Plymouth Homecare Light Touch Framework

Plymouth City Council, working with NHS Devon Integrated Care Board, is seeking providers to join its Plymouth Homecare Light Touch Open Framework, with an estimated total value of £312,138,968 excluding VAT.

The framework will support adults aged 18 and over who have been assessed as needing care and support in their own homes. It will provide person-centred personal care, reablement and associated support to promote independence, dignity and wellbeing. Support may also be provided to young people transitioning to adult services and people requiring end-of-life care, where agreed through the appropriate assessment and commissioning process.

Service Requirements

The framework covers homecare services across Plymouth City Council’s administrative boundaries, including predominantly urban areas and locations with lower-density rural and coastal terrain.

Key service requirements include:

• Personal Care: Assistance with washing, dressing, grooming, toileting and continence, while promoting dignity and independence.
• Nutrition and Hydration: Support with meals, eating and drinking, including specialist requirements where identified and staff are appropriately trained.
• Medication Support: Prompting, assisting with or administering medication in line with the agreed Care and Support Plan, relevant guidance and provider policies.
• Reablement: An enabling approach that helps people retain, regain or develop skills and reduces reliance on commissioned support where appropriate.
• Emergency Prioritisation: Business continuity arrangements to maintain essential care during disruption, with appropriate prioritisation and escalation.
• Community Networks: Supporting people to maintain relationships and access community, voluntary and universal services where these contribute to their agreed outcomes.
• Coordinated Care: Working collaboratively with the Council, health and community partners, and other framework providers to support continuity, information sharing and responses to changing needs or risks.

Providers must deliver CQC-regulated personal care and associated support in accordance with assessed eligible needs under the Care Act 2014 and the outcomes set out in each person’s Care and Support Plan.

The framework is intended to operate for nine years, with reopening opportunities at three-year intervals to admit new providers and refresh the market.

Contract Information

• Buyer: Plymouth City Council
• Additional Contracting Authority: NHS Devon Integrated Care Board
• Enquiry Deadline: 5 November 2026, 5:00pm
• Tender Submission Deadline: 20 November 2026, 12:00pm
• Contract Value: £312,138,968 excluding VAT
• Delivery Length: Initial three-year term, with two further three-year periods, giving a potential total duration of nine years
• Contract Start: 10 May 2027
• Initial Contract End: 9 May 2030
• Maximum Framework End Date: 9 May 2036
• Tender Reference: PEO/25029
• Contract Location: Plymouth, Devon
• Procurement Category: Services
• Procedure: Open procedure under the Light Touch regime
• Tender Link: Supplying the South West – Procurement Portal
• Submission Method: Electronic
• Submission Language: English
• Maximum Number of Suppliers: 12
• Supplier Fee: 0%
• Award Method: With or without further competition
• Estimated Award Decision Date: 12 January 2027
• Next Tender Notice: Expected publication on 1 October 2029

The Council may consider additional homecare services, a provider portal and the introduction or expansion of a Trusted Assessor model during the framework’s term. Such changes and additional purchases are subject to available budgets, satisfactory supplier performance and demonstrable ongoing need.

Supplier Requirements

The opportunity is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs).

Providers must demonstrate that they have the operational capacity and local arrangements to deliver homecare across the agreed Plymouth geographic area. Staff must be appropriately vetted, trained, supervised and competent to provide the required support safely.

The legal, financial and technical conditions of participation, together with the full service specification and call-off procedures, are available through the Supplying the South West procurement portal. Providers must register and express an interest to access the tender documents.

The framework has a maximum of 12 suppliers and carries a maximum supplier fee of 0%. Call-off arrangements may be awarded with or without further competition.

Evaluation Criteria

The published award criteria are:

• Quality Method Statements: 95%
• Social Value: 5%

The detailed method statement questions are contained in the ITT Return document available through the Supplying the South West portal.

Commercial Relevance

This framework may be relevant to domiciliary care providers and organisations delivering personal care, reablement and community-based support. Providers with the workforce, regulatory arrangements and operational capacity to deliver care across Plymouth may wish to review the full tender documents and assess whether they meet the participation requirements.

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