Newham Best Start Family Hubs Befriending, Navigation and Peer Support Service

Opportunity overview

The London Borough of Newham is looking to commission a new Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS)-led befriending and navigation service, to complement our existing Best Start Family Hubs offer. This service should be flexible and accessible, supporting Newham families from pregnancy to age five. We are particularly interested in commissioning a model with multi-channel access, for instance with a telephone helpline and additional options such as text, WhatsApp, web-based or other virtual channels. The intention is that the service would combine informal emotional support, 'a listening ear', with practical advice, including signposting and referrals. The overall aim is to reduce isolation, build parental confidence, engage seldom heard groups, and support families to navigate local services and systems. This service will utilise a peer support approach that reflects Newham’s diverse communities, recruiting and training local volunteers to deliver elements of the offer. We would expect the service to connect closely into the Best Start Family Hubs network, enabling warm handovers and ongoing light-touch support until families are successfully linked into wider provision. Alongside the core phone offer, we are also interested in how providers might use outreach, community engagement and digital channels to extend reach, particularly to underrepresented groups who may not access traditional services.

Lot 1 — Contract lot

Estimated lot value including VAT: £450k

Award criterion: Quality: 70%

Award criterion: Social Value: 10%

Award criterion: Price: 20%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 31 March 2027

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2029

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: Potential 1 year extension

Contracting authority

London Borough of Newham Newham Dockside, 1000 Dockside Road, London, E16 2QU, UKI41, United Kingdom Email: procurement.support@newham.gov.uk

Procurement timetable and procedure

Procedure: Below threshold - open competition

Special regime: Light Touch Regime

Clarification deadline: 17 November 2026 at 05:00 pm

Submission deadline: 27 November 2026 at 12:00 pm

Electronic submissions: allowed

CPV Classification

85300000 — Social work and related services

How to submit

The official Find a Tender notice directs suppliers to Delta eSourcing. The procurement documents, clarifications and response area are managed there.

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TenderLab qualification first

Before we write, we establish whether the opportunity fits.

We examine the published participation conditions, service scope, geography, regulatory position, available evidence, mobilisation demands and commercial exposure with your team. We only confirm a full tender-writing engagement when the available information supports a responsible view that the provider meets the tender requirements.

If Newham Best Start Family Hubs Befriending, Navigation and Peer Support Service is a credible fit, we can map the scored requirements, gather operational evidence and build the response around the buyer documents. The qualification check and any writing support do not guarantee an award; the contracting authority makes the final decision.