Securing a £300m DWP Employment Programme

Employment & Disability Support

Securing a £300m DWP Employment Programme

Services provided:

Bid & Proposal Writing & Bid Management

Work Winning strategy & Pre-bid Capture Support

£300 million

Value of the secured Restart regional contract

Largest regions

Award covered one of Restart’s biggest areas

Multi-partner consortium

Aligned governance across complex delivery partnerships

Overview

A leading UK employment services provider with a track record in delivering large-scale skills and inclusion programmes wanted to grow its national footprint through the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP’s) Restart scheme. As a key part of UK Government’s Covid recovery response, Restart represented a major strategic opportunity for the client to establish themselves as a leader in this growing sector. To support the development of a winning submission for the client, 50 Degrees provided bid leadership, solution design, and strategic storytelling.

Challenge

Competition for Restart was fierce, with the UK’s most experienced employability providers targeting high-value regional contracts. Success required more than a compliant offer: the DWP expected to see clear innovation, meaningful social value, and credible partnership governance. Internally, coordinating multiple partners under capacity pressures made governance and consistency challenging. External expertise was needed to align the solution and maximise the quality of the bid.

Strategy

50 Degrees provided end-to-end support throughout the entire bid cycle. Our team of consultants led response development, liaising with client SMEs and external specialists to write outcome-focused answers aligned with DWP’s priorities and the needs of Restart participants. We reinforced governance and accountability across a multi-partner consortium, ensuring version control and cohesive narratives. In preparation for dialogue sessions, we developed robust evidence packs and messaging frameworks for the client, providing group and 1-1 coaching for members of their leadership team. Our integrated approach showcased innovative service models, demonstrated collaboration at scale, and built commissioner confidence in the consortium’s ability to deliver consistently across one of Restart’s largest regions.

Results

The client secured a Restart regional contract worth over £300m, one of the largest awarded nationally. The win strengthened their position as a leading employability provider and created a sustainable platform for future growth. It also highlighted their ability to innovate, manage complex partnerships, and deliver impactful services at scale.

Produced persuasive written submissions and delivered confident dialogue sessions, differentiating the client through alignment with DWP priorities, customer-centred innovation, and measurable social-value outcomes.
Strengthened governance across a multi-partner consortium, ensuring consistent, evidence-led messaging and streamlined accountability across a complex, multi-stakeholder delivery model.
Demonstrated delivery readiness through robust mobilisation planning, risk management frameworks, and operational evidence, giving commissioners confidence in the client’s capacity to deliver complex programmes at scale from day one.