United Kingdom7 days leftOpen

Community and Supported Living Light Touch Framework

Tender Overview

LOCATION

United Kingdom, United Kingdom

VALUE

£123,000,000

DEADLINE

February 09, 2026 at 12:00

CATEGORY

Other

CPV CODE

85000000

REFERENCE

001952-2026

Project Timeline

Contact Information

View Original

Original Tender Description

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (the Council) is looking to establish a framework of providers to undertake Community and Supported Living Light Touch Framework within the local authority area. The framework is split into three Tiers as follows: Tier 1 - Standard Support Learning Disabilities Autistic Adults Mental Health Physical Disability / Sensory Impairment Tier 2 – Complex Support* Learning Disabilities Autistic Adults Mental Health Physical Disability / Sensory Impairment Tier 3 – Enhanced Support Learning Disabilities Autistic Adults Mental Health The framework will be in place for 5 years with an option to extend for a further two years. The framework will commence on the 1st August 2026. The Council is carrying out this tender process in line with the Procurement Act 2023 (“the Act”) under a Light Touch contract. Since the services being procured fall under the definition of a Light Touch Contract as stated in the Act, this procurement will follow the relevant provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 for Light Touch Contracts. While the Council intends to launch the Framework with a single deadline, it reserves the right to reopen opportunities at its discretion throughout the framework agreement’s lifetime. There is no predetermined schedule for when this reopening might occur. The Council may open one or more Tiers whenever it deems necessary and also retains the ability to refresh the Framework during its duration. Based on the value of the current ACSES Framework , the total value of this framework is estimated to be in the region of £123 million over its full 7-year term. This figure assumes that all the existing expenditure would transfer to this framework – which may not be the case, therefore the Council does not guarantee this amount or any particular level of expenditure in any category within the framework, as it depends on service demand and available support capacity. Please note, this figure accounts for the costs of current support packages provided by existing providers, which will continue to be directly awarded under the new framework. This value does not apply exclusively to new care packages. The Council has estimated the total value of this framework based on historic expenditure data and anticipated requirements. However, due to the nature of future call-offs and potential changes in demand, actual spend may exceed this estimated amount.
⚠️

MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS

  • Bidders must comply with the mandatory exclusion grounds as defined in the Procurement Act 2023 for Light Touch Contracts.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Bidders must be established providers capable of undertaking Community and Supported Living services.
  • Bidders must be able to operate within the Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council local authority area.
  • Bidders must be able to provide services across one or more of the three Tiers: Tier 1 (Standard Support), Tier 2 (Complex Support), and/or Tier 3 (Enhanced Support).
  • Bidders must be capable of supporting adults with Learning Disabilities, Autistic Adults, Mental Health, and/or Physical Disability / Sensory Impairment, corresponding to the chosen tiers.
  • Bidders must comply with the relevant provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 for Light Touch Contracts.
🔧

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Bidders must demonstrate the capability to provide Community and Supported Living services.
  • Bidders must possess the necessary expertise and resources to deliver Standard Support for Learning Disabilities, Autistic Adults, Mental Health, Physical Disability / Sensory Impairment (Tier 1).
  • Bidders must possess the necessary expertise and resources to deliver Complex Support for Learning Disabilities, Autistic Adults, Mental Health, Physical Disability / Sensory Impairment (Tier 2).
  • Bidders must possess the necessary expertise and resources to deliver Enhanced Support for Learning Disabilities, Autistic Adults, Mental Health (Tier 3).
  • Bidders must have the operational capacity to meet service demand within the Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council area over the framework's duration.
💰

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • No explicit financial requirements (e.g., minimum turnover, specific financial ratios) are detailed in the provided information. Bidders are implicitly expected to have the financial stability and capacity to deliver services under a framework valued at an estimated £123 million over 7 years.
📋

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Bids must be submitted by the deadline of 2026-02-09 12:00:00.
  • Bidders must clearly indicate which Tiers (Tier 1, Tier 2, and/or Tier 3) and associated client groups they are bidding to provide services for.
  • Bidders must prepare their submission in accordance with the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023 for Light Touch Contracts.
  • Bidders should be aware that the Council reserves the right to reopen opportunities and refresh the framework throughout its lifetime, and submissions may need to account for this dynamic nature.

