26039 Cambridgeshire County Council Connect to Work Programme

Opportunity overview

Connect to Work is a new, voluntary supported employment initiative funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It is the first major element of the Get Britain Working Strategy and will take a collaborative, locally led approach designed to help people with health conditions, disabilities, or other barriers, find and maintain paid work. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) have appointed Cambridgeshire County Council as Prime Provider to manage the delivery across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Therefore, we are now seeking experienced providers to deliver the supported employment models as detailed below. Connect to Work combines two supported employment delivery models: • IPS - Individual Placement and Support IPS is an intervention which integrates employment support alongside primary and secondary health services and other support services. For more information please see the links in the specification and ITT. • SEQF - Supported Employment Quality Framework, intensive supported employment for people with learning disabilities, autism, and complex barriers. SEQF is a more intensive intervention, where in delivery terms the Participant will receive more contact and support from their Employment Specialist. For more information please see the links in the specification and the ITT As well as experienced providers of IPS and SEQF, we also encourage smaller voluntary and community organisations who want to learn and develop their own supported employment delivery to apply. We will provide full support and training to facilitate development of supported employment models to fidelity requirements.

Lot 1 — IPS - Peterborough

For the provision of IPS services in Peterborough City. Please note that the value of this Lot is embedded in the overall framework value and not specifically provided for individual Lots.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £10.1m

Award criterion: Quality: 100%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 1 November 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2028

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: One extension of 24 months is available for this tender assuming agreement from framework providers and demand is still high.

Lot 2 — IPS - Huntingdonshire

For the provision of IPS services in Huntingdonshire. Please note that the value of this Lot is embedded in the overall framework value and not specifically provided for individual Lots.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £10.1m

Award criterion: Quality: 100%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 1 November 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2028

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: One extension of 24 months is available for this tender assuming agreement from framework providers and demand is still high.

Lot 3 — IPS - Fendland

For the provision of IPS services in Fenland. Please note that the value of this Lot is embedded in the overall framework value and not specifically provided for individual Lots.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £10.1m

Award criterion: Quality: 100%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 1 November 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2028

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: One extension of 24 months is available for this tender assuming agreement from framework providers and demand is still high.

Lot 4 — IPS - East Cambridgeshire

For the provision of IPS services in East Cambridgeshire. Please note that the value of this Lot is embedded in the overall framework value and not specifically provided for individual Lots.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £10.1m

Award criterion: Quality: 100%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 1 November 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2028

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: One extension of 24 months is available for this tender assuming agreement from framework providers and demand is still high.

Lot 5 — IPS - Cambridge City

For the provision of IPS services in Cambridge City. Please note that the value of this Lot is embedded in the overall framework value and not specifically provided for individual Lots.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £10.1m

Award criterion: Quality: 100%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 1 November 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2028

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: One extension of 24 months is available for this tender assuming agreement from framework providers and demand is still high.

Lot 6 — IPS - South Cambridgeshire

For the provision of IPS services in South Cambridgeshire. Please note that the value of this Lot is embedded in the overall framework value and not specifically provided for individual Lots.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £10.1m

Award criterion: Quality: 100%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 1 November 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2028

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: One extension of 24 months is available for this tender assuming agreement from framework providers and demand is still high.

Lot 7 — SEQF - Peterborough

For the provision of SEQF services in Peterborough City. Please note that the value of this Lot is embedded in the overall framework value and not specifically provided for individual Lots.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £10.1m

Award criterion: Quality: 100%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 1 November 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2028

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: One extension of 24 months is available for this tender assuming agreement from framework providers and demand is still high.

Lot 8 — SEQF - Huntingdonshire

For the provision of SEQF services in Huntingdonshire. Please note that the value of this Lot is embedded in the overall framework value and not specifically provided for individual Lots.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £10.1m

Award criterion: Quality: 100%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 1 November 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2028

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: One extension of 24 months is available for this tender assuming agreement from framework providers and demand is still high.

Lot 9 — SEQF - Fenland

For the provision of SEQF services in Fenland. Please note that the value of this Lot is embedded in the overall framework value and not specifically provided for individual Lots.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £10.1m

Award criterion: Quality: 100%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 1 November 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2028

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: One extension of 24 months is available for this tender assuming agreement from framework providers and demand is still high.

Lot 10 — SEQF - East Cambridgeshire

For the provision of SEQF services in East Cambridgeshire. Please note that the value of this Lot is embedded in the overall framework value and not specifically provided for individual Lots.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £10.1m

Award criterion: Quality: 100%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 1 November 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2028

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: One extension of 24 months is available for this tender assuming agreement from framework providers and demand is still high.

Lot 11 — SEQF - Cambridge City

For the provision of SEQF services in Cambridge City. Please note that the value of this Lot is embedded in the overall framework value and not specifically provided for individual Lots.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £10.1m

Award criterion: Quality: 100%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 1 November 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2028

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: One extension of 24 months is available for this tender assuming agreement from framework providers and demand is still high.

Lot 12 — SEQF - South Cambridgeshire

For the provision of SEQF services in South Cambridgeshire. Please note that the value of this Lot is embedded in the overall framework value and not specifically provided for individual Lots.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £10.1m

Award criterion: Quality: 100%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 1 November 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2028

Maximum term ends: 31 March 2030

Extension: One extension of 24 months is available for this tender assuming agreement from framework providers and demand is still high.

Contracting authority

Cambridgeshire County Council New Shire Hall Emery Crescent Enterprise Campus,, Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon, PE28 4YE, UKH12, United Kingdom Email: procurementandcommercial@cambridgeshire.gov.uk Website: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/

Procurement timetable and procedure

Procedure: Open procedure

Special regime: Light Touch Regime

Clarification deadline: 25 August 2026 at 11:59 pm

Submission deadline: 4 September 2026 at 12:00 pm

Award decision expected by: 20 October 2026 at 11:59 pm

Electronic submissions: allowed

Submission language: EN

CPV Classification

79611000 — Job search services; 79634000 — Career guidance services; 85312310 — Guidance services

How to submit

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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 26039 Cambridgeshire County Council Connect to Work Programme 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.