Find a TenderClosedTender notice
Published 4 Mar 2026, 10:48 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Framework and Services Agreement for the Provision of Agency Support for Cumberland Care

Official notice

Authority: Cumberland Council (Local council)

Framework agreementServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitableVCSE suitable
Framework ceiling (notional)£4,750,000framework ceiling, not attributable revenue · 1 value update
Submissions closed 12 Aug 2026
Framework period 2 yrs 6 moends 30 Apr 2029 · starts 1 Nov 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Cumberland Council is procuring a closed Framework for the Provision of Agency Support for Cumberland Care. Cumberland Council is implementing this Framework to address staffing shortfalls in its in-house adult social care services "Cumberland Care".

This procurement will establish a closed Framework Agreement. Suppliers must note that there will only be one opportunity to join the Framework. Once the Framework is awarded, no further suppliers will be admitted during its term.

Cumberland Care Services include:

  • Residential care homes
  • Reablement and domiciliary care
  • Supported living
  • Day services
  • Extra care housing
  • Shared Lives schemes

These services support adults aged 18 and over who require care due to physical disabilities, learning disabilities, mental health needs, or age-related conditions, including dementia.

The framework will enable the Council to recruit the following roles, but is not limited to;

  • Support Workers
  • Senior Support Workers
  • Registered Nurses

The Provider must maintain sufficient capacity to respond to planned and urgent cover and ensure 24/7/365 contact. At Framework commencement, the Provider will supply a single telephone number and single mailbox for all requests and escalations.

The provider will deliver services across the Cumberland Council area. Services will be available throughout the year, including days, evenings, nights (also, staff may be required on a waking night and sleeping night basis), weekends and Bank Holidays, as required.

Demand will be variable and depend on need.

The council proposes to enter into the contract for an initial term of 30 months with the successful tenderer(s).

There are no optional extensions available.

If the contract runs for the initial term only it will end on 30th April 2029.

The contract value for the initial term is £4750000 excluding VAT.

The contract value for the initial term, potential uplifts is £4750000 excluding VAT.

This figure is indicative only as the uplifts are not guaranteed.

If the council implements uplift, this will be confirmed with the successful suppliers in advance.

CPV: Social work and related services · Supply services of nursing personnel

How this framework works

From the published notice
Type
Closed framework
Call-offs
every call-off is a further competition among the appointed suppliers
Framework period
2 yrs 6 mo from 1 Nov 2026
Published description of the framework

This procurement will establish a closed Framework Agreement.

Suppliers must note that there will only be one opportunity to join the Framework.

Once the Framework is awarded, no further suppliers will be admitted during its term.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1 2 yrs 6 moSMEVCSEPublished value£4,750,000
Contract period: 1 Nov 2026 – 30 Apr 2029 (2 yrs 6 mo)Value: £4,750,000 exc. VAT · £5,700,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: North WestEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible

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: 40%Price: 50%Social value: 10%
Published award criteria (3)
  • Price: Providers will be ranked based on their submitted rates for each job function. The lowest price in each category will receive the maximum points available, and all other bids will be scored proportionately using the formula: Score = (Lowest Cost/Provider Cost) × Points are weighted to the rates which the Council expects to order the most . Providers will have set hourly rates (submitted at tender stage) for the duration of the Framework. Prices must be inclusive of all costs, (labour, equipment, materials, transport, administration, operating costs, overhead charges, profit, other costs, expenses, travel, National Insurance and pension contributions. Suppliers may bid for one, two, or all three job roles. For each job role submitted, bidders must provide rates for all shift types, Weekday, Weekend and Bank Holiday. A bid that does not include rates for all three shift types for a particular job role will be excluded from evaluation for that job role.
  • Quality: The quality score must achieve a total consensus score of above 2 for each quality question otherwise the bid will be excluded for not reaching an acceptable quality standard.
  • Social Value
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 50 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 5 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
  • “Framework and Services Agreement for the Provision of Agency Support…” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: each call-off is a further competition, so the pricing contest starts after appointment.

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
Closed
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Framework agreement
Who may use this agreement
Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
4 Mar 2026, 10:48 GMT
Last source update
14 Jul 2026, 13:27 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 21 Sept 2026
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-066179
Latest notice
Tender notice (UK4)
Classification (CPV)
Social work and related servicesSupply services of nursing personnel
Delivery area
North West (UKD1)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0661d4 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
Appointment period ends
12 Aug 2026, 10:00 BST
Clarification deadline
5 Aug 2026, 10:00 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

For further information please read the Invitation to Tender (ITT) and its appendices

Clarification questions can be asked on The Chest messaging section. www.the-chest.org.uk ↗

You should take note of the deadlines in the Procurement Timetable, which is in the ITT.

All bids must be received electronically via The Chest by the deadline stated in the Invitation to Tender (ITT).

Any clarifications about the tender must be sent via messaging on The Chest by the deadline stated in the ITT.

Timeline

4 Mar 2026 → 1 Nov 2026 · 7 dates
  1. Planning notice published239 days ago
    4 Mar 2026, 10:48 GMT
  2. Market engagement226 days ago
    16 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT

    Cumberland Council is looking to engage with providers with capacity and the required skills to engage agency staff to maintain safe staffing levels, ensure continuity of care, and uphold regulatory obligations. Agency staffing provides flexibility to respond quickly to short-term gaps and helps safeguard the wellbeing of customers when internal resources cannot meet demand.

    The session will be held via Teams. For further details and to access the joining information use our online procurement portal, The Chest www.the-chest.org.uk ↗

  3. Tender notice published107 days ago
    14 Jul 2026, 13:27 BST
  4. Clarification questions by85 days ago
    5 Aug 2026, 10:00 BST
  5. Admission / appointment period ends78 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown
    12 Aug 2026, 10:00 BST
  6. Award decision expected by37 days ago
    21 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
  7. Today
    29 Oct 2026
  8. Contract startsin 2 days
    1 Nov 2026

Notice history

7 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 4 Mar 2026
  1. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    4 Mar 2026, 10:48 GMT
    UK2
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    25 Mar 2026, 13:09 GMT
    UK2
  3. Tender notice published
    14 Jul 2026, 13:27 BST
    UK4
  4. Published value updated to £4,750,000
    14 Jul 2026, 13:27 BST
    was £3,958,333
  5. Status changed to active
    14 Jul 2026, 13:27 BST
  6. Procurement method changed
    14 Jul 2026, 13:27 BST
  7. Deadline published: 12 Aug 2026, 10:00 BST
    14 Jul 2026, 13:27 BST
Published amendments (1)

Further Market Engagement including a supplier questionnaire and feedback on the draft specification plus a copy of the Pre-market engagement slides and questions and answers from the online session. For further details and to access the questionnaire, use our online procurement portal, The Chest https://www.the-chest.org.uk

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Cumberland Council

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

Official documents & specifications (3)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure