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Strategic Framework for development and implementation of the SIGN programme

Tender Overview

ORGANIZATION

Norfolk County Council

LOCATION

East Anglia, United Kingdom

VALUE

Not disclosed

DEADLINE

March 06, 2026 at 00:00

CATEGORY

Other

CPV CODE

75200000

REFERENCE

006502-2026

Project Timeline

Contact Information

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Original Tender Description

Norfolk County Council (NCC) has demonstrated national leadership in social investment through its successful implementation of Social Outcomes Partnerships (SOPs). Building on this foundation, the SIGN programme seeks to attract further investment to address complex social challenges. This strategic framework seeks to support long-term partnerships between funders, investors, outcome payers and Norfolk delivery partners in developing and implementing a wide range of investment projects aligned to UK government policy, NCC strategic objectives and the Norfolk Local Growth Plan. NCC are keen to see partnerships that deliver higher impact for beneficiaries, delivery partners and NCC commissioners. The Strategic Framework is intended to be inclusive and encourage investment organisations to engage with the development of the SIGN programme and initiate investment into sustainable and replicable projects and programmes of work. This will likely include but not be limited to: Investors into outcome-based partnerships; Asset backed and property-backed investments with an emphasis on the development of new operating models and revenue funded services from those assets; Investment support to voluntary, community, social enterprise and social purpose organisations and consortia supporting public service transformation; Investors and grant providers from the philanthropic and corporate sectors seeking to provide grant, repayable grant and low yield flexible debt to support growth and productivity and tackle poverty and exclusion across Norfolk. The intention is to develop a new form of engagement via the framework between social investment organisations and other funders interested in social impact to work with provider(s) and local commissioners to co-design and co-develop new solutions to challenging local issues. This will be an emergent and evolving piece of work requiring a partner/s to work across a range of stakeholders and investors on investment propositions.
⚠️

MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS

  • No mandatory exclusion grounds are explicitly stated in this planning notice.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Be an investment organization or funder interested in social impact.
  • Be capable of forming long-term partnerships with funders, investors, outcome payers, and Norfolk delivery partners.
  • Be able to engage with the development of the SIGN programme.
  • Be able to initiate investment into sustainable and replicable projects and programmes of work.
  • Potentially be an investor into outcome-based partnerships.
  • Potentially be involved in asset-backed and property-backed investments with an emphasis on new operating models and revenue-funded services.
  • Potentially be an organization providing investment support to voluntary, community, social enterprise, and social purpose organizations and consortia.
  • Potentially be a philanthropic or corporate investor/grant provider seeking to provide grant, repayable grant, and low yield flexible debt.
🔧

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Demonstrate capability in social investment, potentially aligning with national leadership shown by NCC in Social Outcomes Partnerships (SOPs).
  • Ability to develop and implement a wide range of investment projects aligned to UK government policy, NCC strategic objectives, and the Norfolk Local Growth Plan.
  • Capacity to deliver higher impact for beneficiaries, delivery partners, and NCC commissioners.
  • Ability to develop new operating models and revenue-funded services from assets (if involved in asset-backed investments).
  • Capability to support public service transformation (if supporting VCSEs).
  • Ability to co-design and co-develop new solutions to challenging local issues with provider(s) and local commissioners.
  • Ability to work across a range of stakeholders and investors on investment propositions.
  • Capacity to engage in an emergent and evolving piece of work.
💰

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Ability to attract further investment to address complex social challenges.
  • Capacity to act as an investor, funder, or outcome payer.
  • Capability to initiate investment into sustainable and replicable projects.
  • Ability to provide various forms of investment, including grants, repayable grants, and low yield flexible debt (if applicable to the bidder's role).
  • Capacity for asset-backed and property-backed investments (if applicable).
📋

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Submit by the deadline: 2026-03-06T00:00:00.

