Devon Live-in Care, Complex Care And Trusted Assessor Framework Success - Lot 2: Complex Care For All-Ages

Case Study

Devon Live-in Care, Complex Care and Trusted Assessor Framework Success – Lot 2: Complex Care for All-Ages

Tender Overview

In December 2025, we supported a care provider in securing successful admission onto Devon’s Live-in Care (AA), Complex Care (AA) and Trusted Assessor (CYP) Framework (C357658) for Lot 2: Complex Care for All-Ages. This significant framework success, confirmed on 24th December 2025, established them as an approved provider for this competitive four-year framework running from 12th January 2026, providing access to complex care commissioning opportunities across Devon.

The framework was procured in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection) Regime Regulations 2023, requiring providers to demonstrate comprehensive capability across complex care delivery for all age groups whilst competing through NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit’s rigorous evaluation process. This NHS-commissioned framework exemplifies why care providers increasingly rely on AssuredBid’s expert bid development support to navigate Health Care Services regulations and position competitively within NHS and local authority collaborative commissioning frameworks.

The provider wanted to establish their position within Devon’s complex care commissioning landscape, securing access to packages supporting individuals with complex care needs across all age groups throughout the county. The framework structure, evaluated through detailed assessment criteria, required exceptional tender submissions demonstrating specialist complex care capability alongside live-in care and trusted assessor competencies across the integrated framework.

Framework Structure and Requirements

Devon’s Live-in Care, Complex Care and Trusted Assessor Framework (FTS Contract Notice Reference: 2025/S 000-029662) was structured to identify high-performing providers capable of delivering three distinct but complementary service models: live-in care (AA – all ages), complex care (AA – all ages), and trusted assessor services (CYP – children and young people). The framework’s integrated design reflects the increasingly sophisticated approach to commissioning care services where providers demonstrate capability across multiple specialisms within unified framework agreements.

The procurement was conducted under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection) Regime Regulations 2023, which replaced previous procurement regulations for health and social care services, requiring providers to understand the distinct regulatory framework governing NHS and health-related commissioning compared to traditional Public Contracts Regulations. Mark Harding, Senior Procurement Manager at NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (acting on behalf of the Commissioner), confirmed that “this communication is provided pursuant to the obligations under those Regulations.”

The Invitation to Tender closed on 1st July 2025, with evaluation conducted throughout the latter half of 2025. The framework required detailed responses addressing evaluation criteria, with the procurement team confirming that evaluation feedback including criteria, scores, and rationale would follow after the initial success notification. Due to the large number of applications to the Framework Agreement, there were technical issues uploading the debrief reports to the Atamis Portal, with full evaluation summaries to be provided once resolved.

Our Intervention

AssuredBid provided comprehensive bid development support throughout the tender submission process. Our expert bid writing team worked with the provider to develop responses addressing all Invitation to Tender requirements whilst positioning them competitively within the Health Care Services (Provider Selection) Regime Regulations 2023 evaluation framework for complex care service delivery.

Our support ensured their tender submission comprehensively addressed evaluation criteria for Lot 2 (Complex Care for All-Ages), demonstrating the specialist capability required for supporting individuals with complex health and care needs across age groups, ultimately achieving successful framework admission and positioning them for call-off opportunities throughout Devon.

How We Worked

Our children’s services bid writing team used a comprehensive, legally-focused approach that addressed both immediate tender requirements and long-term PDPS success:

Children’s short breaks expertise application and multi-lot optimisation: Our bid writing specialists brought specialised knowledge across all three service areas – home-based individual support, overnight care provision, and personal assistance for social and leisure – ensuring responses demonstrated genuine understanding of children’s short breaks principles whilst maintaining service-specific depth.

Legal documentation mastery and compliance assurance: Our experts navigated the extraordinarily complex legal framework spanning nine schedules, multiple appendices, and detailed variations, ensuring Steady Care Solutions understood document precedence, interpretation clauses, and ongoing legal obligations whilst maintaining focus on service delivery excellence.

