How to win: Gateshead Advocacy Services

About this contract

Gateshead Council is in the process of recommissioning a contract to deliver advocacy services. The current advocacy contract will expire on 30th September 2026. The proposed contract will include the following statutory, non-statutory and general elements: - Care Act - IMCA - RPR - IMHA - NHS Complaints - Rule 1.2 Representative Advocacy - General Advocacy. Following consideration of the service requirements and the needs of people who access advocacy, it is proposed that the advocacy contract is procured as a single contract rather than divided into lots. This approach is justified as many individuals require access to more than one type of advocacy during their journey (e.g., statutory advocacy, issue-based advocacy, and specialist advocacy). Delivering these through one provider enables cohesive support for individuals, including a consistent advocacy approach and smooth transitions between different advocacy types, ensuring timely and coordinated support.

How to win contracts like this

• ✓Answer against the marking scheme, not the question text — Gateshead Borough Council scores each response, so map your evidence to the published criteria and weightings.
• ✓At £1,700,000, expect quality and social value to carry a large share of the score — price alone rarely wins services work.
• ✓Show recent, comparable delivery: name similar services contracts you've delivered for public bodies, with measurable outcomes.
• ✓Start early: it closes 9 June 2026 and a strong bid takes iteration.

BidWriter drafts your responses from your company profile, scores them against the marking scheme, and tracks your whole pipeline. Free to start — no card needed.

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