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HTM
Planning Notice
General Information006502-2026.html
Summary:
This planning notice from Norfolk County Council outlines the Strategic Framework for the SIGN programme, seeking long-term partnerships with funders and investors to address complex social challenges through various investment projects across different service areas.
DOC
OCDS Record
OCDS Data006502-2026_ocds_record.json
Summary:
Norfolk County Council seeks investment organizations and funders to partner in its SIGN programme, developing social investment projects through long-term partnerships to address complex social challenges in Norfolk.
DOC
OCDS Release Package
OCDS Data006502-2026_ocds_release.json
Summary:
Norfolk County Council seeks investment partners for its SIGN programme to develop and implement social investment projects addressing complex social challenges in Norfolk through various funding models and collaborative co-design.
PDF
Official PDF Version
General Information006502-2026_official.pdf
Summary:
Norfolk County Council is publishing a planned procurement notice for a strategic framework to attract social investment and foster partnerships for developing and implementing projects addressing complex social challenges in Norfolk.

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65
Good

Tender Quality Score

This planning notice outlines a significant social investment program with a clear vision, but lacks critical details regarding value and evaluation criteria, which are essential for a fair and transparent procurement process.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance75/100

The tender defines the procedure type and CPV code appropriately. As a planning notice, the absence of an explicit reveal date and mandatory exclusion grounds is less critical, but the classified value raises transparency concerns, though not necessarily a legal breach if within UK regulations for this type of framework.

Missing reveal date for the notice
Estimated value is not disclosed and classified
Clarity60/100

The description of the SIGN programme and its objectives is clear and detailed. The AI-extracted requirements are understandable. However, the complete absence of specified evaluation criteria significantly hinders clarity for potential bidders.

No evaluation criteria specified
Completeness65/100

Basic information such as title, organization, deadlines, and duration are provided. However, the estimated value is not disclosed, and crucially, evaluation criteria are entirely missing, making the tender incomplete from a bidder's perspective.

Estimated value is not disclosed
No evaluation criteria specified
Fairness50/100

The undisclosed and classified estimated value, coupled with the complete absence of evaluation criteria, severely impacts the fairness and transparency of the procurement. Bidders cannot adequately assess the opportunity or understand how their proposals will be judged. The lack of e-submission also reduces equal access.

Estimated value is not disclosed and classified
No evaluation criteria specified
Practicality60/100

The contract duration and start date are clearly specified, which is practical. However, the lack of electronic submission support and the undisclosed estimated value present practical challenges for bidders in preparing and submitting their proposals.

No electronic submission supported
Estimated value is not disclosed
Data Consistency80/100

Key fields such as title, reference, organization, CPV, NUTS code, and dates are largely populated and consistent. There are no reported disputes or suspensions. Minor gaps include an empty 'Liable Person' field and 'Type Code'.

Liable Person field is empty
Type Code is empty
Sustainability85/100

The tender's core purpose is social investment, directly addressing complex social challenges and supporting community organizations, which represents a strong focus on social sustainability. The emphasis on co-design and new operating models also suggests an innovation focus. While explicit green criteria are not mentioned, the inherent social impact is significant.

No explicit green procurement criteria

Strengths

Clear and detailed description of the programme and its social objectives
Well-defined procedure type (Open procedure) and relevant CPV code
Strong focus on social impact and addressing complex social challenges
Encourages long-term partnerships and co-design of solutions
Contract duration and start date are clearly specified

Concerns

Estimated value is not disclosed and classified, hindering bidder assessment
Evaluation criteria are completely missing, impacting clarity and fairness
No explicit mandatory exclusion grounds are stated in this planning notice
Lack of electronic submission support
Missing reveal date for the notice

Recommendations

1. Disclose the estimated value or provide a clear rationale for classification, and specify the budget range in subsequent tender documents.
2. Clearly define and publish the evaluation criteria and methodology in the full tender documents to ensure transparency and fairness.
3. Implement electronic submission for improved accessibility and efficiency.

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B
Tender Quality Score
65/ 100 · Good

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