ITT: Public affairs partner for Health Equals
We have been made aware that our previous proposal deadline fell within school half-term holidays. As we do not wish to disadvantage teams with parents of school age children, on this occasion we have agreed to amend the deadline to Tuesday 3 November, 10am.
- We are looking to commission an experienced public affairs partner to support Health Equals from 2027 to 2030. The partner will help us engage parliamentarians and policymakers, grow political and policy support for action on health inequalities, and build lasting cross-party support for a whole-government approach to improving health.
- The contract will run from March 2027 to December 2030. The indicative budget is £360,000, inclusive of VAT, over the full project period.
- The deadline for proposals is 10am on Tuesday 3 November 2026.
Invitation to apply
Health Equals is a cross-sector coalition funded by the Health Foundation. We work to build public demand for action on health inequalities, strengthen political and policy support for a cross-government approach to health, and bring partners together as a collective voice for change.
Since launching in 2023, Health Equals has built a coalition of more than 130 organisations, established a Parliamentary Champions Network of more than 115 MPs and peers, and delivered public campaigns to improve understanding of the wider determinants of health. In our next phase, we will strengthen public, political and cross-sector support for action on the building blocks of health, including decent homes, secure work, stable incomes, strong communities and a healthy environment.
We are looking for a partner with expertise in public affairs and political influencing, including parliamentary engagement, cross-party relationship building, policy influencing, political intelligence and coalition-based advocacy. The successful provider will combine strategic advice with hands-on delivery, working closely with the Health Equals team, coalition members and other agency partners.
Details of the work
The provider will help Health Equals secure tangible policy progress, activate parliamentary champions and build lasting cross-party support. This should include engaging with cross-party politicians, policymakers and influencers, as well as work to influence legislation, government strategies and plans, spending decisions, consultations, departmental policy development, party policy processes and manifesto commitments.
Indicative activities include developing annual public affairs tactical plans; providing political intelligence and horizon scanning; mapping and maintaining stakeholder relationships; supporting parliamentary briefings and events; mobilising parliamentary champions; engaging across political parties; supporting government and policy engagement; and tracking impact against agreed success measures.
How to apply
We welcome proposals from individual agencies, agencies bidding for multiple Health Equals scopes of work, and consortium or multi-agency partnerships.
To apply, please:
- Read the invitation to tender for full details of the tender response requirements, selection criteria, frequently asked questions and application guidance.
- Submit your tender response, budget, and about your organisation document to healthequals@health.org.uk. Please note: you (the provider) are welcome to use your own format of choice to present the commercial elements of your proposal.
- Complete your application by 10am on Tuesday 3 November 2026. We will not accept proposals submitted after this time.
- Interviews will be held in the week commencing 16 November 2026.
Information call and frequently asked questions
An information call is designed to offer applicants the opportunity to hear more about the project and to ask questions to clarify understanding.
We will hold this information call on 8 October 2026 at 10am.
It is not essential, but you are encouraged to take part. If you have any specific questions about the project, please email them to us in advance of the information call if possible. Please note that we will not be able to answer specific technical questions about individual tender responses. Our responses to these questions will be added to a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document.
Clarification questions can be sent to healthequals@health.org.uk until 13 October 2026.