Supported living tenders are competitive, and the difference between winning and coming second is often a few marks on quality questions. Having led services and written bids, I see the same issues again and again. These are the seven areas I focus on with providers.
1. Read the evaluation criteria before you write a word
Start with how the bid will be scored, not with the questions. Check the split between quality and price, the weighting of each quality question and any pass or fail requirements. A question worth 20% of the quality score deserves far more of your time than one worth 5%. Many bids lose marks simply because they answer a slightly different question from the one being asked.
2. Make an honest bid or no-bid decision
Winning a contract you cannot staff or sustain is not a success. Before committing, look at the geography, the hourly or weekly rates, your recruitment position in that area and whether the contract fits your strategy. A clear no is better than a rushed bid that damages your reputation with the commissioner.
3. Show you understand the local picture
Commissioners want to know you understand their area, not just supported living in general. Read the council’s market position statement and its strategies for learning disability, autism and mental health. Refer to local services, partnerships and priorities where they genuinely apply to how you will work.
4. Evidence, not assertions
Every provider says its care is person-centred. The bids that score well prove it. Use short, anonymised examples of outcomes people have achieved, how you measure progress and what you changed as a result. Inspection ratings, audit results and feedback from people and families all count as evidence when they are relevant to the question.
5. Put people’s rights and independence at the centre
For learning disability and autism services, commissioners will expect your approach to reflect the CQC’s Right support, right care, right culture guidance and the wellbeing principle of the Care Act 2014. Explain how people have choice and control, how you reduce restrictive practice and how you support people to build skills and connections in their community.
6. Prove the workforce plan is deliverable
Staffing is the biggest risk commissioners see in supported living. Set out how you will recruit and retain staff in that location, your training and supervision arrangements, how you match staff to the people they support and how you will cover absence. Be specific. A realistic plan scores better than an ambitious one that does not add up.
7. Plan mobilisation and social value properly
A clear mobilisation plan, with a timeline, named responsibilities, TUPE arrangements where they apply and identified risks, reassures commissioners that the service will start safely. Social value commitments should be measurable and something you will actually report on, such as local recruitment, apprenticeships or community partnerships.
A final check before you submit
Most new public contracts are now run under the Procurement Act 2023, and procurement portals are unforgiving. Check word counts, required attachments and declarations, and submit well before the deadline. A strong bid can be rejected for a missing document.
If you have a supported living tender coming up and would like a second opinion on whether to bid, or support writing and reviewing your response, see my care tender writing support or get in touch. The earlier we talk, the more I can help.