Connect to Work (Supported Employment) - IPS Provision in North, Mid and East Kent
About This Opportunity
Services contract award: Connect to Work (Supported. By Kent County Council in United Kingdom, social development. Awarded to THE FORWARD TRUST, Mar 2026.
This is a services contract in the social protection, health and medical services and Youth sectors, with a focus on Labor Market. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums.
Published through UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for services in the social protection sector. Service contracts are typically evaluated on both technical quality and price, and may require bidders to demonstrate relevant experience and qualified personnel. This contract has already been awarded. The information is published for transparency and market intelligence purposes.
Description
The Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) has launched a new national supported employment programme called 'Connect to Work' (C2W). Connect to Work is a key part of the Government's new 'Get Britain Working Strategy' and its commitment to supporting the 1.8m people in the UK who would like to work but are not currently participating in the labour market.
The programme aims to support 81,000 individuals per year overall nationally. Connect to work will be delivered by 43 accountable bodies across the UK. Kent County Council (KCC) are one of 43 Accountable bodies and will be delivering the programme on behalf of Kent and Medway.
The "Connect to Work" programme is an initiative aimed at providing employment support to individuals with disabilities or long-term health conditions, or other disadvantaged groups. The programme offers targeted interventions, job coaching,workplace support, and other support to ensure that individuals facing challenges can participate in and retain employment.
The majority of participants on the programme (75%) will be supported using the Individual Placement Support (IPS) fidelity model. This opportunity relates to the IPS
intervention only.
The following contract areas are included in this contract:
Lot 1 - North Kent -IPS (comprising the Gravesham and Medway districts)
Lot 2 - Mid Kent - IPS (comprising the Swale, Ashford and Canterbury districts)
Lot 3 - East Kent -IPS (comprising the Shepway, Dover and Thanet Districts)
Data provenance
This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on April 20, 2026. Last refreshed 50 days ago. Reference: 035844-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.
About Kent County Council
Kent County Council has issued 233 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 20 currently open and 157 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Governance & Public Administration, Health & Medical, and Education & Training. All notices are published for United Kingdom. Notices are distributed via UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and UK Contracts Finder. Most recent publication: August 7, 2026.
Frequently asked questions about this tender
Where will the contract be performed?
The contract is for delivery in United Kingdom. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.
How can I submit a bid?
Visit UK FTS - Find a Tender Service to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions. Quote reference 035844-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.
Is this tender still open?
No — the contract has already been awarded to THE FORWARD TRUST. The award notice is archived on BidsFactory for transparency and market intelligence.
Who is the contracting authority?
This notice was issued by Kent County Council in United Kingdom. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.
What type of contract is this?
This is a Services contract in the Social Protection & Welfare sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.
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