Supporting people contracts FAQ’s

You may be wondering what supporting people contracts are? Basically, it’s just another name that buyers could use to procure for supported living services.

Supporting people contracts can be extremely varied in budgets, scope and the needs of the service users. Due to this, you need to be able to find the right opportunities for your business. Ultimately, those who use these services are looking to live as close to an independent life as possible. They just need a little help.

Who commissions supporting people contracts?

The procurement of supported living and supporting people services are typically done via the public sector. Local Councils are often the ones who release tenders for supporting people contracts. NHS procurement hubs have also been known to procure supporting people and supported living services.

Who are supporting people contracts for?

Supported living and supporting people contracts are released to cater to many different demographics. They may be comprised of one or more of the following groups:

• Homeless people
• Adults with mental health illnesses/needs
• Young people with mental health illnesses/needs
• Young people with learning disabilities
• Adults with learning disabilities
• Care leavers aged 16+
• Young offenders.

Supporting people contracts can be grouped into the following categories:

• Standard
• Floating or flexible support (for those who require less/varied levels of support)
• Complex support (for those who display harmful/risk-taking behaviours of some sort requiring high levels of support).

What are the challenges of supporting people contracts?

There are some challenges associated with tendering for this type of service and need. One is identifying what defines supporting people contracts, as they can often be confused with accommodation-based services. They can also be mixed up with residential support or other extra care schemes. However, the key difference is those using supporting people service are responsible for their own living costs.

This allows a greater deal of independence whilst still receiving support. They are able to get help with managing their finances, bills accessing the community and maintaining their home, for example.

Another challenge is the varied nature of service users who may be housed in supported living premises. Providers should demonstrate experience in providing care for specific needs in their tender response. This evidence is crucial as a buyer may not think you’re appropriate to fulfil the contract or understand what’s required.

The differing levels of risk and support required by service users will influence the accommodation requirements. This will likely be specified in the tender documents, so it’s worth reading all of the specification thoroughly. This will help you to decide if the opportunity is right for your business. There’s bound to be a tender specification that’s asking for the service you provide.

So, what exactly is required from supporting people contracts?

Supporting people contracts often have an emphasis on the following:

Safety

Bidders must have a focus on keeping people safe within their responses and robust management measures should be in place. This is required in order to safeguard people from any risks or harm within a supported living setting.

Allowing independence

Of course, allowing independence is one of the main aims of supporting people contracts. Buyers want bidders to demonstrate that they have the necessary means in place to allow as much independence as possible. You must show that you are actively encouraging people to take on daily life tasks through upskilling.

Moreover, you will need to state how you will include those who you’re catering your services to in the process. You should demonstrate how you will work together, supporting them to live autonomous lives.

Measurable outcomes

Within your response for supporting people contracts, you will likely need to state your measurable outcomes. This could include how you will cater to each person and how you’ll work towards achieving their long-term goals. 

Need support?

It you’re stuck as to what to write in your response for supporting people contracts – we can help. Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, are experts in bid writing. They boast an 87% success rate and have over 60 years of bidding experience collectively. Whether you’re completely new to tendering, or need a response proofreading, we’ve got you covered.

We offer four bid writing support packages:

• Tender Mentor Services
• A Tender Ready Programme
• Ad-hoc Tender Writing
• A Tender Improvement Package

Where can I find supporting people contracts for my business?

Finding the right supporting people contracts for your business can be somewhat of a minefield. Spending hours searching multiple websites and using unreliable CPV codes isn’t producing the results you’re after. Luckily for you, we can streamline the process saving you hours of our time.

Enter…our Healthcare Tenders portal!

Healthcare Tenders is a time-saving tool that hosts hundreds of healthcare leads and opportunities from across the UK. Our Opportunity Trackers manually source and upload healthcare tenders, frameworks and contracts from over 1,000 websites daily. You’re able to filter the results by keyword, budget, location and more.

Below are previous supporting people contracts sourced on our portal:

DBC Request Bids for a Supported Living Placement for an Adult

Darlington Borough Council- North East- Budget: Undisclosed

04-01-2021

MKC – Supported Living Services – Market Engagement and Provider Feedback Opportunity

LGSS- South East- Budget: Undisclosed

11-12-2020

On Island Supported Living and Outreach Services for Adults with Physical Disabilities and/or Complex Neurological Conditions

The Isle of Man Government- International- Budget: Undisclosed

08-02-2021

Soft Market Testing – Design & Build and/or Housing management of a Supported Living Service

Brighton and Hope City Council- South East- Budget: Undisclosed

26-02-2021

Supported Living Approved Provider List

Calderdale Council- Yorkshire and Humber- Budget: Undisclosed

26-02-2021

A subscription to our Healthcare Tenders portal offers your business:

• Unlimited access to all unique, public and private healthcare tendering opportunities.
• A daily bulletin sent straight to your inbox containing all the new healthcare tenders uploaded that day.
• An on-hand Account Manager who can answer any questions you have about supporting people contracts or the healthcare tendering process.
• A free 20-minute phone consultation with our bid writing experts at Hudson Succeed.

We source healthcare business leads for sub-sectors including:

• Supported living Tenders
• Domiciliary Care Tenders
• Medical PPE
• Social Care Contracts
• Medical Supplies
• Mental Health Tenders
• Medical Equipment Tenders

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Want to save even more time?

Upgrade to one of our two Discover Elite packages. They can help optimise your tendering opportunities, even when you’re busy. The Ultimate Time Saver and Become and Pre-Bid Master packages can improve your bidding success rate and competitor awareness.

The Ultimate Time Saver package offers:

• A maximum of five tender breakdowns per month.
• Weekly phone calls with your dedicated Account Manager to discuss viable tendering opportunities.
• An annual subscription to a maximum of two Hudson Discover sector-specific portals. This option best suits a business that overlaps two industries such as Healthcare and Technology.
• Buyer portal management including registration, password management, downloading documents and assessing viability based on your bid or no-bid
• Pre-market and award engagement notices monitored on your behalf.

The Become a Pre-Bid Master package offers your business:

• All of the above.
• Up to seven tender breakdowns per month.
• A Bid Strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager with a minimum of 5 years of experience. It will also be managed by our Global Bid Director.

Contact us to find out how we can help your business grow.