Connect to Work - EMCCA

Procurement reference

DN785306

Procurement description

The recently launched "Get Britain Working" White Paper outlines Government's strategy to invest £240m to support the ambition of a national 80% employment rate and help improve workplace health and keep people in work, including trials of combined public services for those out of work due to ill health. Connect to Work is the first major element of the Get Britain Working Strategy.

By encouraging join-up between health systems and employment support, Connect to Work will support those, primarily, currently outside the workforce and facing greater labour market disadvantages, to stay in work and get back into work. In turn, supporting the Government's ambition for a more inclusive economy, supporting local people to realise their potential and supporting local and national growth. Connect to Work funding will support around 100,000 disabled people with health conditions and those with complex barriers to get into employment and on in work. In the East Midlands, Connect to Work will support 12,243 residents across the entirety of the programme.

The East Midlands Combined Authority is the Accountable Body for Connect to Work in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and, working in partnership with the four constituent local authorities, is responsible for the commissioning of Connect to Work delivery.

Connect to Work is a voluntary programme, delivering the evidence-based Supported Employment model, 'place, train, and maintain', via two different types of interventions based on the needs of the participant - Individual Placement and Support (IPS) and Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF).

The Invitation to Tender is open for 30 days from 1 September 2025. It is anticipated that delivery will start on 1st January 2026.

Main category

Services

Delivery regions

• UKF1 - Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire

Total value (estimated)

25000000 GBP Excluding VAT

30000000 GBP Including VAT

Contract dates (estimated)

01 January 2026, 00:00AM to 31 March 2030, 23:59PM

East Midlands Combined County Authority

Is this procurement under a special regime?

Light touch

Is the total value above threshold?

Above threshold

CPV classifications

• 75131000 - Government services
• 79634000 - Career guidance services
• 80521000 - Training programme services

Delivery regions

• UKF1 - Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire

Sustainability

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)

Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)

Contract start date (estimated)

01 January 2026, 00:00AM

Contract end date (estimated)

31 March 2030, 23:59PM

Engagement process description

Online Session - 19 August 2025 (am)

Supplier Sessions (Bookable 1hr slots) - 19-20 August 2025

The contracting authority would like to invite interested parties to an online session. The purpose of this online session is to provide a high-level overview of the Connect to Work commissioning process, specification, and timescales.

If you have any questions prior to the online event, please send them to connecttowork@eastmidlands-cca.gov.uk . Questions will be collated by the Project team and responses incorporated into the online session.

To attend the webinar, please follow the Eventbrite link and complete your registration.

https://ctw190825.eventbrite.co.uk

Following the online session An Invitation to Tender for the provision of services will be launched on 1st September 2025, 12:00 2025 and will be live for 30 days on https://www.eastmidstenders.org/

The tender will comprise of two lots:

Lot1: Provision of IPS for Derby City and Derbyshire (circa £8.5M)

Lot 2: Provision of IPS and SEQF for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (circa £16.5M)

Suppliers are invited to bid for one Lot only

It is anticipated that delivery will start in January 2026.

Due date

26 August 2025, 23:59PM

Has the engagement period already ended?

No

Publication date of tender notice (estimated)

01 September 2025