HCC – 09/26 – Provision of Support at Home Lead Provider Services

Hertfordshire County Council is seeking providers for a major Support at Home Lead Provider Services procurement, with an estimated total contract value of £119.03 million excluding VAT.

Support at Home provides social care for people who meet Care Act eligibility criteria following a Connected Lives assessment undertaken by the Council’s care management team. Services are intended to be delivered in an enabling way and may be chargeable following an individual financial assessment.

The Council operates a two-tier commissioning model. Lead Providers receive referrals for Support at Home packages within their allocated district. Where the Lead Provider cannot support a package, provision can be sourced through the Council’s Support at Home Spot Provider Framework.

One Lead Provider will be appointed for each geographical lot, with a single provider able to secure a maximum of four Support at Home lots.

Lots Available

The procurement has been divided into 11 geographical lots:

• Lot 1 – Central 1 (Welwyn Hatfield): £18,927,927
• Lot 2 – Central 2 (Stevenage): £10,101,918
• Lot 3 – East Brox 1 (Broxbourne): £19,176,085
• Lot 4 – East Brox 2 (East Herts): £19,037,960
• Lot 5 – SW 1 (Three Rivers): £6,006,386
• Lot 6 – SW 2 (Watford): £11,905,832
• Lot 7 – SW 3 (Hertsmere): £12,059,091
• Lot 8 – West 1 (Dacorum West): £3,010,678
• Lot 9 – West 2 (Dacorum East): £10,811,275
• Lot 10 – West 3 (St Albans South): £4,757,150
• Lot 11 – West 4 (St Albans North Harpenden & Villages): £3,230,742

All lot values are estimated and exclude VAT.

The Council has confirmed that a maximum of four Support at Home lots may be awarded to a single provider. This limit applies separately from its Reablement procurement, meaning a bidder could potentially secure up to four Reablement contracts and four Support at Home contracts.

Contract Information

Buyer: Hertfordshire County Council

Deadline: 8th October 2026 at 12:00

Contract Value: £119,025,044 excluding VAT

Delivery Length: 1st April 2027 to 31st March 2030, with the option to extend for up to a further two years

Tender Link: Supply Hertfordshire e-tendering portal

The initial contract period is three years, with extension options potentially taking the maximum duration to five years.

The procurement is being conducted through an open procedure under the light touch regime. Providers wishing to participate must express an interest and opt in through the Council’s e-tendering system to access the full procurement documents.

The deadline for procurement enquiries is 25th September 2026 at 12:00, with an estimated award decision date of 4th January 2027.

Evaluation Criteria

Tenders will be evaluated using the following weightings:

• Quality – 80%
• Price – 20%

Further details of the award criteria are contained within Section 4 of the Instructions to Tenderers.

Participation Requirements

Legal and financial capacity requirements and technical ability conditions apply across all 11 lots, with the detailed requirements contained within the Instructions to Tenderers.

The procurement has been identified as particularly suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs).

Contract and TUPE Requirements

Contracts awarded through the procurement will be executed as deeds.

TUPE Employee Liability Information has also been provided as part of the procurement documentation. Tenderers accessing this information must protect it as personal data and treat it as confidential and commercially sensitive in accordance with the Council’s requirements.

The Council states that the information must be stored securely and appropriately destroyed or returned once an organisation has submitted its bid or decided not to proceed.

Local Government Reorganisation

Tenderers should also be aware of potential changes arising from local government reorganisation in Hertfordshire.

Reorganisation is currently expected to take effect from 1st April 2028, during the anticipated contract period. The Council has identified this as a known risk that could lead to contracts transferring to successor public authorities or require changes to the structure, scope, nature or geographical boundaries of service delivery.

Any resulting contract variations will be made in accordance with the contract terms and applicable procurement requirements.

The opportunity represents a significant commissioning exercise for home care providers, with Lead Providers taking a central role in delivering eligible Support at Home packages across Hertfordshire’s 11 geographical areas.

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If you want to advertise your opportunity, please contact Jamie Peacock, Tender Specialist at advertising@dailyround.news