Connect to Work delivery in Southwark

Award outcome

Description

Connect to Work is a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) funded programme of supported employment to be delivered over five years from October 2025 to financial year 2029/30. Its primary objective is to support people with health and disability related barriers into good quality, sustainable employment using tested models of support known as Individual Placement and Support (IPS) and the Supported Employment Quality Framework (SEQF). Southwark is projected to have the highest number of Connect to Work participants of all central London boroughs, with up to 700 starts per year when the programme is at full capacity. Over the five-year delivery period, over 2,000 people are expected to benefit from support. The council will take a blended approach to delivering Connect to Work in Southwark with approximately 30% of total volumes to be delivered in-house and 70% procured through external organisations. Effective integration with local employment support services delivered through the Southwark Works programme and with local health, wellbeing and social care providers will be essential to the success of this programme. A Prior Information Notice (PIN) 2025/S 000-005585 was issued on 18 February 2025 and a Preliminary Market Engagement Event was held online on 27 February 2025. The Connect to Work programme is for four years and six months commencing on 1 October 2025, for a total estimated value of £6,490,546 including VAT. Contracts will be offered in 3 lots. The details of each lot and the maximum contract values for each are as follows: Lot 1: Working with the Southwark Resource Centre and the range of services delivered from the centre including the Disability Hub, the Wellbeing Hub, support for carers and support for people with SEND. Also working with: The Nest mental health support for young people. Services providing SEND support to younger people including council teams. Lot 1 total estimate value including VAT: £4,039,956 Lot 2: Emphasis on community outreach and engagement including VCS, faith groups, housing estates, Family Hubs and Children's Centres etc. and networks not covered in lot 1 or by the council's in-house service. Lot 2 total estimate value including VAT: £1,933,794 Lot 3: Working across all referral routes and in partnership with providers across the programme to provide support for people already in-work who are at risk of dropping out of work due to their health condition, disability or other disadvantage, or wish to move to new employment. Lot 3 total estimate value including VAT: £516,796

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