Care tender writing in the South West
We write care tenders for CQC and Ofsted registered providers across the South West, from Bristol and Gloucestershire to Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. We work remotely, run a free eligibility check before you pay, charge £795 for your first tender, and only take bids we believe you can win. Our win rate is 96 percent.
Care commissioning in South West
The South West is one of the most rural regions in England, and that shapes how care is bought. Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset cover long distances with scattered populations and pockets of sparsely served coast and moorland, so rural cover, travel time and recruitment in hard-to-reach areas weigh heavily in scoring. The region also has an older-than-average population, which keeps demand for home care and supported living high.
Recent local government reorganisations reshaped the map. Somerset became a single unitary council in 2023, Dorset is split between Dorset Council and the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary, and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are unitaries too. Devon County Council remains a two-tier county with districts beneath it, while Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire are unitaries adding denser urban demand to the west and north. Gloucestershire stays a two-tier county. This patchwork means lot structures and rate cards differ markedly across short distances.
Several integrated care boards cover the South West and shape joint commissioning for continuing healthcare, discharge and older people's services across these large geographies. NHS Continuing Healthcare and fast-track packages are often arranged jointly with councils, and providers who can evidence safe rural mobilisation and continuity tend to score well.
A bid that suits Bristol will read very differently to one for rural Cornwall. We know these buyers and write each tender to match the lot structure, rate card and rural delivery questions that the specific council or ICB scores.
What is different about bidding in South West
How South West councils tend to buy care
The large unitaries of Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire, the two-tier counties of Devon and Gloucestershire, and the urban unitaries around Bristol run frameworks, dynamic purchasing systems and approved provider lists for home care and supported living. Rural authorities often lot by locality so providers cover defined patches. Confirm whether the route is a framework, a DPS or a block contract, and which rural lots you can genuinely deliver, before you write.
What South West commissioners emphasise locally
Rural authorities score realistic travel time, rural recruitment and continuity of care heavily, given scattered populations and an older demographic. Urban buyers around Bristol emphasise safeguarding and timely discharge. Social value weightings of 10 to 20 percent often reward local employment in rural economies. Quality to price ratios typically run from 60/40 to 80/20.
NHS continuing healthcare and ICB joint commissioning
Several ICBs cover the South West, including Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire, and Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire. They commission NHS Continuing Healthcare, fast-track and discharge packages, often jointly with councils. Safe, prompt rural mobilisation is an advantage.
Councils we write bids for in South West
- Bristol City Council
- Devon County Council
- Cornwall Council
- Somerset Council
- Dorset Council
- Gloucestershire County Council
- Bath and North East Somerset Council
- Wiltshire Council
NHS integrated care boards (ICBs)
- NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB
- NHS Devon ICB
- NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly ICB
- NHS Somerset ICB
- NHS Dorset ICB
- NHS Gloucestershire ICB
- NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB
NHS and continuing healthcare work in South West is commissioned through these ICBs.
Major South West councils and their procurement portals
Portals change and some councils run more than one system, so treat this as indicative and confirm the live portal in the tender notice. Contracts above threshold also appear on the Find a Tender Service.
| Council | Type | Procurement portal |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol City Council | Unitary authority | ProContract (Due North) |
| Devon County Council | County council | ProContract (Due North) |
| Cornwall Council | Unitary authority | Council e-tendering portal |
| Somerset Council | Unitary authority | ProContract (Due North) |
| Dorset Council | Unitary authority | Council e-tendering portal |
| Gloucestershire County Council | County council | ProContract (Due North) |
| Bath and North East Somerset Council | Unitary authority | ProContract (Due North) |
Portals change. We confirm the live portal and registration steps for your specific tender before you commit.
What we write for South West providers
Domiciliary care tender writing
Supported living tender writing
Residential care tender writing
Nursing home tender writing
Continuing healthcare tender writing
Mental health tender writing
New to this? Read how to find care tenders and how to win a care tender.
South West: common questions
Which portal do South West councils use for care tenders?
Many South West authorities, including Bristol, Devon, Somerset and Gloucestershire, publish through ProContract (Due North), while some run their own e-tendering systems. All contracts above threshold also appear on the national Find a Tender Service, with lower-value work on Contracts Finder. Confirm the exact portal in the tender notice.
Why does rural cover matter so much in the South West?
Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset have scattered populations across long distances, so authorities score realistic travel time, rural recruitment and continuity of care heavily. A bid that ignores rural delivery tends to lose marks, so we address it directly.
Which South West councils commission care?
Bristol, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset and Wiltshire, among others. Several are now large unitary authorities after recent local government reorganisation.
Do I need a local office to win a South West contract?
No. We work remotely with providers across the region. What matters to scorers is your ability to staff and reach rural areas reliably, which can be evidenced without a local office. We write that into every bid.
What does a first tender cost?
Your first tender is £795, with a free eligibility check beforehand. We only take bids we believe you can win, which keeps our win rate at 96 percent.
Bidding for a South West contract?
Send it over and we'll tell you free whether you'd qualify, before you spend a penny. £795 for your first tender.