Tender guides for decision-makers

Start with the question that is holding up the decision.

Clear, tender-specific guidance for care-provider owners, directors and registered managers—from finding a council route to checking eligibility and understanding scores.

Browse the questions Explore live tenders

Editorial collage connecting public procurement questions, care-provider evidence and tender decisions

Decision-maker questions

Find the route, test the fit, then decide what help is needed.

These guides answer the searches that happen before someone knows to ask for a bid writer. Every page leads back to the buyer documents and the actual conditions.

01Growth route for home care providers

How to Get Domiciliary Care Contracts

A practical route from CQC registration and local delivery evidence to domiciliary care frameworks, dynamic markets and council call-offs.

02Growth route for supported living providers

How to Get Supported Living Contracts

How supported living providers can identify council routes, prove service-model fit and prepare evidence for frameworks and dynamic markets.

03From registration to a public-sector buying route

How to Become an Approved Care Provider for a Council

What “approved provider” usually means, where to find the council’s route and what to check before applying.

04Care tender eligibility

Do You Need a CQC Rating to Bid for a Care Contract?

Why there is no universal CQC-rating rule and how to read the tender-specific requirement before committing.

05Care tender eligibility

Can You Bid With a Requires Improvement CQC Rating?

How to decide whether a Requires Improvement rating is a bar, a scored risk or an evidence issue in a live care tender.

06Financial conditions of participation

How Much Turnover Do You Need for a Care Tender?

Why care tender turnover thresholds vary and what evidence to review before deciding whether to bid.

07Technical ability and experience

What References Do You Need for a Care Tender?

How to test reference requirements and prepare relevant, verifiable care-contract evidence.

08Inside the evaluator’s decision

How Are Care Tenders Scored?

How pass/fail gates, quality questions, price and published scoring descriptors combine in a care tender.

09From feedback to a stronger next bid

Why Do Care Providers Lose Tenders?

The recurring reasons credible care providers lose marks—and how to distinguish a writing problem from a fit problem.

10Public-sector buying routes

Care Framework vs Dynamic Market: What Is the Difference?

A current comparison of frameworks, open frameworks and dynamic markets for care providers under the Procurement Act 2023.