Official UK procurement notice
Framework for the Provision of Agency Nursing, Care, Support and Ancillary Staff
Authority: Apex Housing Association (Housing)
What is being bought2 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionApex Housing Association intends to establish a multi-supplier Framework Agreement for the provision of suitably qualified, experienced and compliant Agency Workers to meet temporary staffing requirements across a range of services and schemes.
The Framework Agreement will facilitate the provision of Agency Workers for ad hoc, emergency and short-term assignments on an as-required basis. No guarantee is given as to the volume or value of Services to be procured under the Framework Agreement.
The procurement has been divided into the following Lots:
Lot 1 – Provision of Agency Nursing Staff
Lot 2 – Provision of Agency Care, Support and Ancillary Staff
The successful Suppliers will be appointed to a ranked multi-supplier Framework Agreement for each Lot. Call-off assignments will be offered in accordance with the call-off procedure set out in the Framework Agreement.
Full details of the service requirements, specifications, contractual arrangements and tender requirements are contained within the procurement documentation.
- The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 1 Jul 2030, 23:59 BST.
- How the procedure runs: The contract will be procured in accordance with the Competitive Flexible Procedure as set out at section 20(2)(b) of The Procurement Act 2023 (the Act or PA23). The Procedure shall consist of: (i) A Conditions of Participation Stage (assessed on a Pass / Fail), and (ii) an Award Stage, where quality and price submissions will be evaluated in accordance with the published award criteria and weightings. Responses to both the Conditions of Participation and Award Stage requirements must be submitted together by the Closing Date and Time via eTendersNI. Following evaluation, the three highest ranked Suppliers for each Lot will be appointed to a ranked framework. Following notification of the award decision, the Contracting Authority may undertake a short post-award clarification process with successful Suppliers, in accordance with Section 5.3.14 of Document 01 - Instructions to Suppliers, prior to contract execution. Suppliers will be notified via eTendersNI of the outcome of each stage of the procurement process, including whether their Tender has been successful or unsuccessful. Tenders received after the Closing Date and Time may not be considered in which case the Supplier concerned may be eliminated from the Competition.
CPV: Social work and related services · Supply services of domestic help personnel · Supply services of nursing personnel · Supply services of personnel including temporary staff
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Closed framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs are awarded directly to appointed suppliers, without further competition
- Framework period
- 2 yrs · up to 4 yrs from 10 Sept 2026
Published description of the framework
The Framework Agreement will operate as a ranked multi-supplier framework.
Up to three suppliers will be appointed to each Lot and ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd based on the outcome of the tender evaluation.
Where the Contracting Authority requires Agency Workers, assignments will be offered to the highest-ranked supplier in the first instance.
If that supplier is unable to meet the requirement within the timescales specified in the Framework Agreement, the Contracting Authority may offer the assignment to the next-ranked supplier, and thereafter to the third-ranked supplier where necessary.
No guarantee is given as to the volume or value of Services to be procured under the Framework Agreement.
Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure
2 lots · all with a published value · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1Provision of Agency Nursing StaffAwardedRenewalPublished value£2,500,000
This Lot covers the provision of suitably qualified Agency Nursing Staff and Residential Officers to support nursing and residential care services operated by Apex Housing.
Lot #2Agency Care, Support and Ancillary StaffAwardedRenewalPublished value£14,500,000
This Lot covers the provision of suitably qualified and experienced Agency Care, Support and Ancillary Staff to provide temporary cover for ad hoc, emergency and short-term assignments across a range of services and schemes operated by Apex Housing.
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Quality: 40%
- Tender Evaluation Sum: 60%
Published award criteria (2)
- Quality: 1. Proposed Methodology for the Provision of Agency Staff (250) 2. Staff Training, Compliance & Safeguarding (150)
- Tender Evaluation Sum
- Price carries 60 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 6 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
- “Framework for the Provision of Agency Nursing, Care, Support and…” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract, and call-offs are awarded directly: getting appointed is the whole game.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Cancelled
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Light touch regime
- 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
- Yes · next expected 1 Jul 2030
- First published
- 3 Jul 2026, 10:29 BST
- Last source update
- 30 Jul 2026, 14:43 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 21 Aug 2026
- Authority reference
APX026- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-062650- Latest notice
- Procurement termination notice (UK12)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06c31bFind a Tender
- How it runs
The contract will be procured in accordance with the Competitive Flexible Procedure as set out at section 20(2)(b) of The Procurement Act 2023 (the Act or PA23).
The Procedure shall consist of:
(i) A Conditions of Participation Stage (assessed on a Pass / Fail), and
(ii) an Award Stage, where quality and price submissions will be evaluated in accordance with the published award criteria and weightings.
Responses to both the Conditions of Participation and Award Stage requirements must be submitted together by the Closing Date and Time via eTendersNI.
Following evaluation, the three highest ranked Suppliers for each Lot will be appointed to a ranked framework.
Following notification of the award decision, the Contracting Authority may undertake a short post-award clarification process with successful Suppliers, in accordance with Section 5.3.14 of Document 01 - Instructions to Suppliers, prior to contract execution.
Suppliers will be notified via eTendersNI of the outcome of each stage of the procurement process, including whether their Tender has been successful or unsuccessful.
Tenders received after the Closing Date and Time may not be considered in which case the Supplier concerned may be eliminated from the Competition.
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 28 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
3 Jul 2026 → 10 Sept 2026 · 5 dates- Tender notice published114 days ago3 Jul 2026, 10:29 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends89 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown28 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
- Latest notice published87 days ago30 Jul 2026, 14:43 BST
- Award decision expected by65 days ago21 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts46 days ago10 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
3 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 3 Jul 2026- Tender notice published3 Jul 2026, 10:29 BSTUK4
- Procurement termination notice published30 Jul 2026, 14:43 BSTUK12
- Status changed to complete30 Jul 2026, 14:43 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across several lots1 award | |||
| supplier not published | — | 29 Jul 2026 | CancelledThe procurement has been discontinued pending further written clarification from the relevant regulatory body, as the outcome may affect the Conditions of Participation and the basis on which suppliers are able to participate in the competition. |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Procurement termination notice Procurement termination notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender