The client

A £4.8bn UK-headquartered outsourcing provider operating across the defence, home affairs, justice, and employment sectors was seeking to position itself as a leading partner in the delivery of high-quality Functional Assessment Services (FAS). Commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the multi-billion-pound programme is an essential component of welfare and disability benefit reform across the UK.

The challenge

Divided into multiple regional Lots, the highly competitive 12-month procurement cycle comprised initial submissions, competitive dialogue, Best and Final Offer (BAFO), and formal presentations – all with stringent requirements around clinical quality, operational scale, and digital delivery.

What we did

50 Degrees carried out a full spectrum of bid support services to help the client secure the £350m South West and South Central Lot, including:

Win Strategy and Value Proposition: working closely with senior stakeholders during the early stages of sales development to define clear, compelling win themes and a unique value proposition focused on operational excellence, clinical credibility, and digital innovation

Solution Design and Subject Matter Expertise: deploying an experienced team of DWP specialists, clinical SMEs (including Medical Directors and assessment professionals), and solution designers. Engaging with the client’s internal team, we helped shape a fully-formed operating model – from clinical pathways to workforce and technology.

Bid Management and Production: maintaining consistent oversight over all aspects of the bid lifecycle, from initial drafting and graphics development through to final submission. Our team adopted a hybrid working model to ensure maximum engagement with the client, combining on-site and remote workshops to support the intensive demands of the 12-month procurement process