Experts at Hand: Occupational Therapy, Inclusion and Participation Service
A practical guide to understanding what the buyer really wants and how to build a winning response.
Think about transformation, not just services
Norfolk County Council isn’t just looking for service providers.
They want partners in transforming support for children and young people with SEND.
This is about embedding expertise directly into early years, primary, secondary and post-16 settings.
Not just providing occupational therapy, but truly integrating with existing staff.
The contract covers delivering targeted support through observation, assessment and tailored interventions.
It's a chance to help more children flourish within their settings, with a focus on earlier identification and stronger workforce capability.
Understand the context of SEND in mainstream settings
Imagine the impact of having specialist expertise readily available in a school.
For many children, this could mean the difference between struggling and thriving.
The service is designed to bring occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, educational psychologists and specialist teachers into everyday environments.
This isn't about occasional visits.
It's about having experts 'at hand'.
If I were evaluating bids, I'd be looking for a deep understanding of how your team will integrate with and support existing staff.
Don't just list qualifications. Show impact.
Every bidder will have qualified professionals.
What sets you apart is the impact they’ll have.
I'd want to see examples of how your team has previously embedded within educational settings.
Real-world outcomes.
This could include:
- Case studies where early intervention changed a child's educational trajectory
- Evidence of improved workforce confidence and capability
- Testimonials from schools where your team made a significant difference
Evidence always beats promises.
Pay attention to what they say
The Council is clear about the importance of early identification and tailored support.
They've structured the service to help settings better meet the needs of children with emerging or identified SEND.
This means you need to show how your approach will provide timely, evidence-based support.
They’re not just interested in what you deliver, but how you deliver it in collaboration with setting staff.
Highlight your strategies for embedding expert roles and fostering collaborative relationships.
Remember: It's about the children and young people
Every decision made impacts a child or young person.
Keep that front and centre.
I'd remind myself that every point in my response should ultimately connect back to improving outcomes for them.
Think about how your service will help each child reach their potential.
Will your approach help teachers feel more equipped to support their students?
Will it create an environment where children with SEND feel understood and supported?
Show how you’ll maintain standards throughout the contract
Consistency is key.
This contract runs until 31 March 2029, with a possibility of extension.
Maintaining high standards over this period is crucial.
I'd describe how my team will manage recruitment, training and performance reviews.
How you'll cover for absences, ensuring there's no drop in service quality.
Consistency over time is what the Council will value.
One thing I'd keep reminding myself
This isn't just another contract.
It's a chance to be part of a transformative approach to SEND support in Norfolk.
I'd keep asking myself, "How does this decision or action improve support for children and young people?"
It's a guiding question that ensures every part of your response is relevant and impactful.
Common mistakes
Avoid submissions that:
- Overlook the importance of integration within educational settings
- Fail to provide specific evidence of past successes and impacts
- Focus solely on qualifications without demonstrating how they'll be applied
- Neglect to address how standards will be maintained over the contract term
- Ignore the Council's emphasis on early identification and tailored support
- Provide generic responses that could apply to any social care service
- Fail to show an understanding of the local context and needs in Norfolk
- Miss the opportunity to highlight collaborative approaches with setting staff
My Final Thoughts
Norfolk County Council is looking for more than just a service provider.
They want a partner in transforming how children and young people with SEND are supported.
The contract is valued at £3,829,100 for the initial term, with potential for a three-year extension.
Quality, impact and integration are key.
The Council’s focus on transformation means your written submission needs to clearly show how you’ll deliver this vision.
Thanks for reading.
I hope this guide has helped make public procurement feel a little less daunting. If it has, then it's done its job.
P.S. Got a question?
If you've got a question about anything you've read, or you're stuck on a tender, just send me an email.
Whether it's a quick question or you simply need pointing in the right direction, I'm always happy to help if I can.
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Our guides are written using publicly available procurement information, including contract notices and published tender documents where available. They are designed to help suppliers understand the buyer's likely priorities and think more strategically about their approach. They are not based on any bidder's confidential submission, bespoke bid strategy or non-public procurement information.