Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Norfolk County Council
County Hall, Martineau Lane
Norwich
NR12DH
UK
Contact person: Stacey Sangha
E-mail: stacey.sangha@norfolk.gov.uk
NUTS: UKH15
Internet address(es)
Main address: www.norfolk.gov.uk
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Login
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Login
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Experts at Hand: Occupational Therapy, Inclusion and Participation Service
Reference number: NCCT43502
II.1.2) Main CPV code
85323000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
'Experts at Hand' is designed to transform how support for children and young people with SEND is delivered, by bringing specialist expertise directly into mainstream early years, primary, secondary and post-16 settings. By embedding 'expert roles', such as occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, and specialist teachers, alongside setting staff. The offer supports earlier identification of need, strengthens workforce confidence and capability, and provides timely, evidence-based support within everyday learning environments.
The Experts at Hand offer will support mainstream settings across early years, primary, secondary and post-16, to better identify and meet the needs of children and young people with emerging or identified SEND. It will provide dedicated professional expertise tailored to the needs of individual children and young people, through observation, assessment, and identifying appropriated targeted support to help more children and young people flourish within their settings.
Norfolk County Council (NCC) is undertaking a procurement exercise and is inviting suitably qualified and experienced applicants to submit offers to deliver the Occupational Therapy, Inclusion and Participation Service.
The procurement is being conducted under regulation 11 of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (the Regulations).
As the Council's funding is currently confirmed until 31 March 2029, any initial contract term will end on 31 March 2029. The Authority may, at its sole discretion, extend the Contract for up to three (3) years should additional funding become available. Any decision to extend the contract will be subject to the availability of future national funding and internal governance approval.
Accordingly, there is no guarantee that any extension will be offered. Any extension will be subject to a further Key Decision in accordance with the Authority's governance arrangements.
The value of the initial term is £3,829,100 split as follows:
• Financial Year 2026/27 - £835,260
• Financial Year 2027/28 - £1,474,800
• Financial Year 2028/29 - £1,519,040
It is anticipated that the Contract will be awarded on 20 January 2027, with service delivery commencing on 22 February 2027.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKH15
UKH16
UKH17
Main site or place of performance:
The services under this contract are to be provided across Norfolk County Council.
However, applicants are to note: On 4 December 2025, the Secretary of State for Local Government made a written statement [UIN HCWS1128] stating that the government intends to establish a Mayoral Strategic Authority for Norfolk and Suffolk as soon as possible, and that it is minded to hold inaugural mayoral elections in May 2028.
Should these processes lead to unitary local government in Norfolk and/or to the establishment of a Mayoral Strategic Authority covering Norfolk (i) the contract may be transferred, assigned or novated to any successor authority(ies) to the council, or to any joint body incorporating or formed by any such successor and/or to any Mayoral Strategic Authority; and/or (ii) the council or a successor authority or joint body may order services on behalf of other local authorities serving any area within Norfolk's current geographical boundaries.
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The procurement route adopted is a competitive process with dialogue in accordance with regulation 11 PSR.
The procurement will be conducted in the following stages:
Applicants must complete the Basic Selection Criteria (BSC) - Form A and the Key Criteria (which includes pricing) - Form B and submit them in accordance with the timetable set out in the procurement documents.
Applicants must pass the Basic Selection Criteria (Form A) - before their Key Criteria (Form B) are considered. Applicants who fail Form A will not be considered any further and will be notified at this stage if they are unsuccessful.
Applicants that pass Form A will be evaluated against their responses in their Form B and price.
Contract award will be based on the information set out within the procurement documents.
The Council reserves the right to make adjustments to the structure of the Competitive Process, provided that any such adjustments do not alter the overall nature of the procurement, and are communicated transparently and applied equally to all applicants.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality & Innovation
/ Weighting: 40%
Quality criterion: Integration, Collaboration and Sustainability
/ Weighting: 25%
Quality criterion: Improving Access and Reducing Inequalities
/ Weighting: 25%
Quality criterion: Social Value
/ Weighting: 10%
Price
/ Weighting:
Value - Pass/Fail
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
End:
31/03/2029
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals:
The Authority may, at its sole discretion, extend the Contract for up to three (3) years should additional funding become available. Any decision to extend the contract will be subject to the availability of future national funding and internal governance approval. Accordingly, there is no guarantee that any extension will be offered. Any extension will be subject to a further Key Decision in accordance with the Authority's governance arrangements.
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:
All details are contained in the procurement documents available on the e-procurement platform - In-tend.
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
List and brief description of selection criteria:
All details are contained in the procurement documents available on the e-procurement platform - In-tend.
Minimum level(s) of standards required:
All details are contained in the procurement documents available on the e-procurement platform - In-tend.
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.2) Contract performance conditions
All details are contained in the procurement documents available on the e-procurement platform - In-tend.
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
13/11/2026
Local time: 10:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
13/11/2026
Local time: 11:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.3) Additional information
The procurement will be conducted using the Competitive Process under the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) 2023.
This is not a procurement under the Public Contracts Regulations 2024.
The full specification and procurement documents will be available upon In-tend. Applicants must register for free to access the documents.
The estimated total value of the contract including any potential extension(s) is £8,400,000.00. This figure has been calculated using the 2026 prices and excludes inflation.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Independent patient choice and procurement panel London
London
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
09/10/2026