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Published 18 Sept 2025, 17:59 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Provision of an internal mail courier service

Official notice

Authority: Cumberland Council (Local council)·Consortium: 2 public authorities

ServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitable
Sectors: Postal and telecommunications services (64) Delivery: North West (UKD1)
Published estimate£450,000≈ £225k / year · £540,000 inc. VAT · 1 value update
Submissions closed 21 Nov 2025awarded 22 Jan 2026
Awarded to HART DISTRIBUTION LIMITED4 awards
Contract term 2 yrsends 31 Dec 2027 · up to 31 Dec 2029 with extensions · starts 1 Jan 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The Council is reprocuring a dedicated, secure, Internal mail and parcel collection and delivery service contract. This contract is split over 2 routes, one for the geographical area of Cumberland and one for the geographical area of Westmorland and Furness. This service will move a variety of items securely between approx 40 sites across the two areas. Due to the nature of the items transported by this service there is a requirement for

items to be handed over from one route to the other. This tender will be to procure a single supplier with two contracts, one for each area. There are various Council buildings in both routes but they also include some Police & Fire stations/ buildings. Due to the nature of the service security measures will be vital to the contract including the vetting of contractor staff.

CPV: Courier services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 2 yrsSMEPublished value£450,000
Contract period: 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2027 (2 yrs) · up to 31 Dec 2029 with extensionsValue: £450,000 exc. VAT · £540,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: North WestEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: There is the potential for contract extensions of up to 2 x 12 months, depending on both the success in achieving the required outcomes and availability of further funding.
64120000 Courier services

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored
Quality: 50%Price: 40%Social value: 10%
Published award criteria (3)
  • Quality
  • Price
  • Social Value
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
18 Sept 2025, 17:59 BST
Last source update
5 Mar 2026, 12:32 GMT
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 1 Dec 2025
Authority reference
DN791081
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-068596
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
Courier services
Delivery area
North West (UKD1)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-059da7 Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: ProContract (Due North) · Who buys & how to bid on ProContract
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free · short registration with manual review; public opportunity list
Submission deadline
21 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
Clarification deadline
11 Nov 2025, 17:00 GMT
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

The documents are available via The Chest - www.the-chest.org.uk ↗

For support using the chest please contact Proactis, using the supplier support area.

For clarifications, please ensure all correspondence is via The Chest using the message area.

Suppliers wishing to express an interest and obtain access to the tender documents should go to www.the-chest.org.uk ↗ and click on current opportunities from the navigation area on the left of the screen. On the next screen enter the contract Reference (DN791490) in the box labelled 'contains' then click search.

Click on the Blue link for the contract title to view the opportunity.

To express an interest you will need to login. If you are not already

registered on the www.the-chest.org.uk ↗ you will need to return to the home page and click on Register. Register FREE link in the navigation area on the left of the screen. Registration is free of charge and your username and password will be emailed to you.

Cumberland Council an Westmorland and Furness Council are fully supportive of all aspects of diversity including ethnicity, race, religion, age, disability and sexual orientation. In this respect Cumberland Council welcome an expressions of interest from ethnic minority, disabled and other diverse business communities and the voluntary sector.

Economic operators are therefore required to fully comply with all statutory obligations/applicable legislation and there will be a requirement to participate in the Authority's supplier audits on all aspects of diversity.

The Contracting Authority expressly reserves the right:

(i) not to award any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by publication of this notice; and

(ii) to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the tendering competition; and in no circumstances will the Contracting Authority be liable for any costs incurred by the candidates. Any expenditure, work or effort undertaken prior to contract award is accordingly a matter solely for the commercial judgement of potential suppliers.

The contracting authority reserve the right to use any electronic portal during the life of the agreement.

The value provided in this notice is only an estimate.

The initial contract term is for 2 years, with 2 optional extensions of up to 12 months each.

Timeline

18 Sept 2025 → 5 Mar 2026 · 10 dates
  1. Planning notice published394 days ago
    18 Sept 2025, 17:59 BST
  2. Market engagement386 days ago
    25 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST

    The Council is reprocuring a dedicated, secure, Internal mail and parcel collection & delivery Service contract. This contract is split over 2 routes, one for the geographical area of Cumberland and one for the geographical area of Westmorland & Furness. This service will move a variety of items securely between approx 40 sites across the two areas. Due to the nature of the items transported by this service there is a requirement for items to be handed over from one route to the other. This tender will be to procure a single supplier with two contracts, one for each area. There are various Council buildings in both routes but they also include some Police & Fire stations/buildings. Due to the nature of the service security measures will be vital to the contract including the vetting of contractor staff.

    The Council will be carrying out an online session on Friday 26th September at 10am to 11.30am to further outline this opportunity. Please confirm email addresses, name and company name via the 'messaging area' on The Chest (www.the-chest.org.uk ↗) if you would like to secure a space, a maximum of 2 from each organisation. These must be received before Thursday 25th September 12 noon.

