How Technical and Professional Ability is assessed — and how small care providers can prepare compliant, verifiable references.
The Technical and Professional Ability is one of the most important parts of any DPS or framework application. It asks suppliers to demonstrate relevant experience, often by providing “up to three examples of contracts.” For many small care providers, this can raise practical questions about what to include, who to list as a reference, and how the information will be checked.
This guide explains how councils verify experience through reference checks, and how to prepare accurate, compliant examples that strengthen your submission.
1. What Councils Are Asking For
The references section allows procurement teams to confirm that your organisation (or its key personnel) has relevant and recent experience.
Typically, you’ll be asked for:
- Name of customer organisation who signed the contract
- Name of supplier who signed the contract
- Point of contact and position
- Email address (and telephone number if helpful)
- Description of contract
- Start and end dates
- Estimated contract value
Important: References should be from the past three years for supplies or services (or past five years for works contracts). The named contact should be able to provide written confirmation of the information if requested by the council.
This reference check shows how your business has carried out comparable work, and ensures the named contact can verify the accuracy of what you’ve provided.
2. A Realistic Example:
To show how this works in practice, here’s a fictional but realistic example.
BrightPath Care, a small home care provider run by Malcolm, delivered short-term reablement support for adults with physical disabilities in ‘Havenfield’. Their point of contact was Jane, a social worker at Havenfield Council who coordinated client referrals.
Later, Malcolm decides to apply for another DPS in ‘Eastmere’. He plans to list Jane as his reference – but before submitting, he emails her to confirm she’s happy to be listed.
Subject: Reference check for DPS submission
Hi Jane,
I hope you’re well. We’re applying for the Eastmere Care & Support DPS and would like to list you as a contact to confirm we’ve delivered reablement support under Havenfield’s service (Jan 2022–present). Are you happy to be named, and is this the best email and number? The council may contact you for written confirmation if needed.
Here’s what might happen next:
“Yes, happy to be a contact.” Jane confirms she’s fine to be listed and that her details are current. → Include her details in the form and keep the confirmation on file.
“I’ve moved roles or left the council/ Organisation/ School.” She can’t act as a referee but may suggest a current team member or shared mailbox. → Update your record with the new contact and note the handover internally.
“I can’t comment due to data protection.” Common in social care. Jane might refer you to a commissioning inbox or service manager who can confirm contract delivery in general terms. → Use that inbox or team lead as your official contact.
“Please route through our team inbox.” Some departments only verify through a shared mailbox. → List that inbox in your form (e.g. adultservices@havenfieldcouncil.gov.uk) and note this instruction for your records.
This simple check confirms Malcolm is putting down the correct contact and that Jane is happy to be a referee. Keeping a record of who agreed, redirected, or declined ensures your reference list stays accurate and easy to maintain. If Macolm has a list of 2-3 references ready, there’s no rush to find someone when a tender opens, and his referees are already expecting the call.
3. What Happens Behind the Scenes
Under procurement regulations, councils can contact referees to confirm supplier performance. Councils may verify references at different stages: sometimes when you first apply to join the DPS, sometimes before awarding you a specific contract, or both. Because timing varies, it’s essential to confirm your references early so they’re ready whenever verification happens.
Procurement officers may:
- Spot-check one or two references during compliance
- Request written confirmation from a listed contact to verify the accuracy of information you’ve provided, or
- Rely on your supporting documentation (CQC registration, policies, case studies) if your submission already demonstrates relevant experience
The objective is risk assurance, not investigation. As long as your references are genuine, consistent, and contactable, that will usually meet the requirement.
This is why Malcolm needed Jane on board early. She expects a reference check from the council because he emailed her beforehand. If Jane had left the council, she may have forwarded it to the main inbox, so someone is on the lookout for these reference requests – all because Malcolm planned ahead.
4. If You Have No References Yet
If you’re newly established or have mainly worked through private clients, most councils will allow a short explanation instead. This is usually outlined in the specification and documents (often with a word limit of around 600 words). However, be aware that lack of references can be an immediate disqualifying factor if the council states in their specification that references are mandatory. You’ll know by reading the documentation whether this applies.
For example:
“Although BrightPath Care is newly registered, its Director has over 12 years’ experience delivering CQC-regulated home care in Havenfield. The company has also been subcontracted by local authorities for short-term support and is building partnerships with other providers.”
5. Building a Reference Library for Future Bids
Instead of starting from scratch each time, create a small “reference library”:
- Keep a log of every organisation you’ve worked with
- Identify who could confirm your delivery: social worker, SENCO, commissioning officer, school head, or service manager
- Contact them early before a tender opens to check they’re happy to be listed
- Record their confirmation, redirections, or notes
- Review your list each year; people move on frequently
That single habit makes the references section quick and stress-free in future tenders.
Example Reference Format:
- Customer organisation: Havenfield County Council
- Supplier organisation: BrightPath Care Ltd
- Contact: Jane , Senior Social Worker
- Email: jane.lewis@havenfield.gov.uk
- Tel: 01962 845000
- Description: Reablement and domiciliary care for adults with mobility impairments
- Start/End Date: Jan 2022 – Present
- Value: Approx. £24,000 per annum
Keep a note of:
- Both customer and supplier names (who signed the contract on each side)
- What you delivered and the scope of work
- Start and end dates (or if it’s ongoing)
- Contract value
- Up-to-date contact details (email addresses, telephone numbers)
Remember: For supplies or services, use examples from the past three years. For works contracts, you can use examples from the past five years.
Treat your reference log like any other compliance document. Review and refresh it annually so you’re always ready for the next opportunity.
6. Why Strong References Matter
Good references show that your business is organised, credible, and ready to deliver. They reassure procurement teams that you can be relied upon and that you maintain proper records – a strong indicator of overall governance and quality assurance.
Final Thought
References are not about persuasion, they’re about reliability. When your references are accurate, contactable, and clearly documented, you signal to councils that your organisation is structured, trustworthy, and ready to deliver.
For care providers, keeping a simple, up-to-date reference log is one of the easiest ways to build credibility, quietly, consistently, and without added effort.