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Official PDF Version
PDF001952-2026_official.pdf
Summary:
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council is seeking providers for a £123M, 7-year Light Touch Framework for Community and Supported Living services across three tiers (Standard, Complex, Enhanced) for adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health issues, and physical/sensory impairments.

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68
Good

Tender Quality Score

This tender outlines a framework for community and supported living services, structured into three tiers, with a significant estimated value and long duration. However, the critical absence of accessible tender documents and detailed evaluation criteria presents substantial challenges for potential bidders and transparency.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance100/100

The tender explicitly states compliance with the Procurement Act 2023 for Light Touch Contracts and mentions mandatory exclusion grounds, indicating an intention to adhere to relevant legal frameworks. A comprehensive assessment is hindered by the lack of full tender documents.

Clarity40/100

The description provides a clear overview of the framework's purpose, structure (tiers), target groups, and duration. However, the absence of detailed tender documents means specific requirements, evaluation criteria, and contractual terms are not clear.

Lack of detailed tender documents (e.g., specification, ITT, contract terms).
Absence of explicit evaluation criteria.
Completeness83/100

The provided information offers a high-level overview of the framework. However, it is severely incomplete for a full tender process due to the explicit statement 'DOCUMENTS (0 total)' and 'No document content available'. Essential elements like detailed specifications, evaluation criteria, submission instructions, and contract terms are missing.

No tender documents available (e.g., Invitation to Tender, full specification, draft contract).
Missing explicit evaluation criteria.
Fairness60/100

The tiered structure and the ability to bid for one or more tiers, along with the intention to reopen opportunities, suggest an attempt to promote participation. However, the lack of detailed evaluation criteria and specific financial requirements could lead to subjective assessment or disadvantage smaller providers. Broad eligibility and technical requirements, without specific metrics, also risk inconsistent application.

Absence of explicit evaluation criteria could lead to subjective assessment.
Vague financial requirements ('implicitly expected') could disadvantage bidders without clear guidance.
Practicality40/100

The framework approach for social services is practical for managing ongoing demand and multiple providers. However, the critical lack of detailed documentation makes it impractical for bidders to prepare a comprehensive and compliant submission. The absence of a predetermined schedule for reopening opportunities might make long-term planning difficult for potential new entrants.

Bidders cannot practically prepare a robust offer without access to full tender documents, detailed specifications, and evaluation criteria.
The lack of a predetermined schedule for reopening opportunities might hinder strategic planning for new market entrants.
Data Consistency100/100

The provided data is internally consistent. The estimated value aligns with the 7-year term mentioned, and the description of tiers matches the requirements.

Sustainability25/100

The tender mentions 'Social Criteria' under procurement characteristics, indicating an intention to incorporate social value. However, without the full tender documents, the specific nature and extent of these criteria, and how they will be evaluated, remain unclear. No explicit mention of environmental or economic sustainability aspects is provided.

Lack of specific details on the 'Social Criteria' and how they will be evaluated.
No explicit mention of environmental or economic sustainability aspects.

Strengths

Clear framework structure with tiered support levels.
Significant estimated value and long contract duration, offering stability for providers.
Explicit mention of 'Social Criteria' and compliance with Procurement Act 2023 for Light Touch Contracts.
Flexibility to reopen opportunities and refresh the framework, potentially promoting market dynamism.

Concerns

Critical lack of tender documents ('DOCUMENTS (0 total)' and 'No document content available') severely impedes participation and transparency.
Absence of explicit evaluation criteria creates significant uncertainty for bidders and risks subjective assessment.
Vague financial requirements ('implicitly expected') without specific metrics lack clarity and could be a barrier.
Broad and general eligibility/technical requirements without specific measurable indicators.
Uncertainty regarding the schedule for reopening opportunities, which could impact market entry planning.

Recommendations

1. Immediately publish all comprehensive tender documents, including detailed specifications, evaluation criteria, submission instructions, and draft contract terms.
2. Clearly define and quantify financial requirements (e.g., minimum turnover, financial ratios) to ensure transparency and allow bidders to assess their eligibility accurately.
3. Provide specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) indicators for technical capability and eligibility requirements to ensure objective evaluation.

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Tender Quality Score
68/ 100 · Good

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