✓Tender information last checkedLast checked 15 Oct 2026, 15:11.
Opportunity overview
Southend-on-Sea City Council is preparing to procure a new Residential and Nursing Care Framework to support adults with a range of care and support needs, including older people, people living with dementia, adults with learning disabilities, people with mental health needs and individuals requiring nursing care.
The Council is seeking to develop a more transparent, consistent and sustainable approach to residential and nursing care, with a stronger relationship between individuals' assessed needs, the complexity of support required, provider capabilities and the fees paid for care.
The proposed framework will support improved placement decision-making, greater consistency in funding arrangements and a stronger understanding of the capacity and capabilities available within the local care market.
The Council currently intends to establish a framework under the light-touch provisions of the Procurement Act 2023, with an estimated value of £296 million over the proposed maximum eight-year period. The proposed initial term is five years, with options to extend for up to three additional years in 12-month increments. The final procurement structure remains subject to confirmation. The formal Invitation to Tender and associated tender notice are expected to be published by the end of 2026.
Before commencing procurement, the Council wishes to engage with providers to test its proposed approach and ensure that the future framework reflects the needs of residents, the capabilities of the market and the practical considerations of delivering sustainable, high-quality care.
Classification
CPV85144100 — Residential nursing care services
Lots
Lot 1Value not stated
Documents and notices
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a TenderOpen source ↗
Published notice details
Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.
The Council will hold two online market engagement sessions via Microsoft Teams.
These sessions will provide an opportunity for providers to understand the proposed framework and contribute to its development. We are particularly interested in views on:
Complexity and needs-based care: How different levels of care and complexity should be defined and how these relate to provider capability.
Fee structures: The proposed relationship between assessed need, care complexity and fee arrangements, including nursing care requirements.
Placement matching: How the Council and providers can improve the matching of individuals to appropriate residential and nursing placements.
Market capacity and sustainability: Current and future challenges, including workforce, specialist provision and increasing complexity of need.
Quality and outcomes: How the framework can promote quality, independence, wellbeing and person-centred support.
Framework operation: The proposed approach to provider participation, placement arrangements and ongoing market engagement.
Planned Engagement Sessions
Market Engagement Event 1: 27th October 2026
Market Engagement Event 2: 12th November 2026
A further provider workshop may be arranged to explore particular elements of the proposed model following the initial engagement sessions.
Who Should Attend?
We welcome participation from providers based in the Mid and South Essex areas:
• Residential Care Providers
• Nursing Care Providers
• Specialist Care Providers
• Existing Framework Providers
• Providers not currently contracted with the Council who may be interested in future opportunities
• Sector Representative Organisations
Register Your Interest:
Providers interested in attending a market engagement event or receiving updates regarding the forthcoming procurement are encouraged to register their interest by contacting:
strategiccommissioning@southend.gov.uk
Due
12 Nov 2026, 23:59
Status
scheduled
Documents
Entry 1
Id
097491-2026
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
3 published notice versions reviewed by ProcuraAxis.
3 VERSIONS
1
041231-2026Pipeline notice on Find a Tender ·
2
097491-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·
3
097496-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·
PROCURAAXIS ANALYSIS
ProcuraAxis Analysis
Our approved analysis of the opportunity appears below the official tender information.
ANALYSIS PREVIEW
Opportunity intelligence at a glance
Early-stage market engagement for a planned Southend-on-Sea City Council framework for residential and nursing care for adults, including older people, people living with dementia, adults with learning disabilities and people with mental health needs. A formal ITT and tender notice are expected by the end of 2026; bidding is not stated to be open.
Who this may suit
Potential fit for providers of residential and/or nursing care for adults. Final framework structure, participation requirements and service model remain unconfirmed.
Key points identified
Service scopeResidential and nursing care supporting adults with a range of care and support needs.Evidence: "new Residential and Nursing Care Framework to support adults with a range of care and support needs"
Included client groupsOlder people; people living with dementia; adults with learning disabilities; adults with mental health needs; and individuals requiring nursing care.Evidence: "including older people, people living with dementia, adults with learning disabilities, people with mental health needs and individuals requiring nursing care"
Provider capability alignmentThe proposed approach seeks to relate assessed needs, support complexity, provider capabilities and care fees.Evidence: "a stronger relationship between individuals' assessed needs, the complexity of support required, provider capabilities and the fees paid for care"
94% approved-analysis confidence4 supplier criteria identified3 risks or unknowns
ProcuraAxis structures information found in published procurement records, checks the result for consistency and publishes only approved analysis. Confidence describes the completeness and consistency of the available source information; it is not a guarantee of eligibility or contract award.
