South Lanarkshire Council has launched Phase 12 of its Adult Supported Living Procured Service Arrangement (PSA), creating a substantial long-term opportunity for providers supporting vulnerable adults to live in their own homes and remain active in their communities. The notice sets the estimated total value at £225 million excluding VAT and explains that the arrangement is being used because it offers more flexibility and supported-person choice than a standard framework or DPS.
This is one of the more interesting social care opportunities currently in the market because it is not a conventional closed framework. Instead, the council is using an innovative PSA under Scotland’s light touch rules, and providers can be added over the full 15-year term. That makes it a potentially valuable route to market for care providers that want a longer-term public sector opportunity without relying on a single appointment window.
What the PSA covers
The arrangement is split into two lots. Lot 1 is for Standard Care and includes nine sub-categories covering support for people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, mental health problems, acquired or traumatic brain injury, hearing impairment, visual impairment, autism, substance misuse or addiction problems, and palliative or end of life care. Lot 2 is for Enhanced Care, where supported people require staff with advanced skills and validated competencies to respond to unpredictable and high-risk situations.
That structure gives the opportunity a broad reach across supported living provision. It is relevant not only to established adult social care providers, but also to specialist organisations with expertise in particular care cohorts or enhanced support models. The notice also makes clear that contracts awarded under the PSA will follow a defined call-on procedure, so admission to the arrangement is only the first part of the opportunity.
Key dates
The main points to note from the notice are:
-
Notice published: 5 March 2026
-
Duration: 180 months
-
PSA remains open to new bids for its lifetime
-
New procurement process planned in 2034
That long duration is important. Once the initial evaluation process is complete, the ITT will reopen to new bids and remain open for the life of the PSA. The council states in the Find a Tender notice that there are no limits on how many times bidders can submit bids. For providers that are not ready immediately, that gives more flexibility than a typical framework arrangement.
Why this opportunity stands out
There are a few reasons this PSA looks especially worthwhile. First, the value is significant. A £225 million supported living arrangement is large enough to attract established providers, niche specialists and organisations looking to grow their place in local authority commissioning.
Second, the procurement model is designed around supported-person choice. The council explicitly says that self-directed support regulations offer a degree of choice that is not available through a framework or DPS, which is why it has chosen this PSA model. That tells providers something useful about the likely emphasis of the procurement. Quality, flexibility, person-centred support and the practical ability to match service delivery to individual needs are likely to matter even more than price. The current weighting also reflects that, with quality at 95% and price at 5% for both lots.
Third, the arrangement is broad enough to suit different provider models. Some organisations may be best placed for standard supported living across one or more service-user groups. Others may have a stronger fit for enhanced care, where more specialist staffing and higher-risk support are required. One important detail is that bids for Lot 2 only will not be accepted, so providers interested in enhanced care will need to consider their position carefully.
How Thornton & Lowe can support providers
For care providers considering this opportunity, the first step is to look carefully at fit. That means reviewing whether your current operating model, service-user experience, staffing capability and quality evidence match the lot structure and likely expectations of the council. It also means thinking ahead to how you would compete for call-off opportunities once admitted.
Thornton & Lowe supports organisations bidding for social care contracts and frameworks, helping providers strengthen their written responses, improve bid strategy and present service quality more clearly. We also support clients with framework applications and wider bid planning, particularly where a route to market needs more than a standard one-off tender response.
For a supported living opportunity like this, support might include:
-
reviewing bid or no-bid fit against the two lots
-
strengthening responses around outcomes, safeguarding and person-centred support
-
improving case studies and quality evidence
-
refining mobilisation and delivery proposals
-
planning for future call-off opportunities after admission
That kind of preparation is especially valuable in a quality-led procurement. Where evaluators are focused heavily on service delivery, the difference between an average response and a strong one can be substantial. Thornton & Lowe’s wider work on winning contracts and frameworks can also help providers think more strategically about how to approach longer-term public sector opportunities.
Final thoughts
The Adult Supported Living PSA Phase 12 is a substantial opportunity for providers delivering supported living and enhanced care services. Its value, long duration and open structure make it stand out from more conventional care frameworks currently in the market.
For the right providers, this is an opportunity worth approaching with a long-term view. Gaining admission matters, but so does being ready to demonstrate quality, flexibility and a clear fit with the council’s supported living model. Early preparation should put providers in a stronger position to do both.
