CQC Experts by Experience Contract Award - Choice Support
Summary
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has awarded a £10 million contract to Choice Support for Experts by Experience Services across two lots. The contract covers support to CQC's regulatory activity using subject matter experts with lived experience of healthcare or social care needs (Lot 1), and development of the public engagement network (Lot 2). This is a standard procurement award notice under UK public procurement regulations.
What changed
The Care Quality Commission has awarded a contract to Choice Support for Experts by Experience Services valued at £10 million. The contract comprises two lots: Lot 1 provides support to CQC's regulatory activities using experts with lived experience of health and social care needs, while Lot 2 covers development and expansion of CQC's public engagement network. Notice identifier: 2026/S 000-031156.
This is a routine procurement award notice that does not create new regulatory obligations for health and social care providers. No immediate action is required from regulated entities. The award completes the procurement process initiated under reference CQC EPS 102.
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Apr 2, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Contract
Experts by Experience
- Care Quality Commission F03: Contract award notice
Notice identifier: 2026/S 000-031156
Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04e748 (view related notices)
Published 2 April 2026, 5:33pm
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Contents
one. Contracting authority Press escape key to exit two. Object (2 lots)
- Scope of the procurement
- Lot 1. CQC Experts by Experience Services
- Lot 2. CQC Public Engagement Network
four. Procedure five. Award of contract (2)
- 1. CQC Experts by Experience Services
- 2. CQC Public Engagement Network
six. Complementary information
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one.1) Name and addresses
Care Quality Commission
Citygate, Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE14PA
commercialcontracts@cqc.org.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKC22 - Tyneside
NHS Organisation Data Service
8HN02
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Experts by Experience
Reference number
CQC EPS 102
two.1.2) Main CPV code
Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. We make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and we encourage care services to improve. We monitor, inspect and regulate services and publish what we find. Where we find poor care, we will use our powers to take action.
CQC has a legal duty under the Health and Social Care Act to involve people in the way it works. The Health and Social Care Act 2008, specifies that CQC can 'arrange for any of its functions to be exercised by, or with the assistance of, service users and carers'.
The Experts by Experience contracts are key mechanisms used by CQC to achieve this.
Lot 1 CQC Experts by Experience Services: this lot is for support to regulatory activity conducted by subject matter experts with lived experience of specific healthcare or social care needs.
Lot 2 CQC Public Engagement Network: this lot is for developing and maintaining and expanding the public engagement network and organising related events.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £10,000,000
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
CQC Experts by Experience Services
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
Business and management consultancy and related services
Supply services of personnel including temporary staff
Health and social work services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The provision of trained members of the public, known as Experts by Experience (ExEs), to support our assessments of regulated health and care services and our understanding of the quality of care across regulated services in England.
The CQC Experts by Experience Services support the delivery of a programme of work referred to as the CQC Experts by Experience (ExE) programme. The ExE programme is founded on the fundamental principle of helping people who use services to make their voices, views and experiences heard. The programme delivers evidence and insight to CQC through regulatory and engagement activities.
Experts by Experience have current or recent (within the past 8 years, or within 4 years for maternity services) lived experience of using, or being a family carer for someone who uses, the services we regulate. Experts by Experience help us gather the evidence that we use to make judgements about the quality of care.
People often find it easier to speak to someone who has a similar lived experience to themselves. Experts by Experience gather evidence by having meaningful conversations with people using services, as well as friends and families. They will also make and record other observations while taking part in our assessments of services.
Experts by Experience Services also support other CQC activities such as policy and guidance development, co design and co production and consultations.
The Contractor will need to provide Experts by Experience support in three key areas:
inspection - support to site visits and telephone calls,
monitor and insight - support gathering local and national information from the public. This will include special reviews and investigations as well as work raising public awareness of CQC,
co-production - support to policy and guidance development and delivery of CQC staff training.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 60
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
CQC Public Engagement Network
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
Business and management consultancy and related services
Supply services of personnel including temporary staff
Health and social work services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Provision of CQC Public Engagement Network (PEN) to develop, maintain and deliver engagement services with people from seldom heard communities, people with protected characteristics, and people made vulnerable by their circumstances.
The CQC Public Engagement Network is a managed network of community groups across England made up of local and national groups, including charities and other organisations who represent and support people from a diverse range of communities, people at risk of facing health inequalities, and people with protected characteristics.
The purpose of the CQC Public Engagement Network is:
to develop a programme of community engagement across England and to become an important mechanism in helping CQC ensure that local health and care services meet the needs and preferences of the communities they serve.
to gather and understand experiences of care from those most likely to experience poorer health and care outcomes and to amplify the voices of people and communities across the health and care landscape.
to increase the volume and range of feedback CQC receives from specific targeted groups across England.
to provide CQC with opportunities to hear from, and engage with, groups and the individuals they represent, on both a local and national scale.
The CQC Public Engagement Network contributes to our assessments and the design and ongoing development of the way we regulate, providing insight and intelligence about experiences of care, from:
people from seldom heard communities,
people with protected characteristics,
people made vulnerable by their circumstances.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 60
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Restricted procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2025/S 000-006977
Section five. Award of contract
Lot No
1
Title
CQC Experts by Experience Services
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
26 March 2026
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
CHOICE SUPPORT
Compass House, 84 Holland Road, Maidstone
Kent
ME14 1UT
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKJ4 - Kent
Companies House
RS009045
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £7,445,364
Section five. Award of contract
Lot No
2
Title
CQC Public Engagement Network
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
5 March 2026
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
NATIONAL VOICES
The Foundry, 17 Oval Way
London
SE11 5RR
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKI - London
Companies House
03236543
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £1,297,492
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court (Technology and Construction Court)
Rolls Building, Fetter Lane
London
EC4A 1NL
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals/technology-and-construction-court
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