Official UK procurement notice
Supported Living for Adults with Learning Disability and/or Physical Disabilities - North Walsham, Norfolk
Authority: Norfolk County Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionNorfolk County Council wishes to award a contract to a provider to deliver support and enablement to lower needs people with learning difficulties and people with physical disabilities at a scheme in North Walsham, Norfolk. This scheme will be developed during the course of 2026 and is due to open in early 2027. It will accommodate and provide support for 9 adults across three bungalows, six apartments and a staff hub on the same site.
On 19 November 2025, the Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness made a written statement [UIN HCWS1071] saying that three proposals for unitary local government in Norfolk had been received - these could entail the creation of one, two or three unitary councils.
The Minister announced a consultation exercise, which ended on 11 January 2026. The Minister stated that "once the consultations have concluded, the Government will assess the proposals against the criteria in the invitation and decide, subject to parliamentary approval, which, if any, proposals are to be implemented, with or without modification".
B. 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.
CPV: Social work services without accommodation
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£9,600,000
- Economic & financial standing
The Council will be assessing the legal, financial and technical ability of bidders to perform the contract being procured as set out in the Invitation to Tender. This assessment includes past experience, financial suitability, health and safety, modern slavery and references. These are all designated as pass/fail criteria.
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published sub-criteria (4)
- Staffing and Mobilisation: 30%
- Understanding the Service: 25%
- Innovation and engagement: 25%
- Price: 20%
Published award criteria (4)
- Staffing and Mobilisation
- Understanding the Service
- Innovation and engagement
- Price
- Economic & financial standing
The Council will be assessing the legal, financial and technical ability of bidders to perform the contract being procured as set out in the Invitation to Tender. This assessment includes past experience, financial suitability, health and safety, modern slavery and references. These are all designated as pass/fail criteria.
- Price carries 20 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 2 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Light touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 8 Dec 2025, 11:15 GMT
- Last source update
- 27 May 2026, 15:38 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 11 May 2026
- Authority reference
NCCT43265- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-008190- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05f085Find a Tender
- Risks
Please note Norfolk County Council has joined the government's Devolution Priority Programme. This process has the potential to lead to the establishment of a county combined authority
for Norfolk and Suffolk, with strategic powers, headed by an elected mayor. A consultation is under way.
Government has also invited participation by Norfolk in Local Government Review. This process has the potential to lead to unitary local government in Norfolk.
One of these changes could happen without the other.
The contract may be assigned or novated to any successor authority(ies) to Norfolk County Council or to any joint body incorporating or formed by any such successor
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 2 Mar 2026, 11:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
This procurement will be managed electronically via
the Council`s e-procurement system. To participate
in this procurement and gain access to documents
when they are available, applicants must first be
registered on the system at intendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc ↗ (intendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc ↗). Full instructions for
registration and use of the system can be found at
intendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Buyer… ↗
(in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Buyer… ↗).
Once registered you will be able to see the
procurement project under the `tenders` section
and `express an interest` in this tender. If you
encounter any difficulties whilst using the system
you can contact the In-tend support team by
phoning +44 8442728810 or emailing support@in-tend.co.uk.
Timeline
8 Dec 2025 → 1 Jan 2027 · 9 dates- Planning notice published322 days ago8 Dec 2025, 11:15 GMT
- Tender notice published270 days ago29 Jan 2026, 16:16 GMT
- Market engagement268 days ago31 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
This is a Preliminary Market Engagement Notice (PMEN) for information purposes only. It is not a formal invitation to tender. You will need to respond to the tender notice in order to be
considered for these contracts. The purpose of this PMEN is to maximise transparency and competition for the upcoming tender notice. All details in this PMEN are subject to being updated or changed in the tender notice. We are publishing this notice to share engagement outputs and to ensure as wider audience as possible are aware and informed of Norfolk County Council's intentions. The PMEN fulfils the requirement for a Preliminary Market Engagement Notice to be issued under the Procurement Act 2023. A tender notice will be published to advertise this opportunity . Norfolk County Council are engaging with the market prior to tendering for a contract to provide supported living to adults with LD/PD in Norfolk.
If you wish to participate in the market engagement, please register on in-tend the council's portal at in-tendhost.co.uk/norfolkcc/aspx/Home ↗ and express an interest in this project. Please then use the correspondence facility to let us know you wish to attend and the email addresses of those attending. This will be carried out via Teams, so you will be sent an invite. To confirm the date we are proposing for market engagement is 7th January 2026.
- Submission deadline238 days ago2 Mar 2026, 11:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by168 days ago11 May 2026, 23:59 BST
- Assessment summaries sent153 days ago27 May 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published152 days ago27 May 2026, 15:38 BST
- Standstill ends143 days ago5 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
- Today26 Oct 2026
- Contract startsin 66 days1 Jan 2027
Notice history
9 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 8 Dec 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published8 Dec 2025, 11:15 GMTUK2
- Tender notice published29 Jan 2026, 16:16 GMTUK4
- Published value published: £9,600,00029 Jan 2026, 16:16 GMT
- Status changed to active29 Jan 2026, 16:16 GMT
- Procurement method changed29 Jan 2026, 16:16 GMT
- Deadline published: 2 Mar 2026, 11:00 GMT29 Jan 2026, 16:16 GMT
- Contract award notice published27 May 2026, 15:38 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete27 May 2026, 15:38 BST
- Contract signature expected1 Jan 2027, 23:59 GMTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affinity Trust31 Dec 2031 – 31 Dec 2031 · up to 31 Dec 2041Extensions: The Council shall be entitled at its absolute discretion to extend the Contract Period for a further period or periods of up to a total of 10 years in periods of 2 years upon giving the Provider written notice of its intention no later than six (6) months prior to the end of the Initial Term or the previous extension period. Please note - the dates are a very loose estimate. Actual date of commencement will depend on development. The values are an estimate as much of the service will be dependent on individual service user needs. | £9,600,000 | 29 Apr 2026standstill to 5 Jun 2026 | Standstill |
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12final-stage tenders · 18 at stage one | 4 | 1 | — |
Who bid
- wonAffinity Trust · South East England
- did not winABOUT WITH FRIENDSSME · East of England
- did not winFITZROY SUPPORT · South East England
- did not winVOYAGE 1 LIMITED · West Midlands
- did not winG P HOMECARE LIMITED · West Midlands
- did not winINDEPENDENCE MATTERS C.I.C. · East of England
- did not winLIFEWAYS COMMUNITY CARE LIMITED · North West England
- did not winPATHWAYS CARE GROUP LIMITED · South East England
- did not winROYAL MENCAP SOCIETY · East of England
- did not winAVENUES EASTVCSE · Greater London
- did not winTRUSTUS CARE UK LTD · Greater London
- did not winUK HEALTH CARE AGENCY LTD · East of England
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
12 commercial parties on the notice · 1 awarded- ABOUT WITH FRIENDSBidder / tenderer
- AVENUES EASTBidder / tenderer
- Affinity TrustAwarded supplier
- FITZROY SUPPORTBidder / tenderer
- G P HOMECARE LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- INDEPENDENCE MATTERS C.I.C.Bidder / tenderer
- LIFEWAYS COMMUNITY CARE LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- PATHWAYS CARE GROUP LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- ROYAL MENCAP SOCIETYBidder / tenderer
- TRUSTUS CARE UK LTDBidder / tenderer
Show 2 more suppliers
- UK HEALTH CARE AGENCY LTDBidder / tenderer
- VOYAGE 1 LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
Official documents & specifications (7)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender