How to win: Tender for the provision of General Management and Staffing for the Winter Shelter Provision

About this contract

Herefordshire Council is seeking to appoint an experienced Supplier to provide the management and staffing of a Winter Shelter Service for adults experiencing rough sleeping within Hereford. The service forms part of the Council's statutory homelessness prevention and relief duties under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and supports the objectives of the Herefordshire Homeless Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2026-2031. The successful Supplier will be responsible for the operational management of Council-provided emergency accommodation, including resident check-in and check-out, overnight waking cover, welfare monitoring, risk management, safeguarding, property security, and day-to-day service delivery. The accommodation provides dormitory-style provision for up to 16 individuals together with two additional single-person pods, offering an immediate off-the-streets response during the winter period. The contract is expected to commence on 2 November 2026 and continue until 29 April 2027, with the option to extend for up to three further winter delivery periods (November to April), subject to funding, governance approvals, demand, and satisfactory Supplier performance. The

How to win contracts like this

• ✓Answer against the marking scheme, not the question text — Herefordshire Council scores each response, so map your evidence to the published criteria and weightings.
• ✓At £360,000, 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 21 September 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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