Open tenderClosing in 3 weeks

Advocacy Services Market Engagement Event

Details

Buyer: Westmorland and Furness Council
Topic: Health and social work services
Published: 12 October 2026
Submission: 4 November 2026in 3 weeks
Source: uk:procontracts

Tender description

We would like to invite all providers of advocacy services to join us for an online market engagement session. This session will focus on the future delivery of Advocacy Services across Westmorland and Furness. This event is an opportunity to hear more about our ambitions for advocacy services, share your views and experience, and contribute to the development of future commissioning arrangements. We value the expertise and insight of providers and welcome your feedback as we explore how services can best meet the needs of children, young people and adults across the area. During the session, we will: • Provide an overview of the current Children's and Adults Advocacy Services. • Share our initial thinking on future service requirements and performance expectations. • Discuss the proposed procurement approach and indicative timetable. • Invite questions, feedback and suggestions from providers to help inform our plans. Whether you currently deliver advocacy services or are interested in future opportunities, we encourage you to attend and contribute to the discussion. Please note that participation in this event is entirely voluntary and is not a requirement for involvement in any future procurement process. Register Your Interest by emailing: Commissioning.WAF@cumbria.gov.uk To inform discussions at the event, we would appreciate it if you could complete and return the ‘Advocacy Services Market Engagement Questionnaire’ by 12 noon on Thursday 21st October 2026 to: Commissioning.WAF@cumbria.gov.uk We look forward to meeting with you and hearing your thoughts on how we can work together to support high-quality, person-centred advocacy services for the residents of Westmorland and Furness. Keywords: Advocacy, Service

Timeline

Completed: Tender published12 October 2026
Current notice
Next: Submission date4 November 2026in 3 weeks

About the buyer

Westmorland and Furness Council is a local authority, and suppliers register free on The Chest, the region's e-procurement portal, to bid for contract opportunities. Registration also opens access to opportunities from district and county councils across the North West of England. Specialist consultancy support is procured through professional services frameworks running for four years. Around half the consultants on the current framework are based in Cumbria. Framework bids are evaluated on capability, capacity, performance management and commitment to social value. Every framework must align with the council's own Social Value Statement.

UK local government drives £140bn in annual procurement, led by social protection (£66.6bn) and education (£57.1bn).

Over the past 5 years, most of Westmorland and Furness Council's contract awards have been in construction work, transport services and software and information systems.