Electronic signature preparation and digital contract execution: Our bid writing team guided Steady Care Solutions through modern electronic signature processes, ensuring they understood how to execute legally binding contracts through digital methods whilst maintaining proper authorisation and documentation standards.

Light Touch Regime positioning and sustainable competitive capability: Our specialists positioned Steady Care Solutions not just for initial PDPS acceptance but for long-term success within the open framework, ensuring they understood the ongoing competitive environment, lack of volume guarantees, and need for sustained service excellence.

Pricing strategy development and competitive rate setting: Our experts helped develop competitive pricing across the three lots (£25.45 for daytime/evening, £17.40 waking nights, £17.29 sleeping nights, £24.98 personal assistance) that would achieve PDPS acceptance whilst ensuring sustainable service delivery.

The complex compliance requirements this case presented mirror precisely the challenges outlined in our examination of common bidding compliance mistakes that eliminate capable providers, where understanding technical documentation requirements proves as critical as demonstrating operational excellence.

Results

On 24th December 2025, the provider received formal notification from Mark Harding, Senior Procurement Manager at NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit, confirming their successful tender submission for Lot 2: Complex Care for All-Ages.

Successful Framework Admission:

The notification confirmed successful admission to Lot 2 of the framework, stating: “Thank you for submitting a Bid for the above procurement, which has been undertaken in accordance with the published criteria. On behalf of the Commissioner, I am pleased to inform you that your application to the Framework Agreement has been successful.”

Framework Duration:

The framework provides four years of market access from 12th January 2026, establishing sustained opportunity access throughout the framework lifetime for complex care packages across Devon.

Standstill Period and Award Conditions:

The notification confirmed a mandatory standstill period ending at midnight on 8th January 2026, following which the contract would be awarded. The Commissioner published an Intention to Award notice naming the successful bidders, informing the market of the intention to award and commencing the 8-working-day standstill period.

The intention to award was confirmed as conditional upon:

No representation being made challenging the procurement process/outcome before the deadline
Successful conclusion of any remaining due diligence or assurance work
Finalisation of the contractual documentation

The notification emphasized: “Please note that any work carried out by yourselves prior to formal signature/execution of the contract is done so at your own risk and not pursuant to a contract with the Commissioner.”

Post-Award Communication:

The procurement team confirmed that providers would receive further information on next steps shortly, with all messages relating to the award to be sent via the messaging system on the e-tendering portal. The notification stated: “We will contact you again following expiry of the standstill period.”

Outcome and Strategic Benefits

This framework admission success provides the care provider with exceptional strategic advantages within Devon’s complex care market:

Devon Complex Care Market Access: Framework membership for Lot 2 establishes the provider as an approved supplier for complex care services for all ages across Devon, providing access to call-off opportunities throughout the four-year framework period from January 2026, supporting individuals with complex health and care needs requiring specialist intervention.

NHS Commissioning Credibility: Securing admission to an NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit framework validates capability for operating within NHS commissioning environments, strengthening credibility for other health and social care opportunities across the South West and nationally where NHS commissioning units recognise framework membership as evidence of quality and compliance capability.

Health Care Services Regulations Compliance Demonstration: Successfully navigating procurement under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection) Regime Regulations 2023 demonstrates understanding of the distinct regulatory framework governing health and care commissioning, positioning the provider competitively for other opportunities under these relatively new regulations that many providers still struggle to understand.

Integrated Framework Positioning: While successful specifically for Lot 2 (Complex Care for All-Ages), framework membership within an integrated framework also covering live-in care and trusted assessor services positions the provider within Devon’s broader care commissioning landscape, potentially enabling partnership opportunities with other framework providers across complementary lots.

Four-Year Revenue Opportunity Access: The framework duration extending to January 2030 provides sustained market access and revenue opportunity potential across multiple years, enabling the provider to build long-term relationships with Devon commissioners and develop sustained service delivery track record within the county supporting individuals with complex care needs.

Continuing Support

AssuredBid continues supporting the provider with post-award framework management, including preparation for call-off opportunity responses as Devon issues invitations to framework providers, ensuring they can leverage their framework admission into sustained contract awards throughout the four-year framework period for complex care packages across the county.

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