Planning and Scoping Partners in Care & Health Continuous Improvement Programme

Opportunity overview

To undertake a scoping, mapping, and review of approaches of key elements of the PCH Continuous Improvement programme to inform the programme in 2027-28 and 2028-29. This project is funded in whole or in part by grant funding provided by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to the Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government (IDeA). The award of this contract and any payments under it are conditional upon IDeA maintaining in force a Grant Funding Agreement with DHSC covering the relevant Funding Period. In the event that: • the Grant Funding Agreement is not executed, • funding is reduced, withheld, suspended, or terminated, or • IDeA is required by DHSC to vary or terminate delivery of the relevant Funded Activities. IDeA reserves the right to vary, suspend or terminate this contract on written notice without liability beyond payment for services properly delivered up to the date of termination. By submitting the bid, the Supplier acknowledges that this project forms part of the Funded Activities delivered under a Grant Funding Agreement between IDeA and DHSC. The Supplier must familiarise themselves with the special conditions attached to the Purchase Order Terms and Conditions for the delivery of the work The IDeA as Partners in Care and Health (PCH) helps councils to improve the way they deliver adult social care and public health services and helps Government understand the challenges faced by the sector. The programme is a trusted network for developing and sharing best practice, developing tools and techniques, providing support, and building connections. It is offered to councils without charge. As referenced above the LGA / IDeA were awarded a 3-year grant, for the period April 2026 to March 2029, from DHSC to provide continuous improvement support to councils in England with Adult Social Care responsibilities. The programme comprises the following elements • Care and Health and Improvement Advisers (CHIAs) – 0.5 FTE for each of nine Regions • Research, data and intelligence • Support to Councils rated ‘Requires Improvement’ and Inadequate’ post CQC assessment • Continuous Improvement programme, comprising the following elements: • Leadership o CQC assurance o Local Government Reorganisation o Finance & resources o Digital o Elected member support • Working with People o Working age adults o Co-production & care equity o Mental Health o Professional practice o Safeguarding o Unpaid carers • Providing Support o Market oversight and intelligence o Commissioning o Housing o Workforce The prospectus for the 2026-27 can be found here Improvement and support offer 2026/27 - prospectus | Local Government Association The review to be commissioned covers the scoping and planning for the continuous improvement elements of this programme.

Lot 1 — Leadership, governance, and assurance

Lot 1: Leadership, governance, and assurance: leadership for portfolio leads, scrutiny chairs, response to CQC assurance, data, and intelligence Leadership development for senior adult social care professionals

Estimated lot value including VAT: £30k

Award criterion: Price: 40%

Award criterion: Quality: 60%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 14 December 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2027

Maximum term ends: 30 September 2027

Extension: The buyer is entitled at its absolute discretion to extend the contract period on the same terms for a further period or periods of up to six months. Please note extension is not bound by geographical location.

Lot 2 — Understanding need and shaping demand

Lot 2: A person-centred approach to understanding need and shaping demand: assessing needs, preparing for adulthood, unpaid carers, safeguarding and Deprivation of Liberty (DoLs).

Estimated lot value including VAT: £30k

Award criterion: Price: 40%

Award criterion: Quality: 60%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 14 December 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2027

Maximum term ends: 30 September 2027

Extension: The buyer is entitled at its absolute discretion to extend the contract period on the same terms for a further period or periods of up to six months. Please note extension is not bound by geographical location.

Lot 3 — Resources, commissioning, and investment

Lot 3: Resources, commissioning, and investment: use of resources, commissioning predominantly to focus on strategic commissioning across all adult age groups, and a focus on prevention

Estimated lot value including VAT: £30k

Award criterion: Price: 40%

Award criterion: Quality: 60%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 14 December 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2027

Maximum term ends: 30 September 2027

Extension: The buyer is entitled at its absolute discretion to extend the contract period on the same terms for a further period or periods of up to six months. Please note extension is not bound by geographical location.

Lot 4 — System capacity

Lot 4: System capacity: integrated working across health and social care, to include system leadership and governance arrangements between councils and the NHS , neighbourhood working and joint funding across the health and care interface.

Estimated lot value including VAT: £30k

Award criterion: Price: 40%

Award criterion: Quality: 60%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 14 December 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2027

Maximum term ends: 30 September 2027

Extension: The buyer is entitled at its absolute discretion to extend the contract period on the same terms for a further period or periods of up to six months. Please note extension is not bound by geographical location.

Lot 5 — Workforce

Lot 5: Workforce: (both commissioned and council workforce)

Estimated lot value including VAT: £30k

Award criterion: Price: 40%

Award criterion: Quality: 60%

Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Suitable for voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Contract starts: 14 December 2026

Initial contract ends: 31 March 2027

Maximum term ends: 30 September 2027

Extension: The buyer is entitled at its absolute discretion to extend the contract period on the same terms for a further period or periods of up to six months. Please note extension is not bound by geographical location.

Contracting authority

Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government (IDeA) 18 smith square, london, sw1p 3hz, UKI32, United Kingdom Contact: Kulsuma Haque Email: Kulsuma.Haque@local.gov.uk

Procurement timetable and procedure

Procedure: Below threshold - open competition

Clarification deadline: 27 November 2026 at 05:00 pm

Submission deadline: 4 December 2026 at 05:00 pm

Electronic submissions: allowed

CPV Classification

85300000 — Social work and related services; 85100000 — Health services

How to submit

The official Find a Tender notice directs suppliers to the buyer’s electronic tendering system. The procurement documents, clarifications and response area are managed there.

Open the buyer’s electronic tendering system ↗

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 Planning and Scoping Partners in Care & Health Continuous Improvement 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.