Connect to Work (IPS)
Estimated Value
Up to £0
Deadline
8 June 2026
Published
Not specified
Type
Contract
Overview
Dudley MBC is commissioning a Connect to Work delivery partner to contribute to a single, borough wide supported employment system, rather than standalone or parallel services. The Council is seeking locally embedded organisations with an existing footprint in Dudley or the Black Country, who already work within the borough’s communities and have proven experience supporting residents with health conditions, disabilities and complex barriers to employment.
Commissioned providers will operate as delivery partners within Dudley MBC’s Connect to Work model. Working alongside in house teams and other partners as one integrated service. This includes shared referral and triage processes, aligned delivery models, and joint responsibility for quality, fidelity and continuous improvement.
AI Analysis
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Dudley Council is looking for a local organisation to deliver supported employment services for people with health conditions, disabilities, and complex barriers to work. You'll be part of an integrated council system working alongside council teams and other providers, not running a standalone service.
Requirements
- Must be locally embedded with existing presence in Dudley or the Black Country
- Must already work within Dudley's communities
- Must have proven experience supporting residents with health conditions
- Must have proven experience supporting residents with disabilities
- Must have proven experience supporting residents with complex barriers to employment
- Must be able to operate as a delivery partner within the council's Connect to Work model
- Must participate in shared referral and triage processes
- Must align delivery models with council standards
- Must accept joint responsibility for quality, fidelity and continuous improvement
Key Tasks & Deliverables
- Deliver supported employment services to Dudley residents
- Participate in borough-wide shared referral and triage processes
- Support people with health conditions into work
- Support people with disabilities into work
- Support people with complex employment barriers
- Work as integrated part of council team (not independently)
- Maintain service quality and fidelity standards set by council
- Contribute to continuous improvement of the integrated system
- Work alongside council in-house teams and other delivery partners
How to Read This Tender
- 1This is NOT a standalone contract — you must be willing to integrate fully with council teams and share decision-making. Check the full tender documents for exactly what 'fidelity' and 'continuous improvement' mechanisms mean in practice.
- 2Look carefully at the referral and triage process sections — this tells you who refers clients to you, how many, and what data you'll need to report.
- 3The phrase 'locally embedded with existing footprint' is key — if you're new to Dudley or have no community presence yet, this will work against you. Highlight any existing local relationships in your bid.
- 4Search the full documents for performance metrics and KPIs — these will show what outcomes the council expects (e.g. how many people into employment, timescales, support duration).
- 5Check who the 'other partners' are that you'll work alongside — you need to understand the competitive and collaborative environment you're entering.
Tips for Small Businesses
- If you're smaller, consider a consortium bid with another local organisation that's strong where you're weaker — councils often prefer integrated partnerships and this shows you understand collaborative working.
- Your local connections matter more than size here — emphasise any existing relationships with Dudley residents, community groups, or council departments. Case studies of people you've already supported in the area will be very strong evidence.
- Look for social value scoring opportunities in the full tender — this contract type often rewards local employment of staff, training of unemployed people, and community reinvestment. Build this into your proposal costs.
Before you bid, buyers check
two years of filed accountsyour financial standingturnover vs contract valueyour Companies House recordcash flow for 30-day termscredit scores and ratios
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Key Dates
Published
Not specified
Submission deadline
8 June 2026
Notice type
Tender
Source
council:dudley-metropolitan-borough-council
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