Choudhry, on +44 1142053646.

How do I bid for Soft Market Test for Respite Service Solutions?

Register on the buyer's EU-Supply 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

  1. Read the early notice in full.
  2. Answer any market engagement questions.
  3. Gather your evidence and case studies now.
  4. Check your policies are up to date.
  5. Watch for the tender notice.
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