Bands 3-4 Non-Medical Helper Support, Specialist D/deaf Support

The University of Salford is seeking a provider to deliver specialist in-class and out-of-class support for d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing students, helping them access and engage with their studies.

The estimated contract value is £386,658 including VAT. The service will provide specialist communication and learning support, including note-taking, British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation and other specialist professionals.

Service Requirements

The successful provider will deliver specialist support to d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing students across the university.

The service will include:

• Specialist Note-taking: Providing specialist note-taking support to help students access and record information during their studies.
• British Sign Language (BSL) Interpretation: Providing interpretation to facilitate communication between students and others.
• Specialist Support Professionals: Providing appropriate professionals to support communication and engagement with learning activities.

Support will be delivered both within and outside the classroom, according to students’ requirements.

Contract Information

• Buyer: University of Salford
• Enquiry Deadline: 23 November 2026, 12:00pm
• Tender Submission Deadline: 30 November 2026, 12:00pm
• Contract Value: £386,658 (including VAT)
• Contract Start: 1 February 2027
• Contract End: 31 January 2030
• Extension: Up to two additional periods of one year each, at the authority’s discretion
• Total Delivery Length: Up to 5 years
• Award Decision Date: 4 January 2027 (estimated)
• Tender Reference: Not disclosed
• Tender Link: University of Salford In-Tend Portal
• Procurement Procedure: Open procedure

Supplier Requirements

The opportunity is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Providers should be able to deliver specialist support services for d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing students, including communication and learning assistance in line with the requirements set out in the tender documents.

Further details of the service specifications and participation requirements are available through the university’s tender portal.

Evaluation Criteria

The contract will be evaluated using the following criteria:

• Technical: 60%
• Commercial: 20%
• Sustainability: 10%
• Community Benefits: 10%

Commercial Relevance

This opportunity offers specialist education support providers, BSL interpretation agencies and organisations delivering disability and communication support services an opportunity to work within the higher education sector.

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