Liverpool City Council is tendering a closed framework for care and support at home across 12 neighbourhoods in the city. The framework is built around two supplier roles, Lead Providers and Secondary Providers, rather than 12 separate service lots.
The Council currently supports around 2,700 residents and commissions approximately 35,000 care hours each week. The notice estimates the framework at £417,206,400 including VAT over a period that can extend to eight years. Providers need to look closely at the two routes because the experience thresholds and operating role differ. If you would like help assessing fit or writing the bid, contact Thornton & Lowe.
Lead and secondary provider roles
Lot 1 appoints Lead Providers. They will act as the primary point of contact for care packages in allocated neighbourhoods, with Lead Providers allocated up to three neighbourhoods. The notice anticipates eight places on this lot.
Lot 2 appoints Secondary Providers that can be approached when a Lead Provider cannot fulfil a care package. The notice anticipates 20 places on Lot 2, although tie rules can affect the final total. Across both lots, the stated maximum is 28 framework places.
Minimum delivery experience
The technical ability conditions are important. Lot 1 bidders must evidence regulated domiciliary care delivery of at least 1,500 hours per week. Lot 2 bidders must evidence at least 400 hours per week. Providers should check how the tender defines acceptable evidence before relying on group-wide or subcontracted volume.
Thornton & Lowe's health and social care tender guide covers common areas such as mobilisation, safeguarding, workforce, continuity and evidence. For this tender, those themes need to be tailored to the neighbourhood model and the Council's specific documents.
How care packages will be awarded
This is a closed framework with a 0% supplier fee. The notice states that care package awards will be made with competition. Competition will take place between relevant Lot 1 providers for the neighbourhood, or, where the required service cannot be provided through that route, across Lot 2 bidders.
The volumes and values in the notice are not guaranteed. This is a demand-led service, so providers should avoid treating the headline framework value as forecast revenue. A realistic bid should instead show how capacity will be managed as demand changes and how the service will protect continuity and quality.
Evaluation and dates
The headline award weighting is 90% quality and 10% social value. That makes service evidence central to the submission, particularly where the procurement documents use pass/fail conditions before scored questions are evaluated.
- Estimated value: £417,206,400 including VAT
- Framework start: 15 March 2027
- Initial end date: 14 March 2032, with extensions possible to 14 March 2035
- Enquiry deadline: 28 August 2026 at 12:00pm
- Tender submission deadline: 8 September 2026 at 12:00pm
See the Liverpool Care and Support at Home Find a Tender notice for the formal framework details.
Support with the Liverpool homecare tender
Thornton & Lowe can support bid/no-bid review, evidence planning, social value and the full quality response for either provider route. Speak to our care bid team to discuss the Liverpool framework.
