Welfare Benefits Helpline and Specialist Benefits Advice Service in East Sussex

Description

Invitation to Provider Market Engagement Event This is not a call for competition; a separate Tender Notice will be published when a formal procurement procedure commences. East Sussex County Council is to recommission its Welfare Benefits Helpline and Specialist Benefits Advice Service in East Sussex contract, with the new contract to commence 1 April 2027. You are invited to join us at our Market Engagement Event on Wednesday 13 May 2026. About this Event East Sussex County Council will be tendering in July 2026 for Welfare Benefits Helpline and Specialist Benefits Advice Service in East Sussex. The Council will jointly commission these services with a Co-Commissioning Group to include representation from Adult Social Care and VCSE representatives nominated by the East Sussex VCSE Alliance. The Council will award the contract(s) following a joint evaluation and jointly agreed decision. The Commissioning Group is seeking to commission: i) an Accredited Strategic Partner who will deliver some or all of the services and may subcontract some of the services to Accredited Providers. OR ii) a Consortium of Accredited Providers who will deliver all of the services between them. A Consortium must identify a lead organisation to act on its behalf as Strategic Partner in relation to delivery of this Service Specification. The Providers will work collaboratively to ensure services are accessible to East Sussex residents and share insights into needs, priorities and other challenges relating to welfare benefits and the wider financial inclusion agenda. We invite you to attend this pre-tender virtual Market Engagement Event to learn more about this procurement opportunity, to ask / submit questions and for the Council to provide answers. The event will explain the following: • Partnership approach • Background and proposed model • Procurement approach This event is targeted at VCSE organisations with a working knowledge of the East Sussex demographic. Further information: • The event will be held online: an agenda and event link will be shared the day before to those who have registered. The duration of this event may be shorter depending on the volume and complexity of questions asked by attendees. • Registration for the event is via email. Please email allyson.king@eastsussex.gov.uk to book a place, including your organisation name and the names and email addresses of those due to attend.