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Healthy Working Life: Connect to Work market engagement

We are delivering Connect to Work, part of the wider Healthy Working Life programme, supporting the region’s ambition to have the healthiest workforce in England by 2040. Find out how you can help us.

About the Connect to Work programme

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority is delivering Connect to Work, part of the wider Healthy Working Life programme, supporting the region’s ambition to have the healthiest workforce in England by 2040.

The programme focuses on reducing economic inactivity by supporting people with health conditions, disabilities, and complex barriers to move into and sustain employment.

To achieve this, the Combined Authority will procure a provider to deliver Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services across West Yorkshire - helping people access work quickly and remain in employment through tailored, evidence-based support.

This represents a significant procurement opportunity, with the opportunity expected to go live in early June, with an estimated total value of around £23 million.

This page is designed to support organisations interested in the Connect to Work opportunity, bringing together key information and resources in one place.

Learn more about the opportunity and route to market

We held an online market engagement event on Tuesday, 19 May. The session provided an overview of the Connect to Work commercial opportunity, including details of the proposed delivery approach and potential routes to market.

The recording is available for those who were unable to attend or who would like to revisit the content.

Engagement event questions and answers

Are these inactive figures including retirees?

Will this be awarded to one provider?

In which areas and over what time period is support defined? How many contacts and outcomes are there?

Will the contract be awarded to one supplier?

Is IPS only for people with SMI and not supported employment for people with disabilities? Has the latter already been commissioned?

What does SEQF mean?

There is growing numbers of economically inactive young people in WY - will this service be especially focused on these cohorts?

Are there plans to work with/support employers (raising their disability/equality/Access to Work etc. awareness), to enable successful, quality job matching to be opened up and sustained for the programmes target group?

Mobilisation of such a large contract, 4-8 weeks from award from August to September is incredibly challenging. Would an increased mobilisation period be considered?

As part of the healthy working life programme activities, why is the sport and physical activity sector not mentioned to support people back into work?

Do you have any information on the payment model for this contract?

Bradford are already delivering CtW through Skills House, will this continue?

For VCSE collaborations and as part of WYCA due diligence, do the lead organisations have to submit mutual agreements with VCSE organisations they will be working with?

Are there opportunities for other (not just direct employment support) affiliated research projects, such as building knowledge of labour market through lived experience or evaluations of the four strands?

Given that this opportunity is financially significant and you are proposing to appoint only one lead provider, how will West Yorkshire Combined Authority ensure that local provision from smaller organisations, third-sector bodies and charities are protected and meaningfully included?

How will WYCA make sure that the value of this contract reaches local delivery partners, rather than being absorbed by large national consulting firms acting as lead providers?

Will the contract with the successful provider be via a grant agreement or contract for services?

In some Connect to Work procurements, bidders have been unable to include a profit line in the commercials. Will this be the case here?

Do you need to have fidelity in IPS to deliver in this opportunity?

How will VAT be treated in this service? With grant funded services there are often VAT implications for organisations.

Is the model 100% externally commissioned or is it mixed model of delivery?

Can you be a supply provider in multiple lead bids?

As a small specialist VCSE organisation, how would we find out about the subcontracting opportunity? Would this be through YORtender?

What is the evaluation model (quality/price)? Does the model include a payments by results approach??

Can you apply for this funding even if you're already funded by Trailblazer economic activity?

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Healthy Working Life: Connect to Work market engagement

On this page

About the Connect to Work programme

Learn more about the opportunity and route to market

Market engagement resources

Engagement event questions and answers

Are these inactive figures including retirees?

Will this be awarded to one provider?

In which areas and over what time period is support defined? How many contacts and outcomes are there?

Will the contract be awarded to one supplier?

Is IPS only for people with SMI and not supported employment for people with disabilities? Has the latter already been commissioned?

What does SEQF mean?

There is growing numbers of economically inactive young people in WY - will this service be especially focused on these cohorts?

Are there plans to work with/support employers (raising their disability/equality/Access to Work etc. awareness), to enable successful, quality job matching to be opened up and sustained for the programmes target group?

Mobilisation of such a large contract, 4-8 weeks from award from August to September is incredibly challenging. Would an increased mobilisation period be considered?

As part of the healthy working life programme activities, why is the sport and physical activity sector not mentioned to support people back into work?

Do you have any information on the payment model for this contract?

Bradford are already delivering CtW through Skills House, will this continue?

For VCSE collaborations and as part of WYCA due diligence, do the lead organisations have to submit mutual agreements with VCSE organisations they will be working with?

Are there opportunities for other (not just direct employment support) affiliated research projects, such as building knowledge of labour market through lived experience or evaluations of the four strands?

Given that this opportunity is financially significant and you are proposing to appoint only one lead provider, how will West Yorkshire Combined Authority ensure that local provision from smaller organisations, third-sector bodies and charities are protected and meaningfully included?

How will WYCA make sure that the value of this contract reaches local delivery partners, rather than being absorbed by large national consulting firms acting as lead providers?

Will the contract with the successful provider be via a grant agreement or contract for services?

In some Connect to Work procurements, bidders have been unable to include a profit line in the commercials. Will this be the case here?

Do you need to have fidelity in IPS to deliver in this opportunity?

How will VAT be treated in this service? With grant funded services there are often VAT implications for organisations.

Is the model 100% externally commissioned or is it mixed model of delivery?

Can you be a supply provider in multiple lead bids?

As a small specialist VCSE organisation, how would we find out about the subcontracting opportunity? Would this be through YORtender?

What is the evaluation model (quality/price)? Does the model include a payments by results approach??

Can you apply for this funding even if you're already funded by Trailblazer economic activity?

Procurement terms and conditions

Our social value guide

Glossary of public procurement terms