  3. Tender notice published355 days ago
    27 Oct 2025, 14:43 GMT
  4. Clarification questions by340 days ago
    11 Nov 2025, 17:00 GMT
  5. Submission deadline330 days ago
    21 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
  6. Award decision expected by319 days ago
    1 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
  7. Contract starts289 days ago
    1 Jan 2026
  8. Assessment summaries sent268 days ago
    22 Jan 2026
  9. Standstill ends255 days ago
    3 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
  10. Latest notice published226 days ago
    5 Mar 2026, 12:32 GMT

Notice history

14 events · 7 releases on Find a Tender · since 18 Sept 2025
  1. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    18 Sept 2025, 17:59 BST
    UK2
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    22 Sept 2025, 10:58 BST
    UK2
  3. Tender notice published
    27 Oct 2025, 14:43 GMT
    UK4
  4. Published value published: £450,000
    27 Oct 2025, 14:43 GMT
  5. Status changed to active
    27 Oct 2025, 14:43 GMT
  6. Procurement method changed
    27 Oct 2025, 14:43 GMT
  7. Deadline published: 21 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
    27 Oct 2025, 14:43 GMT
  8. Contract award notice published
    22 Jan 2026, 16:29 GMT
    UK6
  9. Status changed to complete
    22 Jan 2026, 16:29 GMT
  10. Contract award notice published
    23 Jan 2026, 15:47 GMT
    UK6
  11. Procurement termination notice published
    28 Jan 2026, 17:13 GMT
    UK12
  12. Contract signature expected
    3 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
    scheduled
  13. Contract signature expected
    4 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
    scheduled
  14. Contract details notice published
    5 Mar 2026, 12:32 GMT
    UK7
Published amendments (1)

Title of the opportunity edited to give more information

Routine re-releases (7)
  • 2026-01: 1 release · 22 Jan 2026
  • 2025-10: 1 release · 27 Oct 2025
  • 2025-09: 2 releases · 18 Sept 2025, 22 Sept 2025

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 4
Awarded value £923,4234 awards exc. VAT
Bids received 65 from SMEs
Contracts signed 4latest 4 Feb 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
HART DISTRIBUTION LIMITEDSMECumberland Council3 Feb 2026 – 31 Dec 2028 · up to 31 Dec 2030Extensions: 24 month contract with 2 possible 12 month extensions£162,48422 Jan 2026Awarded
HART DISTRIBUTION LIMITEDSMEWestmorland and Furness3 Feb 2026 – 31 Dec 2028 · up to 31 Dec 2030Extensions: 24 month contract with 2 possible 12 month extensions£170,63622 Jan 2026Awarded
HART DISTRIBUTION LIMITEDSMECumberland Route4 Feb 2026 – 3 Feb 2028 · up to 3 Feb 2030Extensions: 24 month contract with 2 possible 12 month extensions£277,47222 Jan 2026Awarded
HART DISTRIBUTION LIMITEDSMEWestmorland and Furness Route4 Feb 2026 – 3 Feb 2028 · up to 3 Feb 2030Extensions: 24 month contract with 2 possible 12 month extensions£312,83222 Jan 2026Awarded

Contracts

  • Cumberland Route · HART DISTRIBUTION LIMITEDSME

    Signed
    4 Feb 2026
    Value
    £277,472
    Period
    4 Feb 2026 – 3 Feb 2028 · up to 3 Feb 2030 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    option to extend for 12 months plus 12 months

    No agreed KPIs: Below 5 million

  • Contract 4 · HART DISTRIBUTION LIMITEDSME

    Signed
    4 Feb 2026
    Value
    £312,832
    Period
    4 Feb 2026 – 3 Feb 2028 · up to 3 Feb 2030 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    12 months plus 12 months

    No agreed KPIs: Is below 5 million

  • Contract 1 · HART DISTRIBUTION LIMITEDSME

    Signed
    date not published
    Value
    —
    Period
    … – 31 Dec 2027
    Status
    cancelled (22 Jan 2026), The UK 6 notice (2026/S 000-005940), relating to the Provision of Internal Courier Services, published on 22/01/2026 contained incorrect information. This notice has now been replaced with an amended version (2026/S 000-006323), with full and correct details. Please note that the procurement process for the Provision of Internal Courier Services has not been cancelled. The amendment relates solely to the correction of errors within the original UK 6 notice, which have now been rectified

  • Contract 2 · HART DISTRIBUTION LIMITEDSME

    Signed
    date not published
    Value
    —
    Period
    … – 31 Dec 2027
    Status
    cancelled (22 Jan 2026), The UK 6 notice (2026/S 000-005940), relating to the Provision of Internal Courier Services, published on 22/01/2026 contained incorrect information. This notice has now been replaced with an amended version (2026/S 000-006323), with full and correct details. Please note that the procurement process for the Provision of Internal Courier Services has not been cancelled. The amendment relates solely to the correction of errors within the original UK 6 notice, which have now been rectified

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
6final-stage tenders50—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

2 public bodies on the notice

Cumberland Council

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PJGX-9191-DYLV Cumbria House, 107-117 Botchergate, Carlisle, North West, CA1 1RDContact email

Consortium members and other public bodies

  • Westmorland and Furness CouncilContracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central governmentGB-PPON: PYYD-1758-YNVR Kendal, North WestContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • HART DISTRIBUTION LIMITEDAwarded supplierGB-COH: 05301197GB-PPON: PRDW-2665-DDYD 4 Lowther Glen, Penrith, North West, CA10 2BPContact email

Official documents & specifications (10)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Procurement termination notice tenderProcurement termination noticeUK12Procurement termination notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
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