Early-stage market engagement for a planned Southend-on-Sea City Council framework for residential and nursing care for adults, including older people, people living with dementia, adults with learning disabilities and people with mental health needs. A formal ITT and tender notice are expected by the end of 2026; bidding is not stated to be open.
Who this may suit
Potential fit for providers of residential and/or nursing care for adults. Final framework structure, participation requirements and service model remain unconfirmed.
Key deliverables
Residential and nursing care framework
Care and support for adults with assessed needs
Market engagement to test the proposed approach
SUPPLIER REQUIREMENTS
4 criteria identified
Service scope
98% confidence
Residential and nursing care supporting adults with a range of care and support needs.
View supporting evidence
"new Residential and Nursing Care Framework to support adults with a range of care and support needs"
Included client groups
99% confidence
Older people; people living with dementia; adults with learning disabilities; adults with mental health needs; and individuals requiring nursing care.
View supporting evidence
"including older people, people living with dementia, adults with learning disabilities, people with mental health needs and individuals requiring nursing care"
Provider capability alignment
94% confidence
The proposed approach seeks to relate assessed needs, support complexity, provider capabilities and care fees.
View supporting evidence
"a stronger relationship between individuals' assessed needs, the complexity of support required, provider capabilities and the fees paid for care"
Supplier eligibility requirements
98% confidence
Unknown at this market-engagement stage.
View supporting evidence
The notice describes proposed market engagement and says the final procurement structure remains subject to confirmation.
COMMERCIAL AND DELIVERY
Contract intelligence
Commercial
Estimated maximum framework value
99% confidence
£296 million.
View supporting evidence
"estimated value of £296 million"; source value_max: 296000000 GBP.
Proposed maximum duration
98% confidence
Up to eight years: proposed initial term of five years, with up to three further 12-month extensions.
View supporting evidence
"proposed maximum eight-year period... proposed initial term is five years, with options to extend for up to three additional years in 12-month increments"
Fee approach
91% confidence
The Council proposes a more transparent and consistent relationship between care needs, support complexity, provider capabilities and fees; final terms are unknown.
View supporting evidence
"a stronger relationship between individuals' assessed needs, the complexity of support required, provider capabilities and the fees paid for care"
Delivery
Delivery area
88% confidence
UKH31; the supplied delivery location does not specify a locality.
View supporting evidence
Supplied delivery location: region "UKH31", country "United Kingdom".
Delivery model
95% confidence
Residential and nursing care framework; detailed delivery arrangements are unknown.
View supporting evidence
"Residential and Nursing Care Framework"; "final procurement structure remains subject to confirmation".
PROCEDURE
How to respond
Opportunity status
99% confidence
Upcoming planned procurement; this is a preliminary market engagement notice, not a stated open bidding opportunity.
View supporting evidence
display_status: "upcoming"; stage: "planning"; notice_type: "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender".
Proposed legal route
96% confidence
The Council currently intends to establish a framework under the light-touch provisions of the Procurement Act 2023.
View supporting evidence
"currently intends to establish a framework under the light-touch provisions of the Procurement Act 2023"
Tender timing
97% confidence
Formal ITT and associated tender notice are expected by the end of 2026.
View supporting evidence
"The formal Invitation to Tender and associated tender notice are expected to be published by the end of 2026."
Procurement method metadata
98% confidence
Source metadata says open procedure, but the narrative describes preliminary market engagement and says the final structure remains subject to confirmation.
View supporting evidence
procurement_method_details: "Open procedure"; notice narrative: "Before commencing procurement, the Council wishes to engage with providers" and "final procurement structure remains subject to confirmation".
RISKS AND UNKNOWNS
Points requiring attention
Early-stage scope and participation risk
99% confidence
Final procurement structure, tender requirements, submission process, commercial terms and timetable are not confirmed because this is pre-procurement market engagement.
View supporting evidence
"The final procurement structure remains subject to confirmation"; formal ITT is only "expected" by the end of 2026.
Procedure metadata inconsistency
99% confidence
The supplied metadata labels the method as an open procedure, while the notice is explicitly preliminary market engagement before procurement and describes the route as currently intended only. The eventual procedure should not be assumed.
View supporting evidence
procurement_method_details: "Open procedure"; notice_type: "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender"; "Before commencing procurement"; "currently intends".
Lot information incomplete
99% confidence
A planned Lot 1 is supplied without a title, description, value or deadline; no lot-specific scope can be attributed.
View supporting evidence
Supplied lot 1 has null title, description, value_amount and submission_deadline.
ProcuraAxis analysis supplements, but does not replace, the original notice and tender documents. Always verify eligibility, deadlines and commercial terms with the issuing